Lesson Learned: Keep your eyes Open

[skf_atc]

For the ones of you that don't know me from the past, I'm a student pilot and used to work doing air traffic control as a Sea Cadet.

So I took my grandmother up for her first ever small airplane ride the other day and after I dropped her off I decided to do some quick pattern work.

Now hear this:

After I dropped my grandma and instructor off at the hanger I took off for pattern work. So I'm flying and some idiot down at Stinson (The airport I was flying at) decides to act stupid while I'm on base (Cessna 152 on a straight in unknown to me and without the controller telling me). So I slow down and he's down (landed) when I turn final. He's still on the runway so I call go around and slide to the right of the runway and proceed to accelerate. The guy's 3/4 of the way down the runway and takes back off with me at like 80kts coming down the runway so I'm close to a mid air by almost running the guy over so I execute an immediate right turn and fly a normal pattern to land.

Just like when I took mom up earlier, we're out over Lackland AFB and the approach controller just tells me "Skyhawk 681, you've got traffic at 3 o' clock, a flight of 3 F-16s 5 miles for initial, contact Kelly Tower immediately"
Now when you know the tower controller and know what the other controller just did to him, you start getting mad, which while I was hurrying the change frequencies, my sailor mouth went off and my instructor just laughed. Lucky that this tower has some good controllers. So my grandmother got to see 3 F-16s scream in behind me doing 320kts.

I'm suppose to go up on a solo tomorrow before I return to the base and hopefully the flight will be a little less dramatic. Lesson Learned for you cadets: Pay attention to detail and keep your eyes open.

[wukong]

Your wonderful post brought back fond memories.

In June of 1978 while a T-38 IP at Laughlin AFB, my friend and I took a T-38 cross country for IP continuation training (ie wasting the taxpayers nickle). We flew one leg from McDill AFB to Savannah Apt. At that time the AF policy was to make maximum use of IFR so we filed on Victor Airways at the Minimum Enroute Altitude which was 3000 Ft MSL. By regulation we were limited to 280 Knots. It proved very interesting how quickly one could catch and pass a Cessna 152/172 as we weaved our way to Georgia.

On another occasion, I flew with a tanker co-pilot from McConnell AFB on a low level route up the south side of the Potomac and down thru the Shenandoah Valley. We had planned the route for 500 ft at 480 KIAS. After entering the route over the Chesapeake we increased the speed to 600 KIAS and let our altitude range. If you have never been over tree tops at 10 miles per minute you can not image the thrill. It certainly beats fast cars and is a close second to "hot" women.;)

[skf_atc]

Yeah I got my taste of MVFR today when I went up solo. When I can't see Kelly from their localizer course, vis is bad. Did get to see the Army Golden Knights jump though while I was up.

Yeah the mid air thing: Talked a buddy of mine who's a controller at Stinson and he called his supervisor who was up there when it happened. Evidently I wasn't blameless. The one flight school when they do touch and goes rolls a little bit before going back up so when I called go around it was a bit premature. They only need 3000 feet between Cat I aircraft so I was to fault. Good that the FAA isn't involved and I learned something new for next time

[Drill for life]

Are you going to try to get Qualified for Aviation Warfare in the U.S. Navy?

[SlightlyCatholic]

He'd probably go for his Surface Warfare pin first, as his rate is Operations Specialist and that's a primarily surface rate.

[ang1sgt]

Happy to see that you still think of us. I hope your Military Training is going well also. Make sure to tell us of that also when you get the chance.

[wukong]

Yeah the mid air thing: Talked a buddy of mine who's a controller at Stinson and he called his supervisor who was up there when it happened. Evidently I wasn't blameless. The one flight school when they do touch and goes rolls a little bit before going back up so when I called go around it was a bit premature. They only need 3000 feet between Cat I aircraft so I was to fault. Good that the FAA isn't involved and I learned something new for next time

MVFR is still VFR and you have a responsibility to see and avoid. It is never premature to call a go around. Listening to radio traffic is part of clearing and your go around call should have warned the other aircraft that you were there as a possible conflict. If you see the other aircraft you are responsible for maintaining separation.

[Drill for life]

He'd probably go for his Surface Warfare pin first, as his rate is Operations Specialist and that's a primarily surface rate.

Yes I would guess that but if he can fly It would be really easy for him to get Enlsited Aviation Warfare because it is just a test to see if you know anything about Aircraft.
Surface Warfare Info:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_Warfare_insignia
Enlisted Aviation Warfare:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlisted_Aviation_Warfare_Specialist_insignia

[StarLifter]

Furthermore, it's not your job to know that that's how that flight school works things. Did they communicate a stop and go, or a touch and go? Or was it for a full stop?

If they said 'full stop' or never communicated fully their intentions, then you were 100% in the right.

A lot of screwups involve failures to communicate up there. As someone with ATC experience, I'm sure you know that ;)

With the knowledge you had of the other person's intentions at the time, and with your full announcement of your intentions and their responsibility to be listening for possible things like that, you made the right decision and really would've had nothing to complain about. You could've called a go around for any number of reasons, and not all of them would've had anything to do with that plane on the runway: too short an approach, an unexpected wind, not being centered on the runway, being way too high or way too low, complications with the aircraft itself... the list is numerous.

The failure wasn't with you -- it was with the other aircraft. Don't sweat it. :D

-- StarLifter

[SlightlyCatholic]

Yes I would guess that but if he can fly It would be really easy for him to get Enlsited Aviation Warfare because it is just a test to see if you know anything about Aircraft.
Surface Warfare Info:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_Warfare_insignia
Enlisted Aviation Warfare:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlisted_Aviation_Warfare_Specialist_insignia

Well first of all, Navy Air Operations is much larger than simply knowing the in's and out's of a Cessna. It would make more sense for him to be Surface Warfare Qualified (as it would compliment his skill set) and then go for EAWS.

[skf_atc]

Ok well first off, yes I am awaiting instruction at OS "A". I'll have my ESW before EAW because OS is indeed a surface rate. Long story about how I got kinda stuck with it. I'm trying to make my way over to AC though.
Great Lakes is a bit colder than Texas and it just snowed last night while I was on the 0000-0200 watch.

wukong, at the time weather was severe clear with about a 20* crosswind off the active (27). The controllers only need 3000ft between CAT I aircraft.

The Cessna was evidently cleared for the option. I don't remember hearing the clearance for him, all I remember is that I was cleared for the option #2 behind a 152 short final and I acknowledged. He drew out his T&G, so when I thought that it was I was too close to do S turns or anything that would allow extra time so I decided to go around.

I personally talked to the controllers and they didn't report me because they understood what happened and they just explained to me what their requirements are so I have a better idea now.

Now Star: Its been about a year since I've done any ATC work. I didn't get a chance to get any sim time in over at Kelly when I was home. I'm due to download and review the whole 7110.65 during my weekends when I don't have any work.

Yeah TOP, I'm still around just not as much. They're getting ready to move me to a different barracks so its been hectic.