Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (
More info?)
Barney Rubble wrote:
> Actually I think the phrase you are groping for is "Remote Communications
> Outlet" or RCO. This is a fairly standard way of contacting approach whilst
> on the ground, (apart from the phone)...
>
> - Barney
Another funny moment in time. I did my instrument training in a Piper
Warrior in Newport News VA. Up until this training I had flown only high
wing airplanes and even with the few hours I flew the Warrior, I hardly
ever was able to look outside the cockpit. So when I was scheduled for
my check ride it was at a grass strip south of Norfolk. (VA59)
So VFR for the first time in a low wing (I immediately preferred low
wing over high wing, don't know why) So after finding and landing at
this grass strip (my first grass landing with 30 ft tree lines just off
both departures) I went in and met my evaluator. He was an old guy, told
me later that Amelia Earhart wore mens underwear. After the oral I was
told to file and pick up the clearance after take-off circling over the
airfield maintaining below 1000 ft AGL altitude until clearance
received. I was prepared to fly single pilot and it was good that I did.
This guy wouldn't lift a finger to help. It's easy to use a kneeboard in
a helicopter and probably in a fixed wing with a stick, but the first
day when the kneeboard prevented the yoke from coming aft I threw it in
the back. Anyhow, as I was making an NDB approach into an uncontrolled
airport I tuned in UNICOM to state my intentions. After making the call
I realized I had set the Unicom freq in the radio I had approach on. I
had been sent to several different controllers and as I started
descending on the approach I tuned in what I thought was the last freq I
was on. I then took the mike and called, asking if they still received
me. I was lucky, I remembered the correct freq and they answered that
the heard me fine. The evaluator, who I believe was sleeping, asked me
what I was doing. I told him I was just checking approach. That
statement made no sense but it was the best I could come up with. It was
good enough, he went back to sleep.
After landing and debriefing (I passed) I went to take off and was
taxiing to the runway a C172 was behind me with two girls who were going
up to do some hood training. Of course I felt great. Any pilot knows the
feeling after passing an difficult flight eval so in my euphoria I
wanted to show off a bit for the girls so after clearing I took the
runway and firewalled it, forgetting everything about short field
take-offs over obstacles. I rotated a bit early, I had no flaps in, and
after leaving the earth, I fell right back down again. Hoping the girls
hadn't seen me, I threw in some flaps and pulled it back off the ground,
clearing the trees by plenty of room. But a little less proud of myself.
--
(Smiling) boB,
SAG 70
U.S. Army Aviation (retired)
Central Texas - 5NM West of Gray Army Airfield (KGRK)
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