Aircraft

As a low-time private pilot and student instrument pilot, this was an incredible learning opportunity and lesson that I will remember for the rest of my flying career.

As I reflect on how all this happened, I ask the basic question: Why are there taxiways on this airport which are not visible to the Tower? Both of these locations look and act like ramps to me. Neither taxiway goes anywhere except to a dead end.

I cannot know if I heard the complete truth from the 172 pilot. Perhaps they were not using push-to-talk when they thought they were. Perhaps the long day waiting for a tire change had made them frazzled.

Early in my training I often mixed up the two ends of the same runway. I don’t know why. I practiced runway directions a lot and got comfortable with the numbering system.

When I talked to them on the radio, they said that they did not know I was there until my plane cast a shadow over the cockpit. We were close enough that I could see the paint scheme, type of airplane, and tail number.

However, I believe my own radio calls contributed to the confusion as I incorrectly addressed my radio calls to “Eastsound traffic” rather than “Orcas traffic.”

If this is a commonly used frequency, why in the world isn’t it listed anywhere?

On arrival I was shocked to find that the top of the obstacle, an oil-drilling rig, is right on the centerline and glidepath for Runway 35.

I did not know how much longer I was going to be able to fly the airplane, and if the door was going to rip off and cause structural damage to the airplane.