Narrative:

Cleared to taxi to runway 14 for IFR departure (cleared to taxi via runway 18). The aircraft owner, non instrument rated, proceeded to taxi. I was checking the routing, frequencys. The directional gyroscope was set incorrectly. The owner was taxiing rapidly. I looked up only to realize that we went in the wrong direction which brought us to the departure end of runway 14. Ground cleared us to back taxi 'quickly' on runway 14 so as to prevent us from retaxiing around the airport. We complied. The departure end of runway 18 and 14 are together with a small area between them. Ground control became somewhat frantic, 'are you off the runway yet?' my response, 'yes.' then I requested runway 18 for our IFR departure. The point here is the directional gyroscope must be set prior to taxi and I demand this when teaching. Sometimes these aircraft owners, who need a babysitter, can be very difficult, demanding and intimidating to those of us struggling to make a living. This guy has always presented me with problems -- 'every flight!' my last episode led me to think never again would I fly with him. But I succumbed due to finances and the belief I would keep ahead of him this flight. I did keep ahead of him this flight but not on the taxi. The lesson I learned: never, never, never get in a position where an aircraft owner/pilot can go unmonitored. In the future I will have to monitor this person on the ground as well as in the air. Let's not let aircraft owners with lots of money, no experience or little experience, low flight time and not fully rated, tell us who have the flight time and experience how to conduct operations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA TAXIES TO WRONG RWY FOR DEP. TWR CLRS TO BACK TAXI FOR TKOF.

Narrative: CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 14 FOR IFR DEP (CLRED TO TAXI VIA RWY 18). THE ACFT OWNER, NON INST RATED, PROCEEDED TO TAXI. I WAS CHKING THE ROUTING, FREQS. THE DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE WAS SET INCORRECTLY. THE OWNER WAS TAXIING RAPIDLY. I LOOKED UP ONLY TO REALIZE THAT WE WENT IN THE WRONG DIRECTION WHICH BROUGHT US TO THE DEP END OF RWY 14. GND CLRED US TO BACK TAXI 'QUICKLY' ON RWY 14 SO AS TO PREVENT US FROM RETAXIING AROUND THE ARPT. WE COMPLIED. THE DEP END OF RWY 18 AND 14 ARE TOGETHER WITH A SMALL AREA BTWN THEM. GND CTL BECAME SOMEWHAT FRANTIC, 'ARE YOU OFF THE RWY YET?' MY RESPONSE, 'YES.' THEN I REQUESTED RWY 18 FOR OUR IFR DEP. THE POINT HERE IS THE DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE MUST BE SET PRIOR TO TAXI AND I DEMAND THIS WHEN TEACHING. SOMETIMES THESE ACFT OWNERS, WHO NEED A BABYSITTER, CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT, DEMANDING AND INTIMIDATING TO THOSE OF US STRUGGLING TO MAKE A LIVING. THIS GUY HAS ALWAYS PRESENTED ME WITH PROBS -- 'EVERY FLT!' MY LAST EPISODE LED ME TO THINK NEVER AGAIN WOULD I FLY WITH HIM. BUT I SUCCUMBED DUE TO FINANCES AND THE BELIEF I WOULD KEEP AHEAD OF HIM THIS FLT. I DID KEEP AHEAD OF HIM THIS FLT BUT NOT ON THE TAXI. THE LESSON I LEARNED: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GET IN A POS WHERE AN ACFT OWNER/PLT CAN GO UNMONITORED. IN THE FUTURE I WILL HAVE TO MONITOR THIS PERSON ON THE GND AS WELL AS IN THE AIR. LET'S NOT LET ACFT OWNERS WITH LOTS OF MONEY, NO EXPERIENCE OR LITTLE EXPERIENCE, LOW FLT TIME AND NOT FULLY RATED, TELL US WHO HAVE THE FLT TIME AND EXPERIENCE HOW TO CONDUCT OPS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.