The Press - Bless 'em
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The Press - Bless 'em
Ayelsbury Today:
AAIB:
OC619
OK - to be fair the paper does also contain:
PILOT FORCED TO CRASH LAND AFTER PROPELLOR DROPS OFF.
The pilot noticed that the propeller was no longer attached to the engine and landed successfully on an alternate runway.
OK - to be fair the paper does also contain:
The only damage to the plane was the propeller.
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OpenCirrus619 that’s tame, usually it goes a little something like this....
HORROR FLIGHT FROM HELL
A PILOT HAS A LUCKY ESCAPE AS HIS ENGINE SEPERATES CAUSING MASSIVE DAMAGE AND THREATING THE LIVES OF THOSE ON THE GROUND.
THE BRAVE CAPTAIN WRESTLED WITH THE CONTROLS OF HIS CRIPPLED AIRCRAFT TO AVOID HITTING THE LOCAL PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NARROWLY AVOIDING THE OLD PEOPLES HOME.
HE MANAGED TO CRASH LAND BACK AT THE AIRFIELD WHERE IT WAS EXPECTED A HUGE FIREBALL WOULD DEVELOP
MIRICLE:
AS THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND THE FUEL TANKS STAYED INTACT, ALLOWING THE PILOT TO EXIT THE FLYING DEATHTRAP.
WITNESS:
DORRIS PERKINS SAW THE WHOLE THING "IT SEEMED TO EXPLODE IN MID-AIR, I THOUGHT WE WERE ALL DOOMED".
HORROR FLIGHT FROM HELL
A PILOT HAS A LUCKY ESCAPE AS HIS ENGINE SEPERATES CAUSING MASSIVE DAMAGE AND THREATING THE LIVES OF THOSE ON THE GROUND.
THE BRAVE CAPTAIN WRESTLED WITH THE CONTROLS OF HIS CRIPPLED AIRCRAFT TO AVOID HITTING THE LOCAL PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NARROWLY AVOIDING THE OLD PEOPLES HOME.
HE MANAGED TO CRASH LAND BACK AT THE AIRFIELD WHERE IT WAS EXPECTED A HUGE FIREBALL WOULD DEVELOP
MIRICLE:
AS THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND THE FUEL TANKS STAYED INTACT, ALLOWING THE PILOT TO EXIT THE FLYING DEATHTRAP.
WITNESS:
DORRIS PERKINS SAW THE WHOLE THING "IT SEEMED TO EXPLODE IN MID-AIR, I THOUGHT WE WERE ALL DOOMED".
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The thing to do is ALWAYS email the journo responsible (most publications have a contact address) and patiently explain that PPLs are trained to do forced landings, which this was, and it was done as per the training.
All the time we allow this sort of "Daily Mail" stuff continue, it will continue.
The fact is that most people think that a plane will plummet the moment the engine fails. It's perfectly reasonable to think that, just as it's perfectly reasonable to buy a PC thinking that "internet" is something that should be inside it (I am not kidding). And local newspaper "journalists" are usually about as far from being the sharpest knives in the drawer as one can get, but they have the job of dressing up the irrelevant local-news dross they are given into something to fill the pages.
All the time we allow this sort of "Daily Mail" stuff continue, it will continue.
The fact is that most people think that a plane will plummet the moment the engine fails. It's perfectly reasonable to think that, just as it's perfectly reasonable to buy a PC thinking that "internet" is something that should be inside it (I am not kidding). And local newspaper "journalists" are usually about as far from being the sharpest knives in the drawer as one can get, but they have the job of dressing up the irrelevant local-news dross they are given into something to fill the pages.
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I remember that I was taught never to land on a school - they made a big point about it in fact. They discouraged landing on buildings generally, and told us to pick a nice big field. (Irony is a wonderful thing!).
The popular Press always write in cliches for some reason. I suppose that it's the written equivalent of sound bites - quick attention span stuff. One cliche that always makes me laugh is 'the plane got into a tailspin' (wot that?). It is always 'the brave pilot' as well......
I could imagine an amusing television program devoted to stuff like this i.e. the cliche followed by the correct explanation.
The popular Press always write in cliches for some reason. I suppose that it's the written equivalent of sound bites - quick attention span stuff. One cliche that always makes me laugh is 'the plane got into a tailspin' (wot that?). It is always 'the brave pilot' as well......
I could imagine an amusing television program devoted to stuff like this i.e. the cliche followed by the correct explanation.
When I had brake failure in my Pup the local rag had a photo of 'JJ on her nose in a quarry.
A reporter phoned me and said it was a quiet news day so they were going to plaster the photo on their front page - he gave me an option - either give him the story or they would make one up anyway!
The final article enabled me to emphasise the overall safety of private flying but did lead to considerable flak at work : "I didn't panic " , "my training kicked in" and "my wife(43) daughter(16) and cat(4) all regularly fly with me"
A reporter phoned me and said it was a quiet news day so they were going to plaster the photo on their front page - he gave me an option - either give him the story or they would make one up anyway!
The final article enabled me to emphasise the overall safety of private flying but did lead to considerable flak at work : "I didn't panic " , "my training kicked in" and "my wife(43) daughter(16) and cat(4) all regularly fly with me"
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Originally Posted by IO540
And local newspaper "journalists" are usually about as far from being the sharpest knives in the drawer as one can get, but they have the job of dressing up the irrelevant local-news dross they are given into something to fill the pages.
(1) Journo writes decent report of what actually happened.
(2) Sub thinks it's too boring, finds a tiny quote somewhere in the report to deliberately misinterpret and turn into a shock-horror headline.
(3) Punters complain to the journo, who in actual fact turns out to be just as pissed off about how her piece was mangled as the punters are.
(Yes yes, real example from a real local paper this week.)
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Journos
The reality - Most journos know very little about anything. How can you expect them to. They have eithert spent fifty years covering knitting classes or are three and a half years old. When they have to cover diverse issues why would you expect them to know about aerodynamics or even the basic workings of an aeroplane?.
One thing they can do, however, is spell MIRACLE which is more then Mercenary can :-)
One thing they can do, however, is spell MIRACLE which is more then Mercenary can :-)
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Perhaps we as a group should offer a chance to take the right hand seat" to any jounos that are interested and write about "dearthtrap plane, hero pilot" etc stories.
Then, depending on the particular journo, we could take them flying. A good journo could enjoy the delights of a trip around this green and pleasant land, with a couple of pfl and go-arounds thrown in to demonstrate that these things aren't the horror stories they are made out to be. The more poisonous version of the breed (I am thinking of the tosser that did piece in the Mirror last year about the Liverpool bay crash) could have things like spins, recovery from unusual attitude and general "throw it around the sky a bit" lessons.
Seriously, why do we not extend this invitation to the jounos. To be fair, the only exposure they have to aviation is taking the wife and kids to Marbella every year. Perhaps if we were to take some up and show them what the training involves, without scaring the **** out of them, then we might get a better press.
Then, depending on the particular journo, we could take them flying. A good journo could enjoy the delights of a trip around this green and pleasant land, with a couple of pfl and go-arounds thrown in to demonstrate that these things aren't the horror stories they are made out to be. The more poisonous version of the breed (I am thinking of the tosser that did piece in the Mirror last year about the Liverpool bay crash) could have things like spins, recovery from unusual attitude and general "throw it around the sky a bit" lessons.
Seriously, why do we not extend this invitation to the jounos. To be fair, the only exposure they have to aviation is taking the wife and kids to Marbella every year. Perhaps if we were to take some up and show them what the training involves, without scaring the **** out of them, then we might get a better press.
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I've just read the article stub.
The a/c concerned was a motor glider. I should explain for the untrained that this is a glider with a motor. i.e. a machine that is designed to glide well and happens to have a motor.
I wonder if the pilot was familiar with gliding?
The a/c concerned was a motor glider. I should explain for the untrained that this is a glider with a motor. i.e. a machine that is designed to glide well and happens to have a motor.
I wonder if the pilot was familiar with gliding?
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Doubt it.
Newsrooms are just too busy these days. Certainly local newspaper journos would be unlikely to have the time. Maybe the national guys but there are a lot of journos and subs to educate.
Doubt it.
Newsrooms are just too busy these days. Certainly local newspaper journos would be unlikely to have the time. Maybe the national guys but there are a lot of journos and subs to educate.
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Taking a bit of direct action may not be a bad idea (I'll let you know in a few days).
Hearing this thread in the back of my mind, I was reading a front-page story in the Bournemouth Echo about the Yak-52 crash there earlier this week. The story was surprisingly well informed, balanced, and factual - nothing about flight plans ("And he didn't even file one!"), nearby schools and hospitals in imminent danger, or daredevil pilots. The writer obivously talked to (and LISTENED TO) the CAA rep on site, local cops and fire dept, airfield manager, and printed a comprehensive account about what was known at the time and what the investigation by the AAIB would be all about.
Wanting to reward good behaviour and a job well done, I dropped the author an e-mail last night to say thank you and congratulate her (him?) on the story. Based on the response I get, we may take the educational opportunity further by inviting to the airfield, talking about GA and our world, and going for a flight. OK, it's only one local journalist, but you've got to start somewhere.
It's a combination of both the public and the media being ignorant and unfamiliar with GA that causes our problem. They don't know anything about us or our community/methods/training, etc, so they make assumptions. We become compalcent with the familiar. Everyone drives cars so accidents on the M25 don't make the news. Any little mishap with an airplane, regardless of outcome, gets splashed on the front page because the public think, and the media encourage, that it's all incredibly dangerous and dodgy. The goal should be for the public and media to be as educated and complacent about us as they are their own cars. then we might start to see some relief from the NIMBYs and other activists who would like to see us banished from the skies.
This kind of thing could be worthy of an AOPA or PFA campaign. While we're doing the media and educating them as to how simple/safe/self-controlled aviation is, maybe would could do the same with the CAA/EASA and get them off our backs as well.
Pitts2112
Hearing this thread in the back of my mind, I was reading a front-page story in the Bournemouth Echo about the Yak-52 crash there earlier this week. The story was surprisingly well informed, balanced, and factual - nothing about flight plans ("And he didn't even file one!"), nearby schools and hospitals in imminent danger, or daredevil pilots. The writer obivously talked to (and LISTENED TO) the CAA rep on site, local cops and fire dept, airfield manager, and printed a comprehensive account about what was known at the time and what the investigation by the AAIB would be all about.
Wanting to reward good behaviour and a job well done, I dropped the author an e-mail last night to say thank you and congratulate her (him?) on the story. Based on the response I get, we may take the educational opportunity further by inviting to the airfield, talking about GA and our world, and going for a flight. OK, it's only one local journalist, but you've got to start somewhere.
It's a combination of both the public and the media being ignorant and unfamiliar with GA that causes our problem. They don't know anything about us or our community/methods/training, etc, so they make assumptions. We become compalcent with the familiar. Everyone drives cars so accidents on the M25 don't make the news. Any little mishap with an airplane, regardless of outcome, gets splashed on the front page because the public think, and the media encourage, that it's all incredibly dangerous and dodgy. The goal should be for the public and media to be as educated and complacent about us as they are their own cars. then we might start to see some relief from the NIMBYs and other activists who would like to see us banished from the skies.
This kind of thing could be worthy of an AOPA or PFA campaign. While we're doing the media and educating them as to how simple/safe/self-controlled aviation is, maybe would could do the same with the CAA/EASA and get them off our backs as well.
Pitts2112
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Originally Posted by DeeCee
I remember that I was taught never to land on a school - they made a big point about it in fact.
It didn't make the press though
Cheers,
Rich.
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Well the BBC news was spot on with the report of the light aircraft that crashed in the Ochil Hills this morning with out any sensationalism etc. Much credit to them. Pilot was unharmed and walked away thank god.
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Originally Posted by S205-18F
Well the BBC news was spot on with the report of the light aircraft that crashed in the Ochil Hills this morning with out any sensationalism etc. Much credit to them. Pilot was unharmed and walked away thank god.
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/hi/news/5055449.html
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raviolis
Well, the aircraft flipped inverted and broke into 2.
Miracle may be slightly strong, but fortunate would be an understatement and to be fair they did quote an aviation writer who used more sober langaue.
Wouldn't hammer the paper for this one and am pleased that the pilot walked away unharmed.
Well, the aircraft flipped inverted and broke into 2.
Miracle may be slightly strong, but fortunate would be an understatement and to be fair they did quote an aviation writer who used more sober langaue.
Wouldn't hammer the paper for this one and am pleased that the pilot walked away unharmed.
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I would write to the paper and compliment them for accurate reporting, if this is the case.
Actually I would be happy to take some local journo(s) for a flight. I just wonder if this sort of thing might backfire, if one gets a d1ckhead who mis-represents what they saw.
I know this isn't quite the same thing, but take that twin Seneca (?) pilot who flew some journos into Bournemouth, showing them how easy it is to enter the country without any paper checks. This got onto the local TV. If he did this deliberately (being perhaps a paid up National Front member
) that's pretty bad, but he might not have done so. They might have set him up.
Actually I would be happy to take some local journo(s) for a flight. I just wonder if this sort of thing might backfire, if one gets a d1ckhead who mis-represents what they saw.
I know this isn't quite the same thing, but take that twin Seneca (?) pilot who flew some journos into Bournemouth, showing them how easy it is to enter the country without any paper checks. This got onto the local TV. If he did this deliberately (being perhaps a paid up National Front member
) that's pretty bad, but he might not have done so. They might have set him up.
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Fair comment! A dog can bite even when you feed it choc drops!!
As a matter of interest, any one see the piece in the Daily Mail today??
Where shall I start? Well, they reported a piper (since when did piper make high wing aircraft that look a lot like a 172?). "The undercarriage was torn off" That's why you can still see it attached to the airframe then!! The pilot said "we're going to crash". As for this particular flight, the pilot would have been an instructor I find this hard to believe.
But the best bit has to be a quote from the passenger, "The plane didn't feel right or sound right immediately after take off" Given that this guys only exposure to aviation before this was as SLF what the hell does he know about a plane sounding right?????
Classic case of poor reporting, and I intend e-mailing the offending journo in the next day or 2.
As a matter of interest, any one see the piece in the Daily Mail today??
Where shall I start? Well, they reported a piper (since when did piper make high wing aircraft that look a lot like a 172?). "The undercarriage was torn off" That's why you can still see it attached to the airframe then!! The pilot said "we're going to crash". As for this particular flight, the pilot would have been an instructor I find this hard to believe.
But the best bit has to be a quote from the passenger, "The plane didn't feel right or sound right immediately after take off" Given that this guys only exposure to aviation before this was as SLF what the hell does he know about a plane sounding right?????
Classic case of poor reporting, and I intend e-mailing the offending journo in the next day or 2.