"Flying too High" by Steven Pomper

That article was so full of half-truths and outright distortions as to
be laughable, although people unfamiliar with aviation (like the
author) might read it and be indignant that "those rich pilots" are
scamming the system.

I thought "Where to begin with this" but as ET pointed out it's troll
bait.

However, Boyer is right - you can't legislate common sense. What
safeguards are in place to keep a drunk from driving and killing
innocents? It happens a lot more often in cars than in airplanes if not
only because the number of road vehicles is much higher. JFK Jr. should
have exercised better judgement that night in his decision making even
though he was not legal to fly in the conditions that existed.

Skylune, how many people are involved in drunk boating accidents on
your lake in NH? What stops them from getting tanked and going out on
the lake? Same self-regulation that most pilots abide by.

Funny, but the user fees and so called "corporatization" are happening,
five years after the article was published. Boyer has not succeeded in
his quest to stop it, and it is coming soon, to an airfield near you.
Just today, Bush talked about spending "offsets" to cut the deficit. The
groundwork is laid.

The author's main point was that a moron like JFK Jr. can fly legally
(LEGALLY, that is the point!) with VFR at night in hazy conditions,
unsupervised. This is a fact.

True, you cannot legislate common sense, and Boyer really likes to muddy
the waters. Saying that people drive drunk, or drive or fly drunk too
does not change anything). Besides, I have seen boaters and auto drivers
being given sobriety checks when they were pulled over. How often does
that happen with pilots?

True, you cannot legislate common sense, and Boyer really likes to muddy
the waters. Saying that people drive drunk, or drive or fly drunk too
does not change anything). Besides, I have seen boaters and auto drivers
being given sobriety checks when they were pulled over. How often does
that happen with pilots?

It's called a "ramp check", and the FAA does them at airports
regularly.

In my ten years of flying, I've seen one pilot being given a breath
test, and I've been ramp checked (although not "breath tested") myself.
Given how little GA flying actually occurs anymore, that's an
amazingly high percentage of flights being checked. (Or I'm just
lucky.)

In that same period of time I've NEVER seen a motorist being given a
breath test, even though I've driven exponentially more than I've
flown.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Who administered the breath test to the pilot?

I'm not really suggesting it is needed before each flight (except maybe in
Orville's case, who also needs a random pee test), I'm just suggesting that
standards to obtain your ticket should be much tougher than they are now.
And, a standard annual drug test should be required -- that is a no
brainer.

An annual drug test would do nothing. Any druggie knows to cut it out for a
few days when you have to take a whiz-quiz.

"Skylune" wrote in message
lkaboutaviation.com...
Who administered the breath test to the pilot?

I'm not really suggesting it is needed before each flight (except maybe in
Orville's case, who also needs a random pee test), I'm just suggesting
that
standards to obtain your ticket should be much tougher than they are now.
And, a standard annual drug test should be required -- that is a no
brainer.

Well then the hair test s/b administered.

Shave

"Skylune" wrote in message
lkaboutaviation.com...
Well then the hair test s/b administered.

Skylune wrote:

I'm not really suggesting it is needed before each flight (except maybe in
Orville's case, who also needs a random pee test), I'm just suggesting that
standards to obtain your ticket should be much tougher than they are now.
And, a standard annual drug test should be required -- that is a no
brainer.

Only if the same is required for your driver's license.


-m
--
## Mark T. Dame
## VP, Product Development
## MFM Software, Inc. (http://www.mfm.com/)
"All your base are belong us!!"

Annual drug tests s/b given to drivers as well. Perhaps supplemented with
random drug tests for Massachusetts drivers.

Skylune wrote:
Annual drug tests s/b given to drivers as well. Perhaps supplemented with
random drug tests for Massachusetts drivers.

On Planet Skylune, everyone is a suspected criminal. Glad to see we got
you on the record about that. It's always the same with people who
spend their time fighting to eliminate other people's freedoms. Deep
down you're all motivated by contempt and loathing for your fellow man
and if given the opportunity would gladly march all of the people you
disagree with into the gas chamber.

-cwk.