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Captain Fred Smith, Chief Pilot|5-3-48
M. A. Gitt

Unsafe Flying and Traffic Conditions at Rutland, Vt.

While flying Trip 52 into Rutland yesterday afternoon a few minutes behind schedule, I ran unto another similar condition upon which I wrote a report on January 16, 1948.

There obviously exists a very antagonistic feeling on the part of the field manager at Rutland and he is apparently doing all in his power to block our free movement about and on the airport of Rutland because of some obvious personal feeling towards Colonial Airlines, particularly the pilots.

Briefly: While approaching the field from the west I intercepted the traffic pattern at a point about opposite mid-field and then proceeded to fly a "U" pattern for a north landing on runway #1. The only other ship in the pattern was a biplane, license No. 50685, just ahead of me. I followed this airplane around in the pattern at a suitable distance behind, sufficient to allow him to lend and to maneuver off the runway and allow me to land after him. The biplane landed on the paved portion of the runway and then executed a 180° turn and proceeded to taxi very slowly down the paved portion of the runway down wind and towards me. As I was still a long way out on my approach, I continued towards the runway with every intention of landing. The biplane continued taxiing slowly and made no attempt to vacate the runway. I continued my approach until I crossed the field boundary with my "gear" and "flaps" down. Not until I was well across the boundary of the field did the biplane make an attempt to vacate the runway. It was too late now for me to make a landing and therefore I was forced to pull up and go around. On the second, attempt, I safely landed the airplane and taxied up to the ramp.

Upon inquiry, I found that the field manager himself was flying the particular airplane at that time. I assumed it was possible for him not to have seen me attempting a landing the first time, and with that in mind, I walked over to the field manager and asked him if he would care to explain what happened. His first statement was that I had failed to comply with the 180° pattern established at the field. I pointed out that if that was so I still could not understand the reason for obstructing a landing airplane and forcing the airplane to go around again. Again the field manager repeated that I was not flying the field pattern. At this point I asked him if I was then to assume that because I did not fly the pattern he then saw fit t prevent my landing and that was his excuse for blocking the runway. He turned away and over his shoulder informed me that if I didn't like it I could lump it.

This antagonistic and obstructionist attitude on the part of the field

Transcription Notes:
It might be a glitch but I've seen this before/this might be a duplicate (but not sure).