A painful mistake
Oh boy, I have plenty of similar stories! Again we find ourselves in the “not invented” category with this one. We have a black starter button on the helicopter I fly and sometimes in places like Panaca or Caliente you have to remember to put your nomex gloves on BEFORE you push the starter button. If you fail to do so the info from your finger takes just the right time to travel to you brain so you realize right in the middle of the start (when you can’t let go) that the button is REALLY hot.
Another time I burned both of my hands pushing an airplane (more like “attempting to push” then realizing my skin is sticking to the prop) with a black propeller back out of the fuel pit at Barstow-Dagget (the ones of you who know DAG will know what I am talking about). And of course, there were plenty “we’ll be right back anyways” situations as well. The Chicken Wings Cessna in Henderson, Nevada has sun shades in it btw! 😉 (not that it helps much when it’s 110 in the shade)
Last but not least, our link contest will end today! So you still have one day left if you want to enter into the drawing to win our Chicken Wings Combo or a 1 oz. Silver coin! Read more here!
What do you think of PDX and the smaller fields surrounding? (Hillsboro, for example)
PDX has some of the nicest controllers at a class Charlie I’ve ever encountered, and there is an F-15 base on the field, so most days you’ll get a show too. PDX is extremely accommodating for small guys like myself. Troutdale is a good class Delta nesstled under the Charlie, and it’s a great place to go into if you don’t want to got into PDX but still need to get close to Portland. Great staff. Hillsboro is a VERY busy class Delta with lots of flight training and corporate jets. Basically anyone who has to go the Portland area in a private jet goes into HIO. Lots of international students as well, so radio work can be a challenge. There is also a great glider club about 5 miles northwest of HIO. Aurora is a lot like Hillsboro, but not as busy. Only one runways, and a little more of that home airport feel. There are a lot of different kinds of airplanes at UAO too; everything from old classics to a Sukhoi. All in all, it’s just a great place to fly! It also doesn’t take long to fly a little south to find some great grass strips to land at too!