Here's the issue, the actions of this idiot may well impact all in the
experimental community:
"The incident has prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to take a
harder look at hundreds of experimental exhibition aircraft in its Western
Pacific region: California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii. There are about
5,600 planes with that designation in the United States, including aircraft
like Riggs' 1973 Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros, one of the most popular Soviet
bloc trainers during the Cold War."
A note from the President of the T-34 Association on their problems:
"...On December 10, 2004, three days after the third crash, the FAA
grounded the entire fleet. It took us six months to get them flying, with
significant flight restrictions. We still have 2/3 of our fleet operating under
those restrictions and they will all be grounded next May 15 if we don't get
the next AMOC approved and a calendar extension to the AD. It has been and
is a five year nightmare."
While this was a fatigue related issue with the T-34's, the FAA has no
compelling reason to keep us flying and every reason to look for plausible
reasons to mitigate any losses we, as a flying community, may present. The
T-34's were at least allowed to taxi their aircraft for maintenance purposes
during the grounding.
Dave
In a message dated 11/15/2009 6:29:10 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
eric@buffaloskyline.com writes:
--> Yak-List message posted by: Eric Wobschall <eric@buffaloskyline.com>
Frank, I share your distaste for political over-reaction without
knowing the big picture. Predictable, though.
Screaming in, unannounced on the Santa Monica Pier in an Albatross is
the height of stupidity and the "government" could hardly be expected
to ignored it. We as airshow types might have been thrilled, but this
(the pier) was not an actual airshow location, and It scared the hell
out of people. It might not be fair to punish everyone, but what do
you expect?
The reality is that the "entire class" that you refer to (meaning us)
is a niche group, and the outcry is by the greater community
(supposedly). Under those circumstances, you can expect politicians to
come down in deference to the majority every time, especially where
the behavior was apparently reckless. If we're to be allowed waivers
and other things we need, this can't be accepted by us, either. Having
said this, I would hope that any (government) sanction would be
directed only towards the offending pilot. Not always realistic,
unfortunately.
I only know what i read about it here, and in the articles attached,
and from the video clip. So, admittedly, I'm characterizing the
actions of the L-39 pilot with the caveat that we may not know all of
the details. For example, he may have thought he had permission from
someone who denied it later after the pubic reaction. Even if that
were the case, I think most airshow pilots have enough imagination to
realize such a stunt has a high disaster potential (and I mean that in
the P.R. sense).
Airshow performers are special individuals, and that's why people want
to watch them. But let's remember that arranging for airshow events,
practice boxes and all of the other things we love takes countless
hours of organization, red tape cutting and arse kissing by many
people. To undo all of that in one stroke is really bone-headed.
Finally, anyone who's been around this business knows that the
military is not set up to train pilots in planes that aren't currently
in the fleet. In most cases, civilian pilots are the only ones answer.
Try explaining that to the general public during the political s**t
storm that follows an unfortunate event like this. Better to not open
that can of worms in the first place, huh?
Incidentally, I love your links page, Frank... Top of my favorites list.
On Nov 15, 2009, at 7:54 PM, Frank wrote:
> --> Yak-List message posted by: "Frank" <frank@orionite.com>
>
> Personally, I'm not too much worried about a publicity stunt gone
> awry.
>
> I'm worried about our Governments response to it.
>
> The usual response is to punish the entire class because one kid
> chewed bubble gum.
>
> In other words, why does our gov take the knee jerk reaction of
> punishing everybody for the actions of a few?
>
> That's the biggest tragedy of things like this (which I don't
> consider a big deal by-the-way).
>
> Frank
