pookies
Pre-takeoff checklist
I am really upset with the series of events that took place today at the airport with the flight school. I want to write the owner to complain, but I want to make sure that I am not overreacting.
I'm gonna start the story off a little earlier, so I can set the mood I was in at the time.
I was scheduled to fly today and I was gonna bring my cousin. I was really excited about all of it cause this would be my first time up as a PP and the first time having a passenger (except Steves plane). I call my cousin to remind her that she is riding today. She had to cancel, cause she got stuck babysitting. I really wanted to bring a passenger up and she is the only one of my friends and family that will go up with me. I was really bummed out by this. I figured that when I got to the airport and went flying I would feel alot better.
When I got to the airport and to the flight school. They were closed. The door was locked and no one was inside. So, I walked around to the other side and went into the FBO. I asked the desk lady if she knew if any of the flight instructors were around. She didn't have a clue. One of the line boys pointed out one of the instructors preflighting the Twin Star. So, I walked out that way and when I got there he was already in the plane, but had not started it. There were people standing by the plane taking pictures and I inquired if one of the flight instuctors were in the plane. The lady said "Yes" and said that was her son and he was taking friends and family, that were out of town, up for a small tour. By that time, the plane had already been started. I was quite annoyed at this moment.
So, I went back toward the FBO and saw the line boy again. I asked if they kept the keys for the planes at the desk in the FBO and he said he didn't know. I walked to the side door of the flight school and peeked in the window to see if any one was there and to see if the book for the airplane I was renting wasin the slot. It was not. Being highly aggravated, I went back the FBO and asked the desk lady if she had the keys for 341SP, that I was scheduled to rent it for 5:30PM. She did, but had no acknowledgement of anyone renting the plane. She gave me the keys anyways. I kinda got more annoyed but less annoyed at the same time, but went to the plane to preflight.
Things did not go so well in the beginning. First, I couldn't get the baggage door open with the key. I needed to put the cover in there. I finally got it open. While I was sitting in the cabin, lowering the flaps, the line boy came by to see if I needed help. I shook my head no and gave him a thumbs up. Shouldn't of done that. Nope! Starting my outside preflight, I realized I forgot to lock the baggage door back. I tried and tried, but no luck. It would not lock back. I figured that I would preflight the rest of the plane and get back to it since it was such a minute problem. It was a minute problem, cause when I tried to shut the passenger door, it shut all crooked and weird. I fixed it though, but still had that feeling in the back of my mind. When I got close to finishing up preflighting the plane, the Twin Star instructor wonder boy showed back up. He ramped up and parked about 30 yards away from me. Did he acknowlege me? Nope! He just walked into the FBO and came back with different people and left again. I was extremely livid at this point. I definently was not fit to fly anymore. So, I tied the plane back up and brought the keys back to the FBO and left!
Do I have a legit complaint? Does this kind of thing usually happen? I've rented a plane from my old CFI, without him being there. But, he knew about it and so did the FBO people. I think all that I wanted was some acknowledgement as a customer. Is that too much to ask?
I'm gonna start the story off a little earlier, so I can set the mood I was in at the time.
I was scheduled to fly today and I was gonna bring my cousin. I was really excited about all of it cause this would be my first time up as a PP and the first time having a passenger (except Steves plane). I call my cousin to remind her that she is riding today. She had to cancel, cause she got stuck babysitting. I really wanted to bring a passenger up and she is the only one of my friends and family that will go up with me. I was really bummed out by this. I figured that when I got to the airport and went flying I would feel alot better.
When I got to the airport and to the flight school. They were closed. The door was locked and no one was inside. So, I walked around to the other side and went into the FBO. I asked the desk lady if she knew if any of the flight instructors were around. She didn't have a clue. One of the line boys pointed out one of the instructors preflighting the Twin Star. So, I walked out that way and when I got there he was already in the plane, but had not started it. There were people standing by the plane taking pictures and I inquired if one of the flight instuctors were in the plane. The lady said "Yes" and said that was her son and he was taking friends and family, that were out of town, up for a small tour. By that time, the plane had already been started. I was quite annoyed at this moment.
So, I went back toward the FBO and saw the line boy again. I asked if they kept the keys for the planes at the desk in the FBO and he said he didn't know. I walked to the side door of the flight school and peeked in the window to see if any one was there and to see if the book for the airplane I was renting wasin the slot. It was not. Being highly aggravated, I went back the FBO and asked the desk lady if she had the keys for 341SP, that I was scheduled to rent it for 5:30PM. She did, but had no acknowledgement of anyone renting the plane. She gave me the keys anyways. I kinda got more annoyed but less annoyed at the same time, but went to the plane to preflight.
Things did not go so well in the beginning. First, I couldn't get the baggage door open with the key. I needed to put the cover in there. I finally got it open. While I was sitting in the cabin, lowering the flaps, the line boy came by to see if I needed help. I shook my head no and gave him a thumbs up. Shouldn't of done that. Nope! Starting my outside preflight, I realized I forgot to lock the baggage door back. I tried and tried, but no luck. It would not lock back. I figured that I would preflight the rest of the plane and get back to it since it was such a minute problem. It was a minute problem, cause when I tried to shut the passenger door, it shut all crooked and weird. I fixed it though, but still had that feeling in the back of my mind. When I got close to finishing up preflighting the plane, the Twin Star instructor wonder boy showed back up. He ramped up and parked about 30 yards away from me. Did he acknowlege me? Nope! He just walked into the FBO and came back with different people and left again. I was extremely livid at this point. I definently was not fit to fly anymore. So, I tied the plane back up and brought the keys back to the FBO and left!
Do I have a legit complaint? Does this kind of thing usually happen? I've rented a plane from my old CFI, without him being there. But, he knew about it and so did the FBO people. I think all that I wanted was some acknowledgement as a customer. Is that too much to ask?