Tag: landing

SMAC064 – Island Flying In The Bahamas, Haiti, And Ignored Go Arounds

 

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The SMAC gang is cold! Carl’s braving 30º temps in Florida, Victoria’s taking cover from frost-quakes, Len’s in his Chi-beria bunker, Sean’s absent, loaded up with bronchitis antibiotics, and Rick is holding it down in Boston. Even though they’re frozen right now, Carl and Victoria have each been to the islands recently.

Victoria, her husband Bob, and their dog Turbo flew down to the Bahamas for some relaxation. She’ll tell you all about what it’s like getting in and out of the islands in a GA airplane with a dog. Carl flew a trip down to Haiti recently. He’ll discuss what it’s like getting in and out of the country and how his crew had to adapt to new rest rules.

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Pre-Flight

  • US Sport Aviation Expo Sebring Sport Aviation Expo is almost here! From January 16th to 19th this event focuses on Sport Aircraft and the Sport Pilot Certificate with exhibitors, static aircraft displays, forums, speakers, workshops, and a bunch more. Carl expects to be there volunteering for Expo Radio which will be broadcast live, on the web at LiveATC.net/expo
  • It’s less than two months to Women of Aviation Week! Join Victoria in helping promote aviation to women from March 3rd through March 9th. Whether through hosting your own event, volunteering, or sponsoring, every lit bit makes a difference.
  • Listener, friend, and CFI Ron Klutts’ first student passed his private pilot check ride! Congrats to Varun on this awesome achievement. You can read the full story called A New Pilot and learn about Varuns’ experience during a real life emergency on his check ride! As if the excitement of a check ride isn’t enough.
  • Sign up to become a Stuck Mic AvCast VIP! Get all of our content delivered right to your email inbox including sneak preview access to episodes before they release to the general public.
  • Shout out to our rockin’ sponsors, Aviation Universe for supporting this episode!

Cruise Flight

Show Notes

  • What do you need to fly to the islands?
  • What’s it like flying all the way to the Caribbean with a dog?
  • How much does it cost to fly into the Bahamas?
  • Bahamas Flight Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, With Dogs
  • Flying into Haiti
  • Flying with new airline rest rules
  • FAR Part 117
  • Getting around in Haiti
  • Dealing with customs
  • Benefits of GA flying vs airline flying
  • 737 lands at London-Gatwick despite instructions to go around http://avherald.com/h?article=46e21731&opt=0
  • Discussion on dangers of landing without clearance

After Landing Checklist

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Cleared To Land, Las Vegas Boulevard?

Back in Episode 58 – Flying The Ford Tri Motor And Landing On Roads, we shared a story about a pilot who made an emergency landing on Lake Shore Drive in downtown Chicago after experiencing flight control problems. Since then, we’ve received some fun listener mail about their stories of both road and emergency landings.

Today’s mail comes from Mike Hart of the Pilots Journey Podcast. Mike writes,

I did an accelerated program in Las Vegas for my commercial certificate. After a week of intensive training in a Piper Arrow, it was time for my last checkout by the school before signing me over to the DPE. I went up with the Chief pilot of Monarch Aviation and completed all maneuvers to the PTS.

We left the tiny airport of Jean, NV (0L7) and headed back to Henderson, NV (KHND) on the south side of Las Vegas. We were perhaps 800 feet AGL on climb-out and perhaps 9 miles south of KHND when the engine stopped making full power and began coughing and running extremely rough. I turned the fuel pump on, switched tanks, messed with the mixture and mags, looked at the Chief pilot as I pitched for best glide and identified Las Vegas Blvd as the best option for off field landing.

He said, “Keep at it this is real, I didn’t do anything.” When I pitched for best glide, the engine ran better, so I tried to  climb to put some more altitude in the bank, the engine ran rough and started to fail again. We did this dance up and down and we we able to clear terrain barely holding on to 800-1000 AGL.

We called tower at Henderson asking for clearance direct to the numbers with a rough engine. The whole time, Las Vegas Blvd was below but it was turning from a frontage road (which it is  south of the city) into a major suburban artery. I tried to find other clear fields and streets, but Las Vegas Blvd was always my main option until we were essentially over KHND.

We fortunately were able to land on the runway. A citation coming in on IFR with clearence was asked to go around to give us the full runway. On the ground, mechanics later identified that the 4 cylinder IO-360 had thrown a rocker arm and valve guide.

So, I just missed landing on an equally famous road. I got lucky. I passed my checkride the next day (in a different airplane).

It is an old story and was told in Episode #25 of the Pilots Journey Podcast – Short final for Las Vegas Blvd

MAN, that would have been pretty nerve wracking to perform a forced landing on such a major arterial road way such as Las Vegas Boulevard! What an adrenaline rush. What do you think of Mike’s experience? Leave us a comment below.

Got a flying story to share with us? Send us an email!