Light aircraft down in Dundee
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rochester
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I dunno about you guys, but I was always taught never to second guess the PIC from an armchair when I don't have all the facts. And even when I DID have all the facts, I was taught to give the PIC the benefit of the doubt; I wasn't there, he might have seen something I wouldn't have, or visa versa.
Some of the comments here are downright ridiculous and rude; and you guys are the professionals?
Yea he was dumb. Yea he made mistakes. And yea, he probably should just graciously bow out of the lime light. But some of the posts are too far. He lived, he didn't hurt anyone - so why the vitriol? I don't mean to be disrespectful of the senior pilots here, I'm just saying...it's a bit much. And a bit antagonistic.
Some of the comments here are downright ridiculous and rude; and you guys are the professionals?
Yea he was dumb. Yea he made mistakes. And yea, he probably should just graciously bow out of the lime light. But some of the posts are too far. He lived, he didn't hurt anyone - so why the vitriol? I don't mean to be disrespectful of the senior pilots here, I'm just saying...it's a bit much. And a bit antagonistic.
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: London
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
eventually the harassed and busy controller cleared him to fly at 10,000ft on 1013mb
Without commenting on the validity of some of the "evidence" presented here this thread is a refreshing and entertaining addition to a forum this was rather dull of late.
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Timbuktoo
Posts: 567
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am firmly in the camp of not making judgment from an armchair without the necessary information. However in this case there is a wealth of information that is not hearsay, but actually comes from the horses mouth. Whilst some posts are based on assumptions dear Vince has given quite enough on here and through the media for people to pass judgment.
It is not the accident itself that has brought about the criticism, but more the manner in which Vince has handled the aftermath. There are those who have argued that his initial interaction with the media may have been as a result of 'shock' and that, at the time, was a valid argument. Not so now I fear as the bold Vince has come on here with the same bravado after having time to reflect on his incident AND consider the comments posted.
What are we to do, reinforce his delusion and condone his actions by not being critical?
The difference between this accident and others is that Vince set himself up for the flack following the accident.
In my view the man's a nutter that needs saving from himself and I base that solely on comments from him, rather than conjecture posted here.
It is not the accident itself that has brought about the criticism, but more the manner in which Vince has handled the aftermath. There are those who have argued that his initial interaction with the media may have been as a result of 'shock' and that, at the time, was a valid argument. Not so now I fear as the bold Vince has come on here with the same bravado after having time to reflect on his incident AND consider the comments posted.
What are we to do, reinforce his delusion and condone his actions by not being critical?
The difference between this accident and others is that Vince set himself up for the flack following the accident.
In my view the man's a nutter that needs saving from himself and I base that solely on comments from him, rather than conjecture posted here.
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I want to know how he managed to hassel a Talla sector controller into giving him the clearance he wanted.
Be trying for years to get TLA-GRICE-INV as per flight planned route (saving 250 quid for the company) but the buggers always send me to Foyle.
Be trying for years to get TLA-GRICE-INV as per flight planned route (saving 250 quid for the company) but the buggers always send me to Foyle.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: lancs.UK
Age: 77
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Slightly off-topic,- I am quite astounded by the apparent disparity between assigned and reported altitudes, V those purported to be returned by radar.It is a well-documented fact that radar speed-traps return a wildly inaccurate return from fibreglass and Composite motor-bodies...I think Alloy also reflects differently......many motorists have successfully defended themselves from speeding-charges due to this.
So, (I know, apples and oranges) Do Composite aircraft show an erroneous height return?
As the pilot apparently confirmed his pressure-setting and would seem to have , at some points, have flown the assigned alt. this begs the question,- did the pilot deliberately lie to ATC, in the erroneous belief they "couldn't see" him, or did he have "selective" instrument -failure ( Thales Pitot iced?
)under the circumstances, sounds like PPP due to lack of PP P
(for other non-pilots (and Journo's)...the acronym = Prior Planning Precludes..Piss-Poor Performance.)
Edit....OK, The Altimeter relies on Static...back yo the Trevor Thom's.
)
Last edited by cockney steve; 17th Aug 2009 at 11:01. Reason: cheap shot at Thales
Be trying for years to get TLA-GRICE-INV as per flight planned route (saving 250 quid for the company) but the buggers always send me to Foyle.
I am sure that a lot of points will come out in the AAIB report, much of it airmanship related, and almost certainly not the positive spin that Mr H has been trying to generate since his crash.
Few people are more annoying than A list celebrities who will court the media at every occasion for all the publicity and spin they can, and then winge like babies once something less flattering (and usually brutally accurate) is exposed.
But one group even more annoying are the Z list celebs who will do anything in a desperate attempt to keep their name in trashy rags, fighting to make sure the next gasp of the oxygen of publicity and 'fame' is not their last.
The only people more annoying than these Z listers are idiot attention seekers who live their lives trying to be the centre of attention and who desperately wish to be famous. They will do virtually anything to get their 5 minutes of fame. Then they get upset when the spin doesn't work, and their stupidity is exposed publicly, so they winge about how badly the press have treated them. Sadly, they seem genetically incapable of keeping a low profile, showing some humility, and keeping schtumm, compelled as they are to open their big mouths and stick their foot in it.
This roughly where Mr H enters the scene.
Given the circumstances, a brief and rather more humble statement to the media along the lines of:-
"I have had a lucky escape. Apologies and very grateful thanks to the air traffic controllers, police, fire, ambulance and over-worked and under-staffed NHS for taking up their valuable resources."
... would have come over a whole lot better, and would have won Mr H a few more friends and supporters than he has achieved with his choice of gunning for maximum publicity posing as some kind of hero.
And still I haven't seen even the first hints of him accepting any responsibility for any of his actions, not one hint of humility, not one hint of any attempt to learn from this situation of his own making.
But then we all know the difficulty of changing habits of a lifetime, and the saying about old dogs and new tricks!
I'm just off to EDI, via TALLA. It is a massive relief to know for certain that Mr H is presently grounded so there is one less risk to my passengers, crew and me on this occasion. I simply cannot tell you just how scary the though of Mr H at 10,000' in controlled airspace is.
To answer another question:
Do Composite aircraft show an erroneous height return?
They are not influenced by aircraft construction material in any way.
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nah its a tay sector workload thing which is fair enough.
Hats off to scottish for the cracking service we all enjoy day in day out be it from FISbangwallop and collegues to the area controllers, they give a safe friendly service with very few grump's on the mic.
I hope any fallout from this event doesn't cause the "can do if its safe" attituded which we have enjoyed in the past to change.
And to the lady who no doudt has had to fill out a pile of paper work over this affair, keep your chin up. Some of us pillocks are thinking about you.
Hats off to scottish for the cracking service we all enjoy day in day out be it from FISbangwallop and collegues to the area controllers, they give a safe friendly service with very few grump's on the mic.
I hope any fallout from this event doesn't cause the "can do if its safe" attituded which we have enjoyed in the past to change.
And to the lady who no doudt has had to fill out a pile of paper work over this affair, keep your chin up. Some of us pillocks are thinking about you.
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Scotland
Age: 84
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I hope you are reading this Vince, It's not the mistakes you made that is annoying, it is the fact that you think you can fool hundreds of other pilots into believing that you didn't make them.
Various cliche's are valid. Don't bul**** a bul****ter, Sailing down the Clyde on a water biscuit. Piss down my back & tell me it's raining etc.
You are 63 yrs old ,enough to know better. You put lives a risk, disrupted air traffic, caused emergency services unnecessary work. You then try to justify your actions with mentions of Biggles!
If you expect sympathy or admiration I suggest you join the cross stitch forum. You are a big boy now, grow up & act like one.
By the way if anyone is interested, Kingsmuir is no longer a drop zone.
Fully operational, make yr own coffee etc.
Various cliche's are valid. Don't bul**** a bul****ter, Sailing down the Clyde on a water biscuit. Piss down my back & tell me it's raining etc.
You are 63 yrs old ,enough to know better. You put lives a risk, disrupted air traffic, caused emergency services unnecessary work. You then try to justify your actions with mentions of Biggles!
If you expect sympathy or admiration I suggest you join the cross stitch forum. You are a big boy now, grow up & act like one.
By the way if anyone is interested, Kingsmuir is no longer a drop zone.
Fully operational, make yr own coffee etc.
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: In the boot of my car!
Posts: 5,982
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
On airmanship grounds alone, it seems that our hero should not be let loose on other airspace users until he has been educated to an appropriate standard which allows him to use UK airspace without endangering other fliers and the broader public.
But I would also like to ask where his lack of training has contributed to the catalogue of events which lead to his crash.
The fact that he seems to be unaware of airspace restrictions and unaware of basic facts like flight level settings and RT procedures shows a massive gap in his knowledge.
Who ever trained him has also got some answering to do. I am not sure what is required to gain lower level licences for aircraft like microlights? Did he hold a PPL? I am sure the buck doesn not stop with him but goes further back.
I would also caution against making assertions. I know my own feelings about the accident have changed from sympathetic to less sympathetic to annoyed as further details emerge. Somehow I dont feel this saga has come to its end and could herald changes and stiffening up in training standards.
Pace
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Scotland
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
He's reported as an NPPL but that shouldn't make any difference.
You can't get a PPL ( NPPL) without going through the whole syllabus which includes flight planning and navigation. The training provides the skills necessary to conduct a safe flight and the tools to assist in decision making.
What training can't do is ensure that qualified pilots their acquired knowledge properly!
I feel a lecture coming on!
You can't get a PPL ( NPPL) without going through the whole syllabus which includes flight planning and navigation. The training provides the skills necessary to conduct a safe flight and the tools to assist in decision making.
What training can't do is ensure that qualified pilots their acquired knowledge properly!
I feel a lecture coming on!
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Scotland
Age: 84
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Pace
Somehow I dont feel this saga has come to its end and could herald changes and stiffening up in training standards.
I got my NPPL(A) in 2007, Flight levels, airspace categories, RT, zone transit stuff , navigation, flight planning etc. Just like a real PPL but a bit less instrument flying.
The training syllabus is not at fault.
How it is applied at a local level may be worth investigation. How much of it sinks in & remains beyond the appropriate exam paper is down to the pilot.
Most microlight pilots I've seen tend to head for a lot of height in case the donkey dies mid Forth river. But they all seem to know what they are doing regarding talking to Edinburgh etc. So I don't think the NPPL(M) is any worse.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London
Age: 68
Posts: 1,269
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Unknown Target identify yourself please. I guess you re a friend of Mr Biggles?
Small plane flyers do not have less rights than large plane flyers.
Both are required to adhere to the rules of aviation.
As to Mr Biggles I agree his most stupid mistake to date was how he decided to handle the aftermath. This does not imply it also was his biggest mistake, thats for the AAIB to decide.
Small plane flyers do not have less rights than large plane flyers.
Both are required to adhere to the rules of aviation.
As to Mr Biggles I agree his most stupid mistake to date was how he decided to handle the aftermath. This does not imply it also was his biggest mistake, thats for the AAIB to decide.
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rochester
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What, because I defend the rights of private pilots to fly, I'm automatically lumped in with an egotistical loudmouth? I'm not even in the same country as him, the only similarity we share is that we are both similarly low time (I'm 78.6 hours) - I'm based in the US.
Unknown Target, Flight level setting is really basic altimetry, and should be absolutely standard knowledge for any pilot whose past his 1st solo, let alone 50-odd hours post qualification.
They're nowt to do with 10,000 feet by the way, so it appears you dont know them either. If you're a pilot, I suggest you urgently go away and read the altimetry sections of both your met and air law books before you fly again
M9 (not a driver of heavy metal)
PS Did you not spot the Freudian slip in :
(Just in case you dont understand proportionality either 
, the above quotation suggests the heavier the aircraft you fly, the poorer the standard of airmanship )
They're nowt to do with 10,000 feet by the way, so it appears you dont know them either. If you're a pilot, I suggest you urgently go away and read the altimetry sections of both your met and air law books before you fly again
M9 (not a driver of heavy metal)
PS Did you not spot the Freudian slip in :
I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that a Pilots Airmanship is inversely proportional to the aircrafts Max All Up Weight and/or HP of his engine
, the above quotation suggests the heavier the aircraft you fly, the poorer the standard of airmanship )
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Wessex
Age: 55
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
unknown target.
Why wouldn't a PPL/NPPL pilot know about flight levels. Isn't the transition at around 3500'? so well within his flight envelope.
My golden rule is, if you don't know the what the words mean you are in the wrong job.
Why wouldn't a PPL/NPPL pilot know about flight levels. Isn't the transition at around 3500'? so well within his flight envelope.
My golden rule is, if you don't know the what the words mean you are in the wrong job.
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Scotland
Age: 84
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It would appear that another thing this inconsiderate asshole has done is have the rest of us bugsmasher drivers defending ourselves as if we were all of the same ilk but for a stroke of good fortune.
I am certainly not ashamed of the training I took both during & since NPPL, & no I have'nt finished learning yet before some smart ass points that out.
I am certainly not ashamed of the training I took both during & since NPPL, & no I have'nt finished learning yet before some smart ass points that out.
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rochester
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm sorry Pace, but you seriously expect a PPL/Ultralight pilot to know about flight level settings? Especially such a low hour pilot? If I recall correctly, he can't even go above 10,000 feet!
I think a big part of this discussion is the discrepancy between the big guys (i.e. you high hour heavy metal drivers) and the little guys here (i.e. us private sardine can pushers). When a 172 hits an Airbus, they both go down; so they both have as much right to be in the air as anybody and are as important on ATC's radar as each other. The problem I'm having with this whole discussion isn't so much the negative comments directed at Mr. H (whether he deserves it or not), it's the comments directed at light aviation pilots - comments like;
"I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that a Pilots Airmanship is inversely proportional to the aircrafts Max All Up Weight and/or HP of his engine...."
...that really get my blood flowing. Are you guys serious? You're telling a low time pilot that he should be kicked out of the sky (a sky that you seem to act like you own) because he's rusty (giving him a very large benefit of the doubt here) on procedures, or doesn't know procedures that are outright IFR only? You guys sure are the cream of the crop, yea, you made it all the way to the top and slugged your way through the private sector, but guess what - private flying didn't go away when you left it behind, and it's got just as much right to be in the air as you do. Maybe if we had less of this snotty nose in the air attitude towards light plane pilots, the current pilot retention rate wouldn't be below 50% and new pilot numbers falling like Mr. Biggles here.
EDIT: People are replying to my post and I can't reply back, as I am waiting for moderator approval. Please view my latest reply here, sorry if this is uncouth but I hate being muzzled in a good debate
I would very much like a chance to defend myself, but alas I must wait for a moderator to approve my posts? So I write this in an attempt to calm the fire of argument that is currently burning within me
vanHorck: I do not know Mr. H nor have ever been in the country of Britain to begin with. It seems that you have misinterpreted my remarks, as you seem to think the main thrust of my point is to defend Biggle-boy. No, my main remark is that the attitude expressed by many of the people in this thread is quite derogatory to private pilots.
I also am offended and slightly perturbed by the idea that since I present a different argument, I am lumped in with Mr. H here; I'm a safe pilot. I passed my check ride with flying colors; I always do a run up before take off, I always do a double walkaround and double check my fuel and oil before I go up. I always practice proper radio calls and try to sound as professional as possible. Hell, I want to learn so much and be so perfect at flying that I kick myself when there's even the slightest bump in my landings - and there generally isn't, even with the 20 knot crosswind across the beach where I typically land with the under 3,000 lb DA-20 that I usually fly. And I'm teaching myself aeronautics to boot, with a $200+ library slowly being built on my shelf.
Mariner9: I know what a flight level is, my point is that you hardly ever hear it as a private pilot, at least in my (admittedly) small experience range. I usually stay below 3,000 feet, so I have a different experience than Mr. H here. I would have probably made his ill-fated flight at 2,500 feet as well, because that's where I'm most comfortable. And I'm sorry, but I was also taught that if I didn't understand a tower's instructions, I would simply ask for clarification; not become a danger to life and limb because I didn't know the definition of one of the commands.
Also, you got me on the proportionality - nice way to toss in a casual insult though. No, I mixed up what I read and managed to get it quite wrong. My mistake.
A Pommie: I'm sorry, I haven't heard the word "flight level" in over two years, and I've never heard it spoken on the radio. I guess I should stop flying because I forgot that bit of minutia, instead of asking the tower to clarify their instruction when the need arose?
EDIT2: Honestly Pace, I wouldn't shift the blame from him to the training. That just gets the flight instructors in trouble for a dumb student; if he didn't know how to do something, he should have asked someone (again, me being the safe pilot, that's what I do - I just did that last week actually, asking a senior pilot at the FBO for some procedure clarifications on a trip I was making), he should have checked his fuel, etc etc. I don't know the layout of the area he was in, so I can't comment on his landing choice. Pancaking into a tree surely was not the best option though, isn't England quite famous for it's large flat fields?
I think a big part of this discussion is the discrepancy between the big guys (i.e. you high hour heavy metal drivers) and the little guys here (i.e. us private sardine can pushers). When a 172 hits an Airbus, they both go down; so they both have as much right to be in the air as anybody and are as important on ATC's radar as each other. The problem I'm having with this whole discussion isn't so much the negative comments directed at Mr. H (whether he deserves it or not), it's the comments directed at light aviation pilots - comments like;
"I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that a Pilots Airmanship is inversely proportional to the aircrafts Max All Up Weight and/or HP of his engine...."
...that really get my blood flowing. Are you guys serious? You're telling a low time pilot that he should be kicked out of the sky (a sky that you seem to act like you own) because he's rusty (giving him a very large benefit of the doubt here) on procedures, or doesn't know procedures that are outright IFR only? You guys sure are the cream of the crop, yea, you made it all the way to the top and slugged your way through the private sector, but guess what - private flying didn't go away when you left it behind, and it's got just as much right to be in the air as you do. Maybe if we had less of this snotty nose in the air attitude towards light plane pilots, the current pilot retention rate wouldn't be below 50% and new pilot numbers falling like Mr. Biggles here.
EDIT: People are replying to my post and I can't reply back, as I am waiting for moderator approval. Please view my latest reply here, sorry if this is uncouth but I hate being muzzled in a good debate
I would very much like a chance to defend myself, but alas I must wait for a moderator to approve my posts? So I write this in an attempt to calm the fire of argument that is currently burning within me
vanHorck: I do not know Mr. H nor have ever been in the country of Britain to begin with. It seems that you have misinterpreted my remarks, as you seem to think the main thrust of my point is to defend Biggle-boy. No, my main remark is that the attitude expressed by many of the people in this thread is quite derogatory to private pilots.
I also am offended and slightly perturbed by the idea that since I present a different argument, I am lumped in with Mr. H here; I'm a safe pilot. I passed my check ride with flying colors; I always do a run up before take off, I always do a double walkaround and double check my fuel and oil before I go up. I always practice proper radio calls and try to sound as professional as possible. Hell, I want to learn so much and be so perfect at flying that I kick myself when there's even the slightest bump in my landings - and there generally isn't, even with the 20 knot crosswind across the beach where I typically land with the under 3,000 lb DA-20 that I usually fly. And I'm teaching myself aeronautics to boot, with a $200+ library slowly being built on my shelf.
Mariner9: I know what a flight level is, my point is that you hardly ever hear it as a private pilot, at least in my (admittedly) small experience range. I usually stay below 3,000 feet, so I have a different experience than Mr. H here. I would have probably made his ill-fated flight at 2,500 feet as well, because that's where I'm most comfortable. And I'm sorry, but I was also taught that if I didn't understand a tower's instructions, I would simply ask for clarification; not become a danger to life and limb because I didn't know the definition of one of the commands.
Also, you got me on the proportionality - nice way to toss in a casual insult though. No, I mixed up what I read and managed to get it quite wrong. My mistake.
A Pommie: I'm sorry, I haven't heard the word "flight level" in over two years, and I've never heard it spoken on the radio. I guess I should stop flying because I forgot that bit of minutia, instead of asking the tower to clarify their instruction when the need arose?
EDIT2: Honestly Pace, I wouldn't shift the blame from him to the training. That just gets the flight instructors in trouble for a dumb student; if he didn't know how to do something, he should have asked someone (again, me being the safe pilot, that's what I do - I just did that last week actually, asking a senior pilot at the FBO for some procedure clarifications on a trip I was making), he should have checked his fuel, etc etc. I don't know the layout of the area he was in, so I can't comment on his landing choice. Pancaking into a tree surely was not the best option though, isn't England quite famous for it's large flat fields?
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: In the boot of my car!
Posts: 5,982
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Unknown Target
I am not a heavy metal pilot either maybe faster metal as in corporate citation sized jets but not heavy also have flown numerous twins and singles too and still do for what its worth.
If you go through my posts you will see that most have defended "Mr Biggles" and no where have I been rude to him. I have tried to be understanding realising we can all do stupid things me included.
There have been some serious errors in knowledge and judgement with this accident. Even in my last post I have tried to swing the blame to the training as I am now really having a hard job getting my head aound this chain of events and the attitude following it.
Pace
nb I would also be suspicious of someone who calls himself unknown target, joins today and has never made a post before.
I am not a heavy metal pilot either maybe faster metal as in corporate citation sized jets but not heavy
also have flown numerous twins and singles too and still do for what its worth.If you go through my posts you will see that most have defended "Mr Biggles" and no where have I been rude to him. I have tried to be understanding realising we can all do stupid things me included.
There have been some serious errors in knowledge and judgement with this accident. Even in my last post I have tried to swing the blame to the training as I am now really having a hard job getting my head aound this chain of events and the attitude following it.
Pace
nb I would also be suspicious of someone who calls himself unknown target, joins today and has never made a post before.
Last edited by Pace; 17th Aug 2009 at 16:03.
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Scotland
Age: 84
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The fact that anyone can make mistakes, & that certainly includes me also, is fine. Denying they were made when they are serious, is not. And is nothing to do with training, airmanship or whatever, it is to do with integrity as a person.
And yes I would be rude to him.
And yes I would be rude to him.
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Scotland
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think the over sensitive NPPLs and others are over reacting. The slurs as far as I can see are not aimed at all pilots of anything that doesn't have an on board toilet but, specifically at Mr. H.
A simple analysis of the information provided by the pilot in question would suggest that he ended outside his own comfort zone and made a string of poor decisions. Unfortunately for him, his errors conspired to leave him 40ft up a tree - where you can't hide, well not for long.
OK , bad news for light aviation generally as events such as this do tend to colour public opinion. All the more reason that VH shoulder full responsibility. Not ATC who he claims may have given him a duff piece of guidance ( incidentally, I dug out an old VFR guide which clearly states for Dundee that "A/C movements to the North of the aerodrome are not permitted due to poor vis from TWR" ( words to that effect) . Not the folks at Barrow that OK'd his flight plan, not the aircraft manufacturer whose wings tanks mean that it is difficult to gauge contents, not the golf course that was busy, not the kids playing footie on the playing fields or the houses at the end of the open space, not the the tree, and not F**ing Biggles.
I'm with PACE on this. It is perhaps the only conclusion that either this guy wilfully ignored all the training and advice he was given or, that he didn't understand enough of it in the first place and/or, that after 4 years he has forgotten it all. Is it the system or the pilot?
A simple analysis of the information provided by the pilot in question would suggest that he ended outside his own comfort zone and made a string of poor decisions. Unfortunately for him, his errors conspired to leave him 40ft up a tree - where you can't hide, well not for long.
OK , bad news for light aviation generally as events such as this do tend to colour public opinion. All the more reason that VH shoulder full responsibility. Not ATC who he claims may have given him a duff piece of guidance ( incidentally, I dug out an old VFR guide which clearly states for Dundee that "A/C movements to the North of the aerodrome are not permitted due to poor vis from TWR" ( words to that effect) . Not the folks at Barrow that OK'd his flight plan, not the aircraft manufacturer whose wings tanks mean that it is difficult to gauge contents, not the golf course that was busy, not the kids playing footie on the playing fields or the houses at the end of the open space, not the the tree, and not F**ing Biggles.
I'm with PACE on this. It is perhaps the only conclusion that either this guy wilfully ignored all the training and advice he was given or, that he didn't understand enough of it in the first place and/or, that after 4 years he has forgotten it all. Is it the system or the pilot?