"Airplane Drivers" and "Self Centered Idiots"

"Jay Honeck" wrote:

The author, Rick Durden, is a regular here, and a straight shooter.
What he says in that article is 100% on the money.

I agree completely. I was there too, and although I haven't been there as many times as Jay has, it was
chaotic enough to really think about the risks involved. We were following two RV's who had no concept
of the traffic pattern, how to hold altitude and speed at the same time, how to follow instructions, how to
wait their turn, etc. I have no idea if they had the Notam, but in short, it was just a mess.

That said, the FAA itself was largely to blame for much of the
confusion over Rush and Green Lakes this year. (I know -- I was
there.) If the controllers had only said "Guys, there's been an
accident on the field, and we don't know how long the hold is going to
be." -- half the planes holding would have diverted to other airports
to wait it out.

Yes, a little information would have gone a long way. I was about "that close" to bailing out of the holding
pattern and going to land somewhere until the rush (no pun) died down. An estimate of the closure time
would have been very helpful, and maybe a calming influence on the rabble.

Mike