When you fly a plane that drops like a neutron stone if the engine quits, you kind of like staying close to the runway when flying touch-and-goes. So I fly a pretty tight pattern.
This gets modified, of course, when other planes are in the pattern. Despite the temptation, I never cut folks off. Often they're students, and the patterns get stretched. I usually stay cool, knowing that they're just learning.
Was a bit tough a couple of weeks back. There were about four students in the pattern, and it was getting.... stretched..... My patience does have limits.
Unbeknownst to me, our Chapter President was watching...and listening. One of our older chapter members is getting pretty frail and doesn't get out of the house much. The President has driven him to the airport to watch the planes fly, and they had a handheld to listen to the traffic.
Met him at the chapter meeting tonight. "We heard you, Ron... you said, 'Fly Baby is turning base over Pierce County.' You sounded peeved!"
(For a geographical reference, the county line is about ten miles south of the airport. I may have exaggerated.)
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Ron Wanttaja
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