Etiquette at airfields, on the ground

Silvaire wrote:

avoid directing your prop wash at another plane or at an open hangar door

I agree, blocking spaces is bad but usually does not cause physical damage. Propblast does.

I know we argued on this before, but I hate it when the there is little or no wind and a plane on a taxiway does his runup blowing on whoever happens to be behind…

I always turn a bit (or even better completely into wind if within reason) and watch behind to avoid blasting right down the taxiway centreline.

But spending time there is not the problem. It is stuff like spending time at the pumps, which should never be needed. Start up and taxi forward a bit so the next person can use the pump. ATC clearance is not needed because you are still “at the pumps”.

At an airport with ATC you should be able to do anything you want without clearance, if you’re behind the non-movement area boundary lines.

At the least expensive gas pump in my area (located outside of the ATC controllled movement area at that airport) there’s often a line of three or more planes, and that makes it a social event to check out other planes and chat Meanwhile I pull my plane forward manually as the line moves (pulling on prop blades) and am happy I don’t have to start the engine every time to move it, especially when there are people milling around and another plane behind me in line. Light makes right.

My suggestion for etiquette on the ground is to avoid directing your prop wash at another plane or at an open hangar door. On a well occupied ramp, pull the plane out of the parking spot and parallel with the taxiway before starting up, and when parking do not swing the aircraft to line up with the spot if there are other aircraft parked in the direction of your prop wash… unless you’re a clever devil with a tailwheel plane who does that after shutting down while rolling.

@Patrick; @dublinpilot: as we found out later – the ULFI was with the student …

Quite possibly a student pilot who was told to “take the first available exit from the runway” when visiting a new airfield.

MichaLSA wrote:

Is this a bad habit or simply illegal?

From what you describe, I would say neither. I think it was a mistake on the microlight pilot’s side and he didn’t realize and potentially also didn’t know how to correct it.

overtaking landing aircraft on final

MedEwok wrote:

While everything else on the list is inconsiderate and annoying, that one is clearly reckless and hazardous behaviour. Does it really fit in with the list?

I did put it on the list on purpose as the grey area between annoying and reckless is not a well defined line.

Just to add another story: Some days ago I was flying at my home field, uncontrolled, taxi to holding point at mid field (we usually only use one half of the big runway, start at 1/2 intersection) sitting there as number three. A Microlight did land and instead of taking the exit at the end of the runway, went towards the mid field exit, where we three were visibly waiting = a classic wrong-way driver situation. There was not enough space to get off the runway, so the Microlight was almost blocking the runway and taxiway with no sign to solve the situation. While further landings took place (comments on that please too) it was a big mess to pass the blocking Microlight which took exactly no action and also on suggestions over the radio was not realising what they caused. Is this a bad habit or simply illegal?

eurogaguest1980 wrote:

Many smaller European airfields expect the runup to be done just before the hold short line. Someone doing a slow runup can block other traffic, due to the physical size of the taxiways.

Indeed, none of the GA fields I got to know during my PPL have a dedicated “runup area”, nor does my homebase have one. The taxiways will not left you pass another aircraft.

So yes, the runup checks should be done swiftly so as not to block other traffic, but if someone only flies the typical 10 hrs/year I understand they take more time for it than more current pilots. But on most types this time shouldn’t exceed say two minutes.

172driver wrote:

This is what the runup area is for. Once you are holding short you should be ready to go without delay.

Many smaller European airfields expect the runup to be done just before the hold short line. Someone doing a slow runup can block other traffic, due to the physical size of the taxiways.

MedEwok wrote:

Also remember that not so current pilots simply take longer for their checks e.g. at the holding point,

This is what the runup area is for. Once you are holding short you should be ready to go without delay.