Why I hate people ....

At this particular airport, there are at least three places to park and simultaneously access the hose, but since there's only one hose it doesn't matter. If somebody is ahead of you, you still have to wait. But since I had preauthorized the fill-up and the pump guy was doing it, and since I was parked near the edge of the ramp with one wing over the grass, my being gone didn't hold anything up anyway.

If the situation had been reversed, I would have just taxied around and headed in the other way, with plenty of room to pull out and leave if I was done first. That has been the "local custom" for as long as they've had the pump at the edge of the ramp. If a third plane had arrived while the other two were there, he too could have pulled up close enough to refuel, although he would have needed to wait until one of the other planes was gone to taxi out without pushing back.

At the other two cheap self-serves 30 miles away, it's not uncommon to see 3-4 airplanes headed into the pump from different directions. Everything works out, everybody gets their gas, people help each other push back, and everything seems to get done smoothly. But then again, I've always suspected the pilots around here are a bit smarter than some of the others. Or maybe we don't wear our underwear quite as tight.



gismo said:
It's awfully tempting to leave the plane at the pump until you settle the bill, visit the rest room etc and as long as you're quick the only real downside is that the next fuelee to show up will have to stop short of the pump. An easy remedy for that is to help them move both planes by hand. My cross country airplane is very difficult for one person to move by hand and I'm not fond of starting the engines just to move a few feet so if no one is around I'm likely to leave it at the pump for a short while if I'm attending to other needs, but by keeping an eye and/or ear open I can easily respond to another pilot in a minute. If I expect to be unavailable for more time than that I'll try to move the plane one way or another.

Wayne, in your case I don't see why you couldn't have rolled the plane away from the pump before heading out by car. While you did specifically delegate that responsibility to someone else, it's not obvious from your description of the events that this person actually accepted ownership of that task. If he did, then it seems that all you might be guilty of is an incorrect character judgement but if not...
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dmccormack said:
I've left the airplane for the minute it takes to take a preflight bio break, and it seems I come back to find someone waiting behind me.
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And if a person's so busy that such a short delay causes him to be rude, irritable, or behind on their schedule, they shouldn't be flying GA!
 
TangoWhiskey said:
And if a person's so busy that such a short delay causes him to be rude, irritable, or behind on their schedule, they shouldn't be flying GA!
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Nor should those with so little awareness of what is going on around them -- in the air and on the ground.
 
TangoWhiskey said:
And if a person's so busy that such a short delay causes him to be rude, irritable, or behind on their schedule, they shouldn't be flying GA!
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I have to admit, I've gotten grumpy once or twice around a fuel pump. Once, I was trying to beat some weather out of Portage, WI and there was a plane parked at the pumps. I went into the FBO to find them and they had gone to get a hamburger. I told the FBO guy I had to leave and he just shrugged his shoulders; said the folks would be back shortly.

I had to get a clearance void time to out; load the plane with three girls and all sorts of stuff; climb through some nasty stuff that was going to get worse. Was trying to get to Dallas and that didn't work with fuel on board; so, it caused a stop enroute. The missing couple that owned the plane pulled up while we were departing, but I didn't want to miss our clearance time with the weather that was coming our way. FBO called and said they could move now. My head was into the departure and climb; so, I went ahead.

Best,

Dave
 
Kelvin said:
Westies? Where?
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
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I love them (as you know) - they're great dogs. I'm thinking Sandy the yellow lab could use a little westie friend one of these days. :)
 
Dave Siciliano said:
I have to admit, I've gotten grumpy once or twice around a fuel pump. Once, I was trying to beat some weather out of Portage, WI and there was a plane parked at the pumps. I went into the FBO to find them and they had gone to get a hamburger. I told the FBO guy I had to leave and he just shrugged his shoulders; said the folks would be back shortly.

I had to get a clearance void time to out; load the plane with three girls and all sorts of stuff; climb through some nasty stuff that was going to get worse. Was trying to get to Dallas and that didn't work with fuel on board; so, it caused a stop enroute. The missing couple that owned the plane pulled up while we were departing, but I didn't want to miss our clearance time with the weather that was coming our way. FBO called and said they could move now. My head was into the departure and climb; so, I went ahead.

Best,

Dave
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See, that just proves there are two sides to every story... when I said nobody should be in such a hurry that a minute or two delay at the fuel pumps causes them an issue with GA flying, I didn't think of things like weather delays. And the guys who left the plane at the pumps while leaving for LUNCH?! That's just plain rude, no matter how one tries to justify it.

Thanks, Dave. Good point; there's always "the rest of the story" to consider.
 
The guy with the Cirrus = Money... Money already feels that they wait for no one.. Money already feels more superior than the "guy with a warrior"... Money should not have to wait in line to waste valuable time... time - money.
 
smigaldi said:
When I fill my car up I use pay at the pump. Pulling away form the pump would not do anything except maybe get you in trouble as a possible fill and dash suspect.
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Same here.. and even if I did move.. the next guy can't get started until the bill is paid and the pump cleared by the attendent for the next operation.

If you are paying in cash, and not using "pay at the pump".. you have to go inside to prepay anyway.. :mad2:
 
This is my Westie, Charlie, in his Super Dog pose. All he needs is a cape!

Best,

Dave
 

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wabower said:
Can't win 'em all. On the way out just tell him you're sorry, you didn't realize he had ice cream melting in the back seat. But then again, Cirrus drivers know their self-appointed position in the airport pecking order and expect you to know it too.
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I always like the guy that pulls up to the pump.. nose to nose with you while you are inside getting ready to fire up. I always plan to start up when I see him shut down.

Most time that forces him to get out and push is plane backwards so I can taxi turn away from the pump, then he has to push back to get some gas.

When he just gets out and walks to the pump to get the hose. I shut down, get out, and point and ask.. ya want to help me ya push that plane back? So we push it back, I get in, fire up and taxi away.. and he either has to start up again to get back to the length of the hose.. or pull it back by himself.

Maybe he'll think next time.
 
BillTIZ said:
I always like the guy that pulls up to the pump.. nose to nose with you while you are inside getting ready to fire up. I always plan to start up when I see him shut down.
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Guilty as charged sir. And the reason is I can't move my plane by myself and don't want to restart to move it. Hot starts aren't easy in the 58P and are very hard on the engines. So, I'm happy to help push you back. If no one else comes, I can start and taxi away. If someone else comes, the victim, uh other pilot can help me push back.

"Course, I have pulled up nose to nose, then had someone pull up behind each plane. That was fun and one reason I just don't self fuel much anymore. I've also had someone in a turbine do a 180 while parked and had them blow rocks all over my plane.

Best,

Dave
 
BillTIZ said:
The guy with the Cirrus = Money... Money already feels that they wait for no one.. Money already feels more superior than the "guy with a warrior"... Money should not have to wait in line to waste valuable time... time - money.
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Nice...
 
Having acquitted myself reasonably well in Ms. Wogman's plane geometry class at Elk City High School, I have adapted that knowledge to little airplanes in close quarters, and have become proficient in stopping far enough from the pump that the hose will reach all four fillers and still be able to turn and exit without pushing the plane back. I don't blow dirt on anybody else, or cause them mental duress with a prop turning too close to the seat of their britches, just pop the nose around and GTHOOD.

Doesn't seem like it should be all that hard.
BillTIZ said:
I always like the guy that pulls up to the pump.. nose to nose with you while you are inside getting ready to fire up. I always plan to start up when I see him shut down.

Most time that forces him to get out and push is plane backwards so I can taxi turn away from the pump, then he has to push back to get some gas.

When he just gets out and walks to the pump to get the hose. I shut down, get out, and point and ask.. ya want to help me ya push that plane back? So we push it back, I get in, fire up and taxi away.. and he either has to start up again to get back to the length of the hose.. or pull it back by himself.

Maybe he'll think next time.
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Dave Siciliano said:
Guilty as charged sir. And the reason is I can't move my plane by myself and don't want to restart to move it. Hot starts aren't easy in the 58P and are very hard on the engines. So, I'm happy to help push you back. If no one else comes, I can start and taxi away. If someone else comes, the victim, uh other pilot can help me push back.

"Course, I have pulled up nose to nose, then had someone pull up behind each plane. That was fun and one reason I just don't self fuel much anymore. I've also had someone in a turbine do a 180 while parked and had them blow rocks all over my plane.

Best,

Dave
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Well.. not you but others.. if you see someone at the pumps and it looks like he's "strapping in" .. just wait for him to start up and taxi away.

I would not want to push a 58P either... empty of fuel.. let alone full. :yesnod:

Now people pulling in behind others already parked nose to nose is just plain... :mad3: :mad2: :mad3: :mad2: :mad3: :mad2:

People blowing rocks are just plain stupid, inconsiderate, or arrogant..
I'm betting all three.
 
BillTIZ said:
Well.. not you but others.. if you see someone at the pumps and it looks like he's "strapping in" .. just wait for him to start up and taxi away.

I would not want to push a 58P either... empty of fuel.. let alone full. :yesnod:

Now people pulling in behind others already parked nose to nose is just plain... :mad3: :mad2: :mad3: :mad2: :mad3: :mad2:

People blowing rocks are just plain stupid, inconsiderate, or arrogant..
I'm betting all three.
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Yes, if I see someone about to leave, certainly, I will wait. But, as when waiting for a parking spot at the mall near Christmas, I've seen folks get in and just sit for a long time. If they're one the radio, I'll ask. If not, I have to try to read minds <g>

Best,

Dave
 
wabower said:
At this particular airport, there are at least three places to park and simultaneously access the hose, but since there's only one hose it doesn't matter. If somebody is ahead of you, you still have to wait. But since I had preauthorized the fill-up and the pump guy was doing it, and since I was parked near the edge of the ramp with one wing over the grass, my being gone didn't hold anything up anyway.
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Ah, I didn't understand from your earlier post that your plane wasn't really blocking access to the pump where it was. I read into your statement that it could easily be rolled out of the way, that it was in the way were it was left. Since you weren't blocking the pump, your leaving the plane there seems rather inoffensive.
 
Well this behavior isn't just limited to Cirrus drivers. This summer while soaring I had some yahoo cut me off at the glider port. I was on the radio making position calls in the pattern trying to coordinate with a 182 using the same 18-36 grass runway I was planning to land on, when some guy in a saratoga calls an 8 mile straight in for rwy 29. The wind was out of the north west, and everyone else was using 36 at the time. I made several calls of "GLIDER 93T landing rwy 36" but no response from mr Saratoga driver. I know my radio was working OK since I had just talked to the guy in the 182 who let me cut in fron of him. So I land on 36, and make damn sure I wouldn't cross 11/29, and here I see the saratoga come in down wind way too fast, and almost use up all of the runway.

If that wasn enough, he then proceeds to suck up his gear at about 6' AGL on take off, and does a left turn on departure at about 200' AGL. Well he at least took off into the wind :D.
 
It's a bit less civilized here, or maybe a bit more direct. The more-refined and politically correct group probably wouldn't like it. If your airplane is in the way and you aren't there, I'm going to move it. I would expect you to do the same. If you ***** because you don't think I should have moved it, I'll tell you that you should have stayed around to move it yourself. If mine has been moved while I'm in the whiz, I'll just jump in and go from wherever they put it. Life is too short to spend much of it with knickers wadded-upover the small stuff.

,
gismo said:
Ah, I didn't understand from your earlier post that your plane wasn't really blocking access to the pump where it was. I read into your statement that it could easily be rolled out of the way, that it was in the way were it was left. Since you weren't blocking the pump, your leaving the plane there seems rather inoffensive.
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gismo said:
I think "He" is a her (Charlotte) but she's quite lovable. Dave's son has the male.
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Lance: I certainly have a pic of Charlotte too; that was one of my Son's dog, Charlie.

Here's one of Charlie kicking back. Wish I could sleep like he does sometimes.

Notice how well camouflaged he is on our ivory couch <g>. Can't sneak up on much here in Texas, except when it snows.

Best,

Dave
 

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Dave Siciliano said:
... Can't sneak up on much here in Texas, except when it snows.

....
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Hehe - when I was dead set on getting a westie, I convinced myself that, were I to let it outside, I'd be able to see nothing but nose. A speck of black above the snow surface, with the rest of the dog underneath! :)

Sandy - she only blends in with stuff in Arizona. It's yellow there.
 
I always fill up and then pull the airplane out of the way by hand. It's rather easy with a light airplane.

It is less easy for some people -- and I would understand if there were a Baron blocking the pump for a few minutes. I also wouldn't care if an ultralight were to block the pumps - but then again - I'm generally out to have fun.
 
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