Advanced Airmanship - Clearing the Runway

[N1277D]

After reading this thread, it is apparant that I need to get out of Idaho more. I was thinking that clearing the runway ment flying over it first to clear any deer, elk or antelope off of it before landing.

[GAHorn]

That's true, Eric. The "regs" don't require us to have a radio. But that's not the point. The point is about those who DO have a radio and misuse it, and expect the rest of us to drop what we're doing and take care of them. They want all 6 of us already in the pattern, who have already been broadcasting our positions in the interest of safety and "see and avoid",...to stop what we're doing, and let the new inconsiderate guy have priority and clutter up an already busy frequency RE-broadcasting our positions just for HIM.
There's an excellent article on this at:
http://www.avweb.com/news/columns/183931-1.html

[zero.one.victor]

If you are on a 5 mile final, and I am flying a tight pattern, and I turn a close base and final and land and clear the runway without causing any delay to you, have I violated your right of way?

IMHO, no you haven't. "Right of way" is an expression like "yield", which implies to me some sort of conflict resolution. If there's no conflict, it's not applicable. If I'm still 5 out with my slow old airplane, you probably have time for 2 touch & go's! But if you're on a 45 or long downwind and proceed as usual with your pattern, according to my read on the FAR's, when you turn final right in front of me on my straight-in, you HAVE violated my right of way. Check FAR 91.113 right of way rules, except water operations, (g) landing: "Aircraft, while on final approach to land or while landing, have the right of way over other aircraft in flight or operating on the surface.....".
So, some jerk bulling his way in on a straight-in, other traffic NOT permitting, is within his rights and perfectly legal. But he's still a jerk.

Eric

[N1277D]

This was in the AvWeb Article, which most backcountry pilots will disagree with.

Overflight Reports at Altitude

I've never fully understood why some pilots feel the urge to inform the world about every airport they overfly when they are thousands of feet above those landing sites. Maybe they feel the need to give the eager folks on the ground listening on air band radios a running commentary of their travels. Maybe with their desire to impart useless information via a microphone they want to become air show announcers. Who knows? They are not a concern to airplanes in the pattern at those airports, which is the purpose of Unicom, and, being at altitude, their call can be heard for a long, long way, cluttering the frequency at even more airports.

I'm still waiting for my friend to finish development of the stupid-seeking missile. If I were absolutely certain it wouldn't return to me, I'd use it on those cross-country emcees.

If you are one who feels the urge to make such reports, continue to do so, just don't press the transmit button.

In the backcountry of Idaho you hear numerous position reports on 122.9. These reports are very important as it provides a point of reference for others in the vicinity. The forest service/BLM also records these transmissions so that search and rescue will have a better place to start looking in the advent of an emergency.

[taildrager]

"I have had to abort a landing before because of a jerk from the Dallas area came in unannouced until he was on short final for a runway that was not active at the time. He lined up to come straight in, without flying any pattern, and landed crosswind."

This is exactly why so many old airplanes had machine guns.