Personally I have always disliked the phrase “head on a swivel” since it conjures the image of a bobble-head like pilot who is just trying to look everywhere at once. I have seen some pilots try to do this, and it reminds me of another saying, he who defends everything, defends nothing. That’s not to say I disagree with what I feel the intent is, it’s just the words don’t work for me.
That said, how the hell do you not know someone is mowing the grass, unless you literally got your head up your ass. Having mowed a lot of grass at airports, I do know however that a lot of pilots think it’s a good idea to “give that guy a scare” even when you’re well away from causing any concern for them, and I can’t help but wonder if this was a close pass that went very wrong.
Re: Head On A Swivel
Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2021 5:01 pm
by TwinOtterFan
I was wondering the same thing, I feel like I would have done a low and over or something like that. I don't know if my airport has a procedure in place but they normally put up NOTAMS about stuff like that on their board as well.
Re: Head On A Swivel
Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2021 2:21 pm
by Colonel
I strongly suspect the pilot never saw the mower, and the mower - which I suspect was moving
at the side of the runway in the same direction of the landing aircraft - never saw the aircraft.
I also strongly suspect a green tractor in a green grass field, with no safety vest on the operator.
We shall see in 20 years, when the TSB report is released in 4 languages.
I can’t help but wonder if this was a close pass that went very wrong.
I really doubt you know Dan better than I do. He is not that kind of guy.
I have always disliked the phrase “head on a swivel”
Check your six, dude. I spent an hour lane-splitting in some heavy traffic yesterday - which
I suspect would blow your mind - and I cannot emphasize the importance of situational awareness,
even if the concept is unimportant to some. Head down reading a lengthy checklist on
downwind makes my skin crawl.
This is what I see:
Re: Head On A Swivel
Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2021 2:27 pm
by David MacRay
I might have lost a couple of bucks betting on green mower too. I saw it in a news video, orange Kubota.
I really doubt you know Dan better than I do. He is not that kind of guy.
This being the internet, I reserve the right to be wrong about something. The news video says the mower was struck at the end of the runway, so the mower I’m going to guess took an unfortunate path across the approach. The runway also looks like a narrow bit of gravel/asphalt with lots of grass nearby. I still have a hard time believing the pilot would have a hard time seeing the mower’s proximity and factored that in. But I guess we will wait for the report. You’re right, I don’t know this pilot, and if you do, sorry if this is too critical. I do know that in the last year, two pilots whom I thought would know better have died due to dumb mistakes, the most recent one in a low flying accident. I have also been buzzed while mowing by a lot of pilots I thought would know better too.
Check your six, dude. I spent an hour lane-splitting in some heavy traffic yesterday - which
I suspect would blow your mind - and I cannot emphasize the importance of situational awareness,
even if the concept is unimportant to some. Head down reading a lengthy checklist on
downwind makes my skin crawl.
I’ll remind you you’re speaking to a member of the brotherhood of two wheels. I get it. Shit last week I spotted a guy whom cut me off on the approach, who wasn’t on frequency, and tower didn’t know they were there. But that’s because I know where it’s important to be looking. I run into a lot of guys who take the head on a swivel thing too literally and have the look out pattern of a bobble head. They miss things in front of them because they’re checking spots that aren’t likely to have traffic in them. I knew one guy who obsessed with the idea someone might be flying below him, as if someone would somehow form up on his six o’clock low and stay there for two hundred miles. Well that did happen to someone I know, but those were specific circumstances. The point is, a lot of pilots don’t spend a lot of time looking in front of them - the stuff they’re going to run into. You see it a lot on YouTube. Guys make a big deal looking left and right when their procedures dictate they need to look out, but don’t spend a lot of time eyes forward. When I spent more time instructing and people asked how they needed to improve it was always “you need to pay more attention to where you’re going (ie looking ahead) than where other people are going (ie talking on the radio and trying to spot someone whom isn’t conflicting with them)”.
We probably agree more than you think.
Re: Head On A Swivel
Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2021 11:58 am
by Colonel
Got that.
a guy whom cut me off on the approach, who wasn’t on frequency, and tower didn’t know they were there
Down here, everyone has ADS-B so that's never supposed to happen.
