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Re: VFR, Flight Plan, No Radio
[QUOTE=Evidently, the powers that be don't want to do anything unless it comes from one of their "official" sources.
Of course, I could be mis informed.[/QUOTE]
I had a case where the "friendly person" at the FSS refused to take my flight plan. It was in 1987, and I was asked by the "powers that were" of the second Bahamian National Airshow, at West End Airport to do an aerobatics demonstration in my aerobatic Sonic Spitfire ultralight.
After having flown to Lantana Airport via Clewiston, and Sebring airports from Gilbert-Winter Haven Airport, I called Miami FSS to get winds aloft, and file a flight plan. Once the individual at the FSS found out that I was going to make the crossing in an ultralight, he refused to file the plan for me.
I took off anyway, and about ten miles out from West End, (I hit GBI on the numbers with no chase aircraft, a handheld STS without VOR , and a lensatic compass that I held on the top of the stick with my thumb), the rubber seal on the front bearing of my engine developed a crack. On a two stroke engine, if you get a vacuum leak, the engine will go through gas like a garden hose. I only had about a gallon left in my FAA legal (NEVER again), fuel tank when this happened, so I called Pan-Pan to the West End tower. Unfortunatly, the tower crew had gone home half an hour earlier, so my calls went unansered.
I wound up ditching the ultralight two miles short of RWY 11 in about 12 feet of water. The airplane was fine, I entered the water at 30 MPH, but wound up spending the next twelve hours in the water with the sharks till I swam to a small pile of rocks about 300 yards offshore.
I took a nap, and flagged down a passing Boston Whaler which brought me ashore.
I had a friend who was going to the airshow to watch me who flew on Eastern to Freeport. When I didn't call her two hours after the aggreed upon time, she called the FAA only to be told that without a flight plan, there was nothing they could do, no matter how late I was.
I came strolling onto the airport after being brought ashore in the Whaler, and told the director of the airshow what happened. We jumped into a Bell 206, and flew out to where the ultralight was, still upright, in 12 feet of water.
We flew back to the airport, and after the airshow, got onto a dive boat, went out to the plane, and set several inflatable life vests under the wings, floated her so we could pull her onto the boat.
We put the plane ashore at the Jack Tar Golf Course, where I spent the next day and a half getting the water out of everywhere it wasn't supposed to be, and putting a new front seal on the engine.
The next day, I took off from the 13th fairway of the golf course, in order to complete the flight to West End Airport. Not willing to shorten the course by the two miles the plane was brought by boat, I went out to where the plane entered the water, and did a snap-roll.
On the way back, I saw several people on the decks of their high dollar yachts moored at the Jack Tar Marina with cameras. Well it might have been two days late, but I came to do an aerobatics routine, and there were quite a few people with cameras, so let the show begin.
After "playing" for about ten min., I landed on RWY 11 at the West End Airport. When I went in to clear Customs, the lady came out to inspect the plane for drugs and said "You flew here in THAT"???
To make a long story short, they were giving away a trophy for the "Most Daring Pilot". Bob Sears had his black Pitts at the show, and he did a great routine, but I got the trophy along with a half page story with photo in the Freeport Times.
This ended well, but it VERY WELL might not have, all because some "nice person" at the Miami FSS refused to enter a flight plan I wanted to submit.
THE FAA IS NOT YOUR FRIEND. Brie
[QUOTE=Evidently, the powers that be don't want to do anything unless it comes from one of their "official" sources.
Of course, I could be mis informed.[/QUOTE]
I had a case where the "friendly person" at the FSS refused to take my flight plan. It was in 1987, and I was asked by the "powers that were" of the second Bahamian National Airshow, at West End Airport to do an aerobatics demonstration in my aerobatic Sonic Spitfire ultralight.
After having flown to Lantana Airport via Clewiston, and Sebring airports from Gilbert-Winter Haven Airport, I called Miami FSS to get winds aloft, and file a flight plan. Once the individual at the FSS found out that I was going to make the crossing in an ultralight, he refused to file the plan for me.
I took off anyway, and about ten miles out from West End, (I hit GBI on the numbers with no chase aircraft, a handheld STS without VOR , and a lensatic compass that I held on the top of the stick with my thumb), the rubber seal on the front bearing of my engine developed a crack. On a two stroke engine, if you get a vacuum leak, the engine will go through gas like a garden hose. I only had about a gallon left in my FAA legal (NEVER again), fuel tank when this happened, so I called Pan-Pan to the West End tower. Unfortunatly, the tower crew had gone home half an hour earlier, so my calls went unansered.
I wound up ditching the ultralight two miles short of RWY 11 in about 12 feet of water. The airplane was fine, I entered the water at 30 MPH, but wound up spending the next twelve hours in the water with the sharks till I swam to a small pile of rocks about 300 yards offshore.
I took a nap, and flagged down a passing Boston Whaler which brought me ashore.
I had a friend who was going to the airshow to watch me who flew on Eastern to Freeport. When I didn't call her two hours after the aggreed upon time, she called the FAA only to be told that without a flight plan, there was nothing they could do, no matter how late I was.
I came strolling onto the airport after being brought ashore in the Whaler, and told the director of the airshow what happened. We jumped into a Bell 206, and flew out to where the ultralight was, still upright, in 12 feet of water.
We flew back to the airport, and after the airshow, got onto a dive boat, went out to the plane, and set several inflatable life vests under the wings, floated her so we could pull her onto the boat.
We put the plane ashore at the Jack Tar Golf Course, where I spent the next day and a half getting the water out of everywhere it wasn't supposed to be, and putting a new front seal on the engine.
The next day, I took off from the 13th fairway of the golf course, in order to complete the flight to West End Airport. Not willing to shorten the course by the two miles the plane was brought by boat, I went out to where the plane entered the water, and did a snap-roll.
On the way back, I saw several people on the decks of their high dollar yachts moored at the Jack Tar Marina with cameras. Well it might have been two days late, but I came to do an aerobatics routine, and there were quite a few people with cameras, so let the show begin.
After "playing" for about ten min., I landed on RWY 11 at the West End Airport. When I went in to clear Customs, the lady came out to inspect the plane for drugs and said "You flew here in THAT"???
To make a long story short, they were giving away a trophy for the "Most Daring Pilot". Bob Sears had his black Pitts at the show, and he did a great routine, but I got the trophy along with a half page story with photo in the Freeport Times.
This ended well, but it VERY WELL might not have, all because some "nice person" at the Miami FSS refused to enter a flight plan I wanted to submit.
THE FAA IS NOT YOUR FRIEND. Brie
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