A cautionary tale...
...which I haven't told in public yet....
A long time ago, I arranged to meet a friend for lunch, at the nearest airfield to the friend's home - a privately owned field, but quite a large and wellknown one. I phoned for PPR, and got an ansafone. Oh dear, what to do? I asked everyone I could think of, and they all said just go, and call on the radio. So I left a message on the ansafone to say what was happening, and flew there. I called on the radio, no-one there, so I carefully avoided overflying anyone who might be upset, landed, parked my R22, met my friend and went for lunch. A couple of hours later I came back, still no-one there, so I took off and went back to my home airfield. There, I was told the strip owner had called, wanted me to call him back, and: "he's not happy". I called, and that was an understatement. He was furious, said he didn't allow helicopters in, and I'd had no right to go. Some of the conversation went like this:
Owner: If I called your house, and you were at Tesco, how would you like it if I just turned up and parked my helicopter in your garden?
Whirly (thinks she'd be delighted, and also impressed because her garden barely has room for a bicycle let alone a helicopter): Well...I do see what you mean. I'm really sorry.
Owner: And I suppose you left the landing fee in the tower?
Whirly: (panicky) I forgot; give me the address and I'm send you a cheque immediately.
Leaving aside the rights and wrongs of the situation...since then, I call in advance, and make sure I definitely have PPR.
Last edited by Whirlybird; 16th Sep 2003 at 15:59.