Bucks Free Press: "Pilot avoids air disaster"

[Pax Vobiscum]

This (http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/display.var.382699.0.pilot_avoids_air_disaster.php) was the headline in our local rag today. It was accompanied by a pic (not on the web site) of a BA Flying Club aircraft.

Please excuse a non-pilot butting in - just thought someone might be interested :)

[Zlin526]

Heard that the nosewheel assembly 'fell off' Hardly a disaster in my book but then i havent been to 'The Sun School of Journalism'.

I'm sure the tabloids in the UK have an unofficial competition running as to who can make up the biggest load of $hite out of a nothing aviation story!

[Evo]

It's not so much Sun journalism as local paper journalism. So little happens that they have to hype "Wheel falls of Tomahawk. Pilot lands. " into "A potential disaster was averted by an heroic pilot". The poor bloke hasn't got much to work with - the next story down seems to be about a bid to resolve the future of the temporary car park at Wycombe Wanderers. :)

[FlyingForFun]

I actually thought it was a pretty good article. The title sounds a little sensationalist, but as Evo says, this was probably the most exciting thing to happen in Bucks that week, so it's understandable. The journalist praises the pilot's skills, and describes how the system worked to ensure that emergency services were available should they be required. I've seen lots of worse articles - and I can't think of many, if any, articles I've read which were better than this outside of the aviation press.

FFF
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[expedite_climb]

Hmm, heard of this before on the Tommy, in fact in a previous life my school had it happen to one of their a/c.

Many people don't realise the importance of checking the split pins in the nose gear on the PA38 - if any one is missing the leg can just fall out !

[AerBabe]

Bucks are often short of stories. I made it to the front page of my ex-local North Bucks rag once by default. All the other journalists were off sick I seem to remember.

[Pianorak]

Yes, journalist's write-up was ok. However, one email informing me of the mishap turned the "heroic" pilot into a "helicopter" pilot which seemed a trifle odd . . . On the other hand maybe it was a helicopter pilot who was in control of the Tomahawk. :confused:

[expedite_climb]

I don't understand ... what was a cruise missle doing flying around Bucks ??? Are helicopter pilots allowed to fly them or something ??? :cool: :cool: :cool: