
It's time to buzz the tower
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- Cat Driver
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Re: It's time to buzz the tower
That PBY is still flying over there, it is registered in Holland PH-PBY.
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
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Re: It's time to buzz the tower
I've had a tower controller chirp me for not getting close enough to the tower. LOL!Cat Driver wrote:I have had the tower operators ask for a low pass by their tower on several occasions, in fact one day both towers at Schiphol asked for a pass, so I got to do two in one after the other.
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Re: It's time to buzz the tower
I think it was awesome. 

If I'd known I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself
Re: It's time to buzz the tower
Dangerous? Hardly
Unprofessional? Certainly.
Unless said captain previously obtained the permission of not just the tower but more importantly the owner of the aircraft he was being paid to fly responsibly, and most importantly the permission of every passenger and crew on board who likely didn’t sign up for low passes around the tower.
This was a deliberate choice, not something caused by circumstances.
Unprofessional? Certainly.
Unless said captain previously obtained the permission of not just the tower but more importantly the owner of the aircraft he was being paid to fly responsibly, and most importantly the permission of every passenger and crew on board who likely didn’t sign up for low passes around the tower.
This was a deliberate choice, not something caused by circumstances.
Re: It's time to buzz the tower
The pilot made a decision to go around, for whatever reason. Maybe his approach wasn't stabilized. Who are we to judge?
That said, who does a low pass with the gear down? Clean that bad boy up and bring it in at 0.8Vne. They pulled his license because he half-assed a perfectly reasonable overhead break opportunity.
That said, who does a low pass with the gear down? Clean that bad boy up and bring it in at 0.8Vne. They pulled his license because he half-assed a perfectly reasonable overhead break opportunity.
Re: It's time to buzz the tower
Coulda been. Boeing did build a bunch of them.GyvAir wrote:Kinda figured it wasn't a Boeing
Re: It's time to buzz the tower
haha.. as I was typing that, I thought momentarily about checking who actually built them.lownslow wrote:Coulda been. Boeing did build a bunch of them.GyvAir wrote:Kinda figured it wasn't a Boeing
Re: It's time to buzz the tower
Yeah, I’d love to witness that tap dance in front of the authorities. There is a go-around procedure Airbus pilots are trained to do...and that wasn’t it. The PIC could only get away with the “I was only doing a go-around” defence by admitting gross incompetence in aircraft handling. Tough choice when people with your licence in their hands are staring at you waiting for an answer.AirFrame wrote:The pilot made a decision to go around, for whatever reason. Maybe his approach wasn't stabilized. Who are we to judge?
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Re: It's time to buzz the tower
Plus 1Rockie wrote:Yeah, I’d love to witness that tap dance in front of the authorities. There is a go-around procedure Airbus pilots are trained to do...and that wasn’t it. The PIC could only get away with the “I was only doing a go-around” defence by admitting gross incompetence in aircraft handling. Tough choice when people with your licence in their hands are staring at you waiting for an answer.AirFrame wrote:The pilot made a decision to go around, for whatever reason. Maybe his approach wasn't stabilized. Who are we to judge?
I can't believe some of you are defending this Idiot. Ok i will agree it was no all that unsafe. Regardless when you have 200 passengers in the back looking out the window expecting to land, then the aircraft powers up and makes a turn call it 10 degrees or 20 I really don't care. The point is there was no need for this and i am sure passengers were spooked by it. If the tower asked this guy to do this he should have told them to stuff that request were the sun don't shine.
Cat how many passengers did you have in the back when you did low and overs. Were they aware and agreed you could do this.
- Cat Driver
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Re: It's time to buzz the tower
Cat how many passengers did you have in the back when you did low and overs. Were they aware and agreed you could do this.
I never had passengers on board when doing anything out of the ordinary.
My comments were to point out the danger involved was about zero.
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
Re: It's time to buzz the tower
I guess you completely missed the point then. AgainCat Driver wrote:Cat how many passengers did you have in the back when you did low and overs. Were they aware and agreed you could do this.
I never had passengers on board when doing anything out of the ordinary.
My comments were to point out the danger involved was about zero.
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Re: It's time to buzz the tower
Cat Driver wrote:Cat how many passengers did you have in the back when you did low and overs. Were they aware and agreed you could do this.
I never had passengers on board when doing anything out of the ordinary.
My comments were to point out the danger involved was about zero.
My point exactly. You never had passengers on board. If you did i am sure you would have consulted with them and had total agreement before doing anything. So why defend some idiot that had 200 people on board. As stated in my earlier post anything other then landing is out of the ordinary and spooks people. There is no doubt most people in the back would have been scared when the aircraft powered up and turned left at a low altitude.
- Cat Driver
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Re: It's time to buzz the tower
Where did I defend the crew?
What I am saying is claiming it was dangerous is over reaction.
What I am saying is claiming it was dangerous is over reaction.
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
- Cat Driver
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Re: It's time to buzz the tower
No I did not miss the point.I guess you completely missed the point then. Again
My comments are directed at over reaction to the danger involved in the video.
You claim it was TOTALLY reckless.
My opinion is it was not reckless as in dangerous.TOTALLY reckless for an airline pilot to have a “watch this” moment. Anytime. Anywhere. Maybe that shit flies where you work. Totally out of line where I do.
However you are entitled to your opinion just like I am.
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
Re: It's time to buzz the tower
The level of butthurt in this thread is incredible.
Re: It's time to buzz the tower
You know, about 34 years ago, a young German pilot got hold of a 172 and flew it to Russia and landed in Red Square in Moscow.
Sometimes in this modern world we have to stop with the sanctimonious self rightous indignation, and simply sit back and say....neat.
It does not mean we approve of it. Just that it brought a smile to our face in this social media dominated world of haters.
Sometimes in this modern world we have to stop with the sanctimonious self rightous indignation, and simply sit back and say....neat.
It does not mean we approve of it. Just that it brought a smile to our face in this social media dominated world of haters.
Last edited by trey kule on Fri Oct 20, 2017 2:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Accident speculation:
Those that post don’t know. Those that know don’t post
Those that post don’t know. Those that know don’t post
Re: It's time to buzz the tower
If the plane was empty, sure. It wasn’t. I’m pretty shocked at the responses on this thread. I’m just assuming most are GA pilots. It is not the place of a professional pilot to ever have “fun” at the controls with people on board. Ever. This isn’t a difference of opinion. Want to be treated and perceived as a professional? Act like one. It’s so incredibly black and white.
Re: It's time to buzz the tower
- tower approved itatphat wrote:If the plane was empty, sure. It wasn’t. I’m pretty shocked at the responses on this thread. I’m just assuming most are GA pilots. It is not the place of a professional pilot to ever have “fun” at the controls with people on board. Ever. This isn’t a difference of opinion. Want to be treated and perceived as a professional? Act like one. It’s so incredibly black and white.
- according to at least one article his company approved it
- no limits on the airplane were exceeded
- passengers were not panicking, they either didn't care or were briefed
As an AvCanada discussion grows longer:
-the probability of 'entitlement' being mentioned, approaches 1
-one will be accused of using bad airmanship
-the probability of 'entitlement' being mentioned, approaches 1
-one will be accused of using bad airmanship
- rookiepilot
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Re: It's time to buzz the tower
I'm curious if the pilots here, -- answer honestly -- would be pleased if they were sitting in the back of their company A/C..., or another carrier, and the pilot did something like this without you knowing anything in advance.
My guess is most of you would be less than pleased.
Not dangerous.
Not particularly cool, professional, with (non pilot ) passengers to do any abnormal maneuvers, in any sized aircraft from a 150 on up...stalls, spins....IMO, and especially without prior permission......things can go wrong.
My guess is most of you would be less than pleased.

Not dangerous.
Not particularly cool, professional, with (non pilot ) passengers to do any abnormal maneuvers, in any sized aircraft from a 150 on up...stalls, spins....IMO, and especially without prior permission......things can go wrong.
Re: It's time to buzz the tower
- so no ATC violationdigits_ wrote:- tower approved itatphat wrote:If the plane was empty, sure. It wasn’t. I’m pretty shocked at the responses on this thread. I’m just assuming most are GA pilots. It is not the place of a professional pilot to ever have “fun” at the controls with people on board. Ever. This isn’t a difference of opinion. Want to be treated and perceived as a professional? Act like one. It’s so incredibly black and white.
- according to at least one article his company approved it
- no limits on the airplane were exceeded
- passengers were not panicking, they either didn't care or were briefed
- so (maybe) no trouble from the company
- no limits exceeded, but aircraft not flown according to SOP’s or Airbus procedures - with passengers on board during a commercial flight. Hmmm.
- heresay, and totally irrelevant.
Re: It's time to buzz the tower
- I am pretty sure pilots are allowed to deviate from SOPs for operational reasons. if you want to do something, approved by the company, it implies the company allows you to deviate from the SOPs if so required. But a grey area yes.Rockie wrote: - no limits exceeded, but aircraft not flown according to SOP’s or Airbus procedures - with passengers on board during a commercial flight. Hmmm.
- heresay, and totally irrelevant.
- I used the recording from inside the plane as reference for that. Nobody was screaming in there. If people were panicking you'd hear something different.
As an AvCanada discussion grows longer:
-the probability of 'entitlement' being mentioned, approaches 1
-one will be accused of using bad airmanship
-the probability of 'entitlement' being mentioned, approaches 1
-one will be accused of using bad airmanship
Re: It's time to buzz the tower
Pilots can deviate from SOP’s for reasons of safety which hardly applies here, and SOP’s are approved by the regulator along with the company ops manual. The company cannot approve impromptu air displays outside of procedures during revenue commercial flights any more than pilots can. And just because you can’t hear anybody screaming or panicking doesn’t make it true, or in any way relevant.digits_ wrote:- I am pretty sure pilots are allowed to deviate from SOPs for operational reasons. if you want to do something, approved by the company, it implies the company allows you to deviate from the SOPs if so required. But a grey area yes.Rockie wrote: - no limits exceeded, but aircraft not flown according to SOP’s or Airbus procedures - with passengers on board during a commercial flight. Hmmm.
- heresay, and totally irrelevant.
- I used the recording from inside the plane as reference for that. Nobody was screaming in there. If people were panicking you'd hear something different.
- confusedalot
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Re: It's time to buzz the tower
If this was a totally irresponsible display of recklessness that scared the poop out of everybody, warranting that the crew be nailed to the wall, or worse, all I can say is, we live in a world of puritanical zealots.
We used to do a SID in KBOS back in 80-90 that required a swift right turn as soon as possible which brought us straight over downtown. Go figure.
Give it a rest, all concerned were in the loop and nobody was even close to getting hurt. I would be very surprised that the crew intentionally deviated from ATS and/or missed approach instructions whatever they may have been.
We used to do a SID in KBOS back in 80-90 that required a swift right turn as soon as possible which brought us straight over downtown. Go figure.
Give it a rest, all concerned were in the loop and nobody was even close to getting hurt. I would be very surprised that the crew intentionally deviated from ATS and/or missed approach instructions whatever they may have been.
Attempting to understand the world. I have not succeeded.
veni, vidi,...... vici non fecit.

veni, vidi,...... vici non fecit.
