Your most boneheaded mistake as a CFI

[SBD]

Doing manuevers in an Arrow and needed to put the gear down for one. Pull the handle down hear the motor running and feel the gear coming down. I look at the gear lights and do not see the three green. I tell my student to abort the maneuver and let's figure out what the heck is going on. I go through the checklist and still cannot get the three green lights. I call up maintenance on the company frequency and explain the situation. They give me all correction methods and nothing is working. Finally he asks me "Are the Nav lights on?" Duhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! While doing the pre-manuever checklist my student put on the NAV lights and I never noticed. Granted I was a fairly new CFI at the time. Maybe I had 50 hrs dual given. My most embarassing moment yet because I was ready to call ATC and tell them to prepare for an emergancy landing.

 

[RichardRambone]

I once taxiied with my gear up.

 

[A Squared]

Doing manuevers in an Arrow and needed to put the gear down for one. Pull the handle down hear the motor running and feel the gear coming down. I look at the gear lights and do not see the three green. I tell my student to abort the maneuver and let's figure out what the heck is going on. I go through the checklist and still cannot get the three green lights. I call up maintenance on the company frequency and explain the situation. They give me all correction methods and nothing is working. Finally he asks me "Are the Nav lights on?" Duhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! While doing the pre-manuever checklist my student put on the NAV lights and I never noticed. Granted I was a fairly new CFI at the time. Maybe I had 50 hrs dual given. My most embarassing moment yet because I was ready to call ATC and tell them to prepare for an emergancy landing.

OK, you got me here.... the gear indication lights don't come on if the nav lights are on? I can't imagine that would be true, but that *seems* to be what you're saying. Or maybe I'm missing something here

 

[aviator1978]

already said

 

[SBD]

During the day time if you turn on the nav lights the gear indicator lights are dimmed.

 

[User546]

OK, you got me here.... the gear indication lights don't come on if the nav lights are on? I can't imagine that would be true, but that *seems* to be what you're saying. Or maybe I'm missing something here

No, typically when the Nav Lights are on, it sets all the internal lights (gear annunciators to name one) to a dim setting - as to not blind you with bright lights at night. Similar to your clock in your car when you turn your lights on in the daytime.

When its sunny outside, with the nav lights on, it can make the green lights appear as if they're off, although there actually on - just in a dim state.

It's happened to me a couple times, and will always get your attention.

 

[minitour]

No, typically when the Nav Lights are on, it sets all the internal lights (gear annunciators to name one) to a dim setting - as to not blind you with bright lights at night. Similar to your clock in your car when you turn your lights on in the daytime.

When its sunny outside, with the nav lights on, it can make the green lights appear as if they're off, although there actually on - just in a dim state.

It's happened to me a couple times, and will always get your attention.

Kinda makes ya wonder....

I can understand dimming the dome light, post lights, backlights, whatever...

But I'd have to imagine at night, in IMC shooting an approach to minimums...I'm not sure I'd be too pissy if I saw three REALLY BRIGHT green lights.


*Back to Airman*
What a joke-n-a-half...

Took my CMEL ride with the "in house examiner" and he STILL hasn't submitted my 8710...it's been 13 months. I'm on temp number 5...

I wonder what ever happened to Brenda "Ya we'll have you done in 12 weeks (then 7 months later you're re-newing your lease)" The Office Lady....I'm sure she made off with quite a few bucks....

-mini

 

[Vector4fun]

OK, you got me here.... the gear indication lights don't come on if the nav lights are on? I can't imagine that would be true, but that *seems* to be what you're saying. Or maybe I'm missing something here

Yeah, that was one of the "tricks" of the Arrow. Got briefed on it during my checkout. Happened to lots of pilots. Turning on the nav lights dimmed the gear lights. I think the Lance was the same. Don't recall the older pipers having that feature though.

 

[wmuflyguy]

I had 2 tailstrikes in one day!

Good thing it was my last week there anyway.

 

[JediNein]

I flew with a student once after one of his checks bounced. I didn't get paid for that flight, either. Doh!

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein

 

[instructordude]

Flew from Redding to Ukiah in a C-172 on a 90 degree day with winds going to 30 kts at altitude. I barely could control the plan and missed a ridge by 900 FT. Needless to say I learned a lot about mountain flying that day!

 

[User546]

I wonder what ever happened to Brenda "Ya we'll have you done in 12 weeks (then 7 months later you're re-newing your lease)"...

Mini, do you really want for us to start openly speculating what that wh0re is doing now?

 

[Learsforsale]

Mini, do you really want for us to start openly speculating what that wh0re is doing now?

At least we know what she was doing pre 9/11

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/03/09/moussaoui.trial/index.html

 

[minitour]

At least we know what she was doing pre 9/11

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/03/09/moussaoui.trial/index.html

Really shows her side of things, don't it?

"...or pay more money."

Sounds about right.

"we grounded him..."

hmmm...I had that happen to me too when I asked for a stage check (that I had been endorsed for)....didn't fly for a month of beautiful CAVU days...that was great!

Oh well...she and the others involved will get what's coming to 'em.

-mini

 

[acaTerry]

I became an instructor

DARN! You beat me to it....