REACTION To Flight Chops - flight training video - VFR departure - busy non-towered airport

In this reaction video, we’re looking at a real-world situation that could have led to a collision on the runway.

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— — — — — — — — — —
📝 Contents
0:00 - Intro
0:37 - Overview
1:24 - Major takeaways from Flight Chops
2:35 - A potentially dangerous situation
6:15 - Wrap up
— — — — — — — — — —

[tk]

One lesson for an instructor is to let the student do what makes him comfortable in a dynamic situation. The 360 may have been unnecessary, but it wouldn't hurt anything, so Steve should have let him. The 2nd thing was talking over the radio. If you hear a radio call, shut up. There's a lot going on and the radio at an non-towered field is VERY important, especially if you're the one not following the plan everyone else has.

[goatflieg]

This was a great video to review right before brushing off some rust tomorrow morning at two uncontrolled and one towered airport.

[peterellison]

That’s such an OG flight chops video, a little learning nugget from a private pilot that is extremely useful to all the other GA pilots in the community. Flight chops has many other videos just like that in the early days of his channel!

[adamcorby]

I’m sorry but I call poor aeronautical decision making in this case. Very busy pilot controlled airport with runway 27 clearly in use and Steve choses to use 32 for crosswind practice. Poor decision.

[Brad]

Great time and place to practice crosswind takeoffs!

[prestonmiller]

Well done as always Jason. One small omission can really be disastrous in flying. No shortcuts are ever justified.

[messianichebrewshawnkawcak]

It pays to slow down and be situationally aware. Never get in a hurry no matter what. Glad the co-pilot caught what was happening. It’s like how people get fixated on checklist or problems that they they forget to fly the plane first.

[mhibbitt]

I fly out of this airport. It can get pretty intense when it is busy. An excellent and valuable debrief.

[LeantoPeak]

Thanks for another helpful video, cheers!

[gordonfeliciano]

Interesting video... I have a rule that anytime I am flying to a non-towered airfield that has multiple, crosswind runways, I always check to see what the "preferred no-wind" runway is and make sure to use it when conditions allow. If the wind is not cooperating, I'll then listen to the other pilots to determine what runway they are using and if it's appropriate for the reported wind direction and speed. The goal is to enter the flow of traffic without causing a major disruption. Practicing crosswind takeoffs and landings against the normal flow of traffic, especially when it's busy, is probably not ideal at such an airport, as this video clearly demonstrates. Also, as PIC, I would have insisted on performing the 360 to check for traffic before takeoff, regardless of what the CFI suggested.

We have a non-towered airport here in Northern Colorado that is often used to practice crosswind landings by many students and seasoned pilots alike... KGXY (Greeley/Weld County). It has two runways... 35/17 and 10/28. Neither intersect each other, but the approach end of 35 ends just to the north of 10/28 and is separated by a grass field. Aircraft landing on 35 or taking off on 17 would cross directly over 10/28. And any aircraft taking off or landing 10/28, could be a potential conflict to traffic using 35/17. 35/17 is 10, 000' long and is used by commercial traffic regardless of wind. It's recommended to be used by everyone else whenever the crosswind component exceeds 12 knots or greater on runway 10/28, which is the preferred calm wind runway. 10/28 is 5801' long and is mainly used by GA aircraft.

It's easy to paint a picture of how a conflict could occur here. And it often does, with pilots in the pattern on 10/28 and commercial traffic or IFR students flying the visual to runway 35. Often there are aircraft using both runways, flying by each other. There's not as much conflict when those aircraft are landing on 17 as there's plenty of runway to stop well before reaching the end, but takeoffs are another matter since the flight path takes you right over the crosswind runway. The recommendation for taking off on 17 is to turn immediately to the east or west to avoid crossing 10/28. You have to learn to keep your head on a swivel and make good, clear radio calls when this airport gets busy.

Anyway, good learning lesson here. Fly safe and fly often!

[billbrisson]

had a pucker moment in Gimli CYGM this summer with my RV6, I taxied past a 172 on the apron to the threshold of runway and held short (there were a couple 150's in the pattern) and I was in contact with all of the airborne traffic and had a pretty clear mental and visual picture of who was where and what they were doing. after I let the two planes in the circuit land and take off, I had a big enough window to depart before the next aircraft (a 172 crossing mid-field to join the circuit) So I called positioning on 33 and rolling for take off. just as I get to rotation speed (I was solo in my RV so it didn't take long) I hear the 172 that was on the apron call he is taking off on 33 as well! runway 33 is almost 7000' long, and I was almost 500' by mid field, and overtook the 172 by the end of the runway and was at least 600' above him, but I made a radio call to him asking why he decided to enter the active with traffic rolling. I am sure he had no idea I was there.
could have been a different story if I was still flying my 150!

[messianichebrewshawnkawcak]

Kinda of reminds me of the Tenerife situation, except on crossing runways. Getting in a rush probably causes most incursion accidents.

[TheAirplaneDriver]

Boy….the sphincter factor went off scale for me when I wondered if the plane that landed on 27 was going to taxi across the crosswind departure runway! Anyway, I have been in situations like this dozens of times over the past 30 years of flying….by myself or with students. The crosswind runway should not have been used under those circumstances and no amount of talking on the radio would have made it okay. It sounds like the pilot picked up on that important lesson. Kudos to him and kudos to you for posting this excellent video. We’ll done to all.

[MaverickAussie]

Another great learning vid, thanks guys. That was hectic!

[SeeBread]

Sometimes people do hit the button at the same time but there's nothing more frustrating than hearing someone step on a broadcast halfway through the transmission. If KOV had monitored the frequency for 5 seconds before mashing the PTT a lot of stress would have been avoided by all parties.

[SoloRenegade]

I get wanting to practice Xwind, but when a nontowered airport is that busy, just don't do it. Take off with traffic, go find another airport to practice at that's got a runway also not aligned with the wind. Too many pilots have terrible situational awareness, making this sort of thing very high risk.

[liquidintegrity]

Adapt, watch for traffic and adapt again! Very good video

[SimonHollandfilms]

oh man....way too busy for me...i would have taxi back to behind 32 hold.

[LTVoyager]

Radios are useful, but your eyes are your final line of defense so always use them.

[cyberayubi]

Excellent video and debrief! I think all pilots at some point have or will feel pressed to push ahead and lose situational awareness in the process. It has certainly happened to me more than once! Thanks for highlighting this and bring awareness to this!!