On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 13:22:54 -0700, "gatt"
wrote:


"Dale" wrote in message news:me-

Every weekend at least one (and usually more) uncaring, uninformed or
perhaps
just friggin' stupid pilot will fly right smack dab over the DZ (which
is a private airfield). What's really aggravating is it isn't transient
pilots, it's local guys.

Given that it's marked as a jump zone AND it's a private airfield, that's
basically inexcusable. Flak guns, perhaps? :

I give drop zones a wide berth unless headed for that airport, BUT
being marked private (The circle with the P) pretty much indicates
it's a seldom used field as far as most of the pilot population is
concerned. I can find quite a few in the lower peninsula of Michigan
and that impression would describe every one. OTOH the pilot is
supposed to know (get a briefing) prior to departure. That P doesn't
give the field any special status expect it's not for public use.

Couple weeks back I took a VFR trip. Direct was through a drop zone
about 60 miles from here. When I was within about 8 miles of the
field I made a half circle around it. I head a student doing T&Gs at
the airport. Gave him a call and he was surprised I didn't go straight
through as the DZ is only used on week ends and not always then.

If it was a couple or several planes in formation they would most
likely have been listening on 122.75, rather than the nearest app
frequency where I'd expect the drop plane to make their announcement.
Most of those fields marked P have no unicom or CTAF frequency listed.

IF the filed is marked P AND the drop zone is not active on a regular
basis locals will soon forget and transients are more likely to notice
than the locals.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com