Glider Pilot arrested for airspace

James Fallows wrote a nice summation of Robin's incident, it's he
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/...dition/267080/

Jim includes part of the relevant sectional chart, showing the plant. If you watch the embedded video from AOPA in his column, you'll see a SeeYou segment of Robin's thermalling across the lake from the reactor. You'll also see aerial shots of the plant itself.

-John, Q3

Apart from the consideration of a law suit, is there a police complaints procedure in the US?

One comment. Folks in this thread are taking the AOPA article as "Gospel". Having personally observed the (at times huge) inaccuracies in reporting Journalism, I would respectfully suggest that we let the SSA's government liaison work on this instead of doing or saying things to officials/people that could make the situation much worse for gliding. Let them research out the facts and take any action that is warranted with the appropriate officials. Yelling at people usually doesn't work well in getting necessary change and that should be the goal here.

Regards,

Craig R.

On Saturday, January 12, 2013 10:54:11 AM UTC-5, wrote:
Apart from the consideration of a law suit, is there a police complaints procedure in the US?

Filing an official complaint against a rural sheriff could backfire.

I understand that incidents like this are often resolved informally through the "good ol' boys network".

Comic relief... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f3CFzahrRs

Filing an official complaint against a rural sheriff could backfire.


Sooner or later FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) always puts in an
appearance...ANY action involving people could backfire.

Count me in the group believing:
- the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior;
- an excellent modifier of future behavior is belief/knowledge that you as an
individual likely WILL be held accountable for societally unacceptable actions
on your part;
- principle matters;
- hope as the sole basis for society is bleakly laughable, given human nature.

Failure to make a serious attempt to hold the overly-full-of-self official(s?)
publicly acting in defiance of laws and publicly advocating illegal use of
(deadly) force - as were both present in this instance - is a proven recipe
for more of the same.

Others have touched upon various - sensible - possible approaches soaring
practitioners might consider applying in the wake of this appalling abuse of
power. More power to everyone on this front; such things should be a routine
part of our soaring-related activities.

But to do so to the exclusion of in some way or ways holding irresponsible
public officials' feet to the fire would be a serious, bad-behavior-enabling,
error.

Given Robin Fleming's dismal post-soaring-flight experience of last summer,
who among us would want to experience anything remotely similar? Why not? A
famous statement of Patrick Henry's comes to my mind...

Bob W.

On Saturday, January 12, 2013 12:06:45 PM UTC-5, son_of_flubber wrote:
Comic relief... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f3CFzahrRs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlR8oldn-zY

General Lee auto towing a Blanik

On Sat, 12 Jan 2013 07:28:11 +0000, Tom Claffey
wrote:

Get another lawyer and sue the *******s.
At the very least the Sheriff needs to be sacked!


IANAL, but I suspect that train has left the station. Given that he
signed a plea bargain, I'd think that any further lawsuit would just
be thrown out.

wrote:
On Friday, January 11, 2013 8:50:32 AM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:
The helicopter pilot for the Sheriff's department even showed up and pointed out that there was no violation.



"Griffin said that pilots from the Chesterfield County Sheriff flew the department’s helicopter to the airport, but left when they found out what was going on. “They pulled out a chart and they said, ‘Look here, … nothing in this chart says you cannot fly over the nuclear plant,’” she said. “’Nothing.’”



The whole thing reminds me of "The Dukes of Hazzard" TV Show. No offense intended to the South because this could have happened anywhere in the country.

Makes me want to listen again to Arlo Guthrie and "Alice's Restaurant". His description of rural cops seems to be still spot-on, even after all these years.

About 20 years ago a friend from Colorado was driving through
Louisiana when he was stopped by a local policeman. He was
asked for his licence, and as he passed it to the policeman
the policeman said "Now don't go fooling me, boy" -- which
ratehr puzzled him.

Eventually, after leaving the scene, he realised it must
have been because the policeman was illiterate.

We both found that rather frightening.

Get another lawyer and sue the *******s.
At the very least the Sheriff needs to be sacked!





t 13:54 11 January 2013, wrote:
I just read the article. Its pretty scary to know that those charged with
e=
nforcing the laws can be so ignorant of them. An initial misunderstanding
i=
s forgivable (I guess)but to be locked up overnight is not. I was a cop
for=
25 years and its unbelievable that someone didn't step up and say "Its
ob=
vious this guy is not a terrorist. What are we doing here?" I don't
think
=
I'd be as understanding as the glider pilot and I'd certainly wouldn't
agre=
e to not sue, even if its unlikely I'd ever recover anything. Make 'em
swea=
t, at least. I'd definitely want to know who authorized that charges be
fil=
ed and seek a public apology.