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Aero-Tips 09.21.06
Yesterday I wrote about avoiding an
airspace bust while instructing in a B36TC over Muncie, IN. Same
weekend, different pilot, different B36TC, while southeast of the
airport outbound on the ILS 32 approach we heard this exchange:
"Bonanza 12345, Muncie Tower, be advised we have a large
white blimp about one mile from the airport on the northwest side,
appears to be traveling south and we're not talking to
him."
In our procedure turn I could not see the blimp behind us. But
we were about eight miles southeast of the field, so there was no
conflict. And once we turned around, how could I avoid seeing a big
white blimp?
Muncie tower continued to make efforts to contact the blimp.
Finally a call came through: "Sorry about that, Muncie," the blimp
pilot said. "We're instructing out here and I didn't know where we
were." He did not include his aircraft's registration number.
About that time we reached a point inbound in the practice
approach we'd been asked to report passing. I was tempted to say
something like "Bonanza 12345 out here instructing, and I know
we're precisely at Ball inbound." But I was nice and let my student
make the simple call of his N-number and "Ball inbound."
The tower controller very patiently, but with an edge in his
voice, "thanked" the blimp pilot for "finally" checking in. He
asked if he should just call the flight "XXX Blimp" (I won't say
the sponsor's name here) or if the craft had an N-number; its pilot
replied he'd prefer just XXX Blimp.
Makes it harder for the controller to write him up, I guess.
We found (and reported) the Missed Approach Point and began the
"fly away" maneuver, the blimp now southwest of the airport. Tower
called the blimp pilot back and asked if he wanted handed off to
Anderson Tower, because he was about to penetrate its airspace. The
blimp instructor took the handoff and presumably called
Anderson.
A key role of the flight instructor is safety and position
awareness. You have to be an effective teacher in the cockpit, but
knowing where you are and what you're doing has to come first.
Aero-tip of the day: Strive for a level of
position awareness that promotes safety while you are distracted
with cockpit chores.