Glider Pilot arrested for airspace

On Friday, January 11, 2013 9:21:35 AM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:
So what should I do if I find myself low and needing to fly over a power plant? The cooling tower might trigger a good thermal.

turn off your radio

On Friday, January 11, 2013 10:22:35 AM UTC-5, Tony wrote:
On Friday, January 11, 2013 9:21:35 AM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:

So what should I do if I find myself low and needing to fly over a power plant? The cooling tower might trigger a good thermal.



turn off your radio

No, that's the scary part. DHS was intending to use deadly force in this
instance. Robin was fortunate that he managed to catch their call on the
unicom frequency. (Personally speaking, I like to switch to the nearby
unicom/multicom frequency if I'm down digging near an airport, in case
there's traffic around. But, there have been times I haven't done that,
or turned the radio down in order to concentrate, or even had an inop
radio!)

We have a nuke plant near where we fly, and near to where I often get
up to final glide at the end of the day. Fortunately, it's surrounded
by forest and lake, and there's a coal plant nearer to the adjoining
airport that all-in-all is a better choice for a thermal (except for
the smell).

Matt

On Friday, January 11, 2013 10:38:30 AM UTC-5, wrote:

DHS was intending to use deadly force in this
instance.

How do you know that? I do not see that in the article.

On Friday, January 11, 2013 12:00:23 PM UTC-5, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Friday, January 11, 2013 10:38:30 AM UTC-5, wrote:



DHS was intending to use deadly force in this

instance.



How do you know that? I do not see that in the article.

Because I talked to Robin after the incident. There's reference to it
in the article. Fortunately they asked the helicopter guys to do it,
who knew better.

Matt

It's too easy to write this off as one isolated incident involving one overzealous sheriff.

On 1/11/2013 10:35 AM, wrote:
On Friday, January 11, 2013 12:00:23 PM UTC-5, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Friday, January 11, 2013 10:38:30 AM UTC-5, wrote:



DHS was intending to use deadly force in this

instance.



How do you know that? I do not see that in the article.

Because I talked to Robin after the incident. There's reference to it
in the article. Fortunately they asked the helicopter guys to do it,
who knew better.

I don't see any reference to the DHS intending or considering use deadly
force in the article, or asking/requesting the helicopter guys (which
were from the Sheriffs dept) do it. Can you give me the sentence or
paragraph for that?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

This seems to be a perfect cue for glider operations to announce "First Responder Appreciation Day" at the airport. Free glider rides, toy gliders for the kids, barbeque, etc..

We need to cultivate good long term non-confrontational relationships with first-responders. The good guys will keep the loose cannons in check if they understand what the heck we are doing up there in the sky without an engine.

I'd prefer to see a big smile on the deputy's face when an irate farmer calls him/her out to mediate a contentious land out.

Eric,
It is where the woman at the FBO is talking about the cop gone mad. To quote from the article:

"Griffin said she had to tell the officers on the scene to clear out the runway, and one officer talked about commandeering the airport. “He was running around, the one guy that was commandeering everything, saying, ‘We were going to shoot him down,’” she said."

The cop saying "We are going to shoot him down" sounds an awful lot like the plan to use deadly force to me. Right below the last picture in the article on the AOPA website.

Steve

On 1/11/2013 1:07 PM, son_of_flubber wrote:
This seems to be a perfect cue for glider operations to announce
"First Responder Appreciation Day" at the airport. Free glider
rides, toy gliders for the kids, barbeque, etc..

We need to cultivate good long term non-confrontational relationships
with first-responders. The good guys will keep the loose cannons in
check if they understand what the heck we are doing up there in the
sky without an engine.

I'd prefer to see a big smile on the deputy's face when an irate
farmer calls him/her out to mediate a contentious land out.

I like the way you think. Suppose, instead of just agreeing not pursue
legal action, the pilot had every local person involved - plant
operators, managers, police officers, sheriff - agree to come out to the
glider field for a free glider ride as part of the "no legal action"
deal. And tell them their kids can have a free ride, too!

It may not be too late: extend the offer ASAP to as many of the people
as can be reached, maybe get the local paper in on it. Possibly, Bermuda
Soaring could bring the towplane and glider to the airport the glider
pilot landed at, and give the rides there. That might get even more
people out.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

On 1/11/2013 7:38 AM, wrote:
DHS was intending to use deadly force in this
instance.

According to the article, it was one local policeman, not the DHS. It
appeared it was the local officials that were seriously misinformed
about the regulations, and the FAA and DHS had it right.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)