This guy is a retired navy pilot so he knows better. I bet he is starting to slip mentally. No reason for a guy that well trained to be blundering around like that.
 
NY RV-7

We surely don't need this. However, I hope they educate him and cut him a little slack. ? temporary suspension of license.
 
Work-up

Bill Dicus said:
We surely don't need this. However, I hope they educate him and cut him a little slack. ? temporary suspension of license.
Click to expand...

Might take a little more than education, I would guess that there was some impairment involved. Something like a global transitory amnesia (GTA) event might be the cause. I hope that he is treated fairly but gets a thorough medical work-up and a "709 ride" before flying again.

John Clark
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA
 
I heard and airspace incursion last Saturday

Last Saturday I was sitting in my hanger listening to the tower and watching planes take off and land. I'm based at Reid Hillview which is a Class D airport just outside of San Jose's Class C. A Cessna called in from the usual reporting point for a straight in and was told to "Proceed straight in for 31 left and report 3 miles." He acknowleged in very broken English. A few minutes later the controller got all excited and asked the Cessna driver if he was the airplane on a three mile final at 2,800' for San Jose instead of Reid? After several frantic calls by Reid's controller the guy finally responded. The controller told him that he had busted the Class C and told him to turn right towards the 101 freeway imediately. The excitement in the controllers voice along with making the guy repeat his N number back to him 5 or six in between calling his heading literally fried the guys brain. It could be clearly heard on the radio. He verbally beat him down and even got him to admit over the radio that he had busted the Class C. The controller basically gave him the old "Wait till your father gets home" fear and clearly rattled him from being able to re-engage as an aviator. When the guy finally got on downwind to land at Reid he was very high and had so much stress in his voice that I was worried about whether or not he would be able to land his airplane. During this entire event there was a Baron, a Mooney, and several Citabrias waiting to take off. With two runways and a control tower nobody got to take off until this Cessna had landed. From the pitchiness in the voice of the controller he was as lost as the pilot during this event. My handheld was on scan and I was waiting to hear his call to ground to see if he was given a phone number to call. The number was not forthcoming, but he was enroute back to a flight school where they were probably notified. Sadly I think this guy was going to be violated, but at the same time I think the controller was better off for having it happen. He got to see that he wasn't as calm and collected as he would surely like to be. For me it was very interesting to listen to while I downed a Hagen Das Ice Cream Bar. :D In defense of the controller Saturdays are very busy and this was the last thing he needed to deal with.
 
3rd scrape

This was the third problem this guy had if I read the mirror newspaper correctly.... You'd think a retired Navy pilot would have at least a GPS on board :(
 
Its in the family blood

We're just a bunch of invaders....:D
It's in the family history.
Started with the gang that tromped over the channel with William the conquerer.
Next was providing knights for the invasion of Ireland from Wales with Strongbow. (google "the faithful Norman")
I understand there is a memorial of a Prendergast with the caption "Hung by the crown".

It makes me proud ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.