Stevie
I don't think 'Balance!' was suggesting that you are new to flying. It's obvious from your posts that you're a professional. It just seemed from your post that you might not have been as familiar as the regulars with the work done by Flying Lawyer - which is well described by Balance. It's not sycophantic, just factual. He represents pilots, operators and airlines when they have a problem and I think it would be fair to say that he would be the first choice of most people in the industry.
The CAA has a high success rate - but not when F/L is defending!
There are loads of cases, reported on Prune and in the aviation Press which the CAA should never have prosecuted.
Who should you believe?
Well, you've got a choice. Either believe the CAA describing their own attitude to prosecuting, or the views of an independent, and highly respected barrister. Some people might not find that too difficult!
BTW - I don't think anyone's said the 1500' rule is a dome, it's not.
Also, I've always understood that whether an area of a town/settlement is congested is decided by looking at the area as a whole - not by drawing a line around the buildings on the edge.
I don't doubt what someone in the CAA told your colleague - but I do doubt if anyone from CAA Enforcement would put it in writing.
It would help everybody a lot if they would - any chance your guy could arrange it?
[This message has been edited by Hoverman (edited 11 May 2001).]