Courtesy isn't addressed in your flight-training syllabus, the Practical Test Standards or the federal aviation regulations, and it's seldom mentioned in training manuals. We spend most of our time talking about technique and how to be safer, more efficient pilots. The only time some flight instructors mention courtesy is when someone shows a lack of it. But, when we censure another pilot for being inconsiderate, we're also inadvertently referring to what we sense is a safety issue. Being considerate doesn't guarantee that you'll be a better, safer pilot, but when we do something that is inconsiderate to another pilot, we also create a possibly unsafe situation.
Courtesy permeates all levels of our aviation experience. If we visualize a flight that starts with discussion in the flight-planning room or on the ramp, proceeds to the runway, goes into the air, and then comes back again, we'll see that there are a multitude of opportunities to cause other folks heartburn. So from the beginning to the end of each flight, treat other pilots as you would like to be treated. Here are some suggestions to get you started.
1. Start-up
How, we may ask, can we possibly be inconsiderate to another pilot when all we are doing is starting our airplane? Remember that an airplane has two ends and, while we're looking through the windshield at an invisible propeller, a torrent of air is blasted past us and behind us. Nothing is more aggravating than to be preflighting an airplane, or working on it, only to have another airplane start up and blow dirt and ramp debris all over you. Or, worse yet, have it slam airplane doors or push cowlings open. Everywhere we go on the ramp, we need to be thinking of those behind us. An example of unthinking behavior is starting the engine with too much throttle and, when it fires, it immediately runs up to 1,600 rpm and your first instinct is to jump on the brakes, not pull the throttle back. The "loud-burst" style is aggravated when the pilot leaves the throttle at a high setting even as he starts to roll out of the parking spot and make the turn.
2. Taxiing
Once we're taxiing, the same rules of the road apply as if we're driving around out on the streets. We don't like people cutting us off, so let's not do the same thing: If there's an airplane coming, let it pass unless it's far enough away that you can make the turn onto the taxiway without causing it to slow down. Rushing around the ramp is never justified.
Some airplanes and some pilots naturally taxi faster than others. Tailwheel pilots--because they can be more affected by the wind--traditionally taxi slower. Students also taxi slower; both groups are driven by caution. Jets, twins, and heavy singles tend to taxi faster, as if their business is so important it can't wait. It's inconsiderate for us to hold them up by taxiing slowly. Don't speed up; instead, pull off at the next taxiway and let them pass. They may not honk as they go by, but they'll appreciate it.
3. Runup
Nothing is more inconsiderate than something like a Cessna 152 or a Piper Warrior pulling up to the middle of the hold-short line for runup and departure. That blocks access to the runway for any bigger airplane that may be on an instrument flight plan--a time limit may be set on its departure. When you pull up to the run-up area, go to the far end and leave as much of the ramp open as possible so others can run-up simultaneously or, if they're ready to depart, get past you. If� there are other airplanes there, park in such a way that, if your brakes fail during runup, you won't tag another airplane's wing with yours.
If doing a runup on the taxiway, remember to park at an angle so that your prop blast and blowing debris misses the airplanes behind you. If you're on a taxiway that borders a ramp where airplanes are parked, point your nose toward the ramp so you don't dust the ramp with gravel and asphalt chips. This may all sound like little stuff, but it adds up.
4. Right of way
The concept of right of way is very important in an airplane because, if there's a confusion or hesitation about who goes first, a lot more than a fender can get bent. The rule of thumb should read something like, "Give way to any and every thing." Big airplane, little airplane, glider, blimp, red-tail hawk--give way to them all. The FAA has established a hierarchy of rights of way (see "Making Order of Chaos," April 2008 AOPA Flight Training), but we should subordinate ourselves to every type of flying machine in every situation in an effort to not only make the other pilot's life easier, but to know exactly what's happening and have control of it. The experience will benefit us and the other pilot will appreciate your efforts.
5. Don't enter the pattern ahead of someone who is on that leg
This is a variation on the right-of-way topic, and there's a certain amount of judgment involved here. If someone is beginning to turn downwind from crosswind just as you're merging from the 45-degree midfield entry, you'll probably be OK and won't crowd him too much. It drives pilots nuts, however, when someone insists on boring in on a 45 and barely makes it to downwind ahead of them. There's no danger here, as long as both see each other, but it does mean that if you're number two, you may to have to extend your downwind an unreasonable amount just to put space between you and the rude pilot.
In the above situation, do not yield to the "I'll show him" temptation to turn base inside of him. That is the aerial equivalent of road rage.
6. Avoid flying wide patterns
From a purely practical point of view, there is absolutely no reason why a pattern has to be much more than a mile from the runway (traffic notwithstanding) in a normal general aviation airplane, and usually it can be shorter than that. There are also some safety reasons not to fly huge patterns. This is another area where concern for those following you comes into play. If you fly a B-52-size big pattern, the airplane following you has to fly a still bigger pattern to stay behind you, so the pattern gets bigger and bigger just because of one pilot's bad habits.
Those big patterns not only inconvenience everyone, but they can be dangerous: If anyone in the line-up has an engine failure, they are in peril because they are too far from the airport to glide to a runway. This entire scenario is exaggerated when the airplane in front is something like a Cessna 152 and it's being followed by a faster, high-performance airplane. A slow airplane flying a big pattern really gums up the works.
7. Don't loiter on the runway
Don't ever think that there is no one behind you on final, allowing you to take your time getting off the runway. Don't read this to mean you should have smoke pouring from your tires as you stand on the brakes to make a turnoff. That can put excessive stress on the gear--especially for retractables. Make a safe, normal touchdown and rollout, but don't decide to roll a couple of exits down just because it puts you closer to your parking spot--that's what taxiways are for. The pilot behind you is going to rightfully assume that, after you've touched down, you'll clear the runway promptly. And he'll space himself accordingly. Don't make him go around by dilly-dallying around on the runway.
8. Radio courtesy
If you're at a towered airport, wait a second after changing to a new frequency before you start talking, to make sure you won't be stepping on another transmission. Then, when you do get on the radio, provide the who, what, when, and where, in a minimum of words. In other words, plan what you're going to say, so that you don't babble.
If you're flying out of a nontowered field, don't treat unicom as your private frequency. If you want to talk with other pilots, do so on a local, non-air traffic control frequency where your socializing won't interfere with operational communications.
9. Consider the neighbors
If conditions allow, consider reducing power as soon as possible after takeoff. We make the most noise and are the lowest on takeoff, so once we're at a safe altitude, say 800 or 1,000 feet (that's an arbitrary number) above the ground, bring the power back to a climb setting. Do not do that, however, until you're close to your pattern altitude. As much as we want to keep peace in the airport family, we should sprinkle all of this with some common sense, and get as much altitude as soon as we can to maximize options in case an engine fails.
The sooner you gain altitude, the better off you'll be both in keeping the peace with neighbors and assuring a safe landing in the event of power loss. Altitude is everyone's friend in this particular situation, so don't climb out 10 knots fast just so you can see better, unless you are concerned about engine cooling in the middle of summer. If your ability to see other traffic worries you, do gentle S-turns.
If possible, climb out over areas of low population density. Often, by altering your path just a little, you can concentrate your noise footprint on thinly inhabited areas.
10. A considerate arrival, too
Approaching an airport, avoid known noise-sensitive areas. Every airport has its grouchy neighbors, and every airport manager knows where they are. Make it a point to find out where those people live. In fact, if it's your local airport, take the time to drive by their house so you can absolutely identify them from the air--and then fly wide around them. Yeah, the airport was undoubtedly there first, but that makes no difference to them. They don't like airplane noise, and we should respect them by trying to stay away from them.
Avoid long, low, power-on approaches. Within the bounds of safety, we want to avoid dragging the airplane across the treetops at high throttle settings. A normal, slightly higher approach with the power low (or off) on final approach minimizes your noise footprint--and it helps keep you higher, so if something happens you'll have more altitude and more time to handle it.
Budd Davisson is an aviation writer/photographer and magazine editor who has written approximately 2,200 articles and has flown more than 300 different types of aircraft. A CFI since 1967, he teaches about 30 hours a month in his Pitts S-2A Special. Visit his Web site.
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