crackpots
Guest
Posts: n/a
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,012
Likes: 1
From: USA
Note the hidden class-ism in the petition, where "Toad of Toad Hall" is the noise maker - as if common people can't own/operate flying machines. THAT is the hidden agenda here, like fox hunting, the real issue is wealth/privilage vs common working fools.
Best PR move is to invert that thought.
Best PR move is to invert that thought.
Guest
Posts: n/a
I can only echo Nick's comments on the disgust felt at the class-ism in that thread. Just plain wrong, and frankly a big part of whats wrong with this country today. I consider myself neither wealthy nor upper class (heck, not even upper middle class!) and yet I fly helicopters. You can get a PPL(H) for around 14k, thats used Vauxhall money, so it's hardly the pursuit of the well heeled any more. Just dont by a second car. Keeping it current at the bare minimums equates to the price of 2 good nights out with the lads per month. So this petitioner's ire at it makes it all the less palatable as he sees it as a pursuit for those he is obviously jealous of.
Still, thats the public for you. I was in the supermarket yesterday, and the Police helicopter was overhead looking for kids causing mayhem with quad bikes, only to be told by the 20 stone mother of 3 feral children troglodite beside me (apropos nothing) that it was 'a shocking waste of money, 20 grand an hour it costs to fly that' etc etc. Public eh
Still, thats the public for you. I was in the supermarket yesterday, and the Police helicopter was overhead looking for kids causing mayhem with quad bikes, only to be told by the 20 stone mother of 3 feral children troglodite beside me (apropos nothing) that it was 'a shocking waste of money, 20 grand an hour it costs to fly that' etc etc. Public eh
Joined: May 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 18,633
Likes: 1,072
From: Downeast
Nay Lads, the Man is on target.
We should also ban automobiles,buses, loud music, train horns, trains, close bridges that make that horrible clanging sound when vehicle tyres strike the iron plates, out door concerts, street markets, winkle stands, and Hyde Park Corner. Protests should also be banned....way too noisy for the public good. Most of all....we should punish bothersome ninnys that rant and rave about naught. Public speaking should be a history topic only. Considering the racket Swans and Geese can create....why we should cull them as well.
We should also ban automobiles,buses, loud music, train horns, trains, close bridges that make that horrible clanging sound when vehicle tyres strike the iron plates, out door concerts, street markets, winkle stands, and Hyde Park Corner. Protests should also be banned....way too noisy for the public good. Most of all....we should punish bothersome ninnys that rant and rave about naught. Public speaking should be a history topic only. Considering the racket Swans and Geese can create....why we should cull them as well.
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
From: Deep South
I am one of those who is lucky enough to be able to land in my garden, the other day while I was tying the old girl down after just landing, I noticed this man walking towards me, uninvited on my land. He promptly announced how intrusive the noise of the helicopter was and how I had just missed the roof of his house, over half a mile away. I was actually over 500’ agl and at least half a mile away from him on landing before you ask. While I said nothing at this stage and started to walk him to the gate from which he came I continued to listen.. well he went on to say how he was trying to track down the Chinook that was flying over all of us at least twice weekly. He was told from the ministry that all the available Chinooks were in Iraq, at this point I started to sympathise because I can confirm that this Chinook was definitely not in Iraq!!! Then he came out with it………….. he’s complained to the council about the noise from the fire engine sirens when they go past his house……Still not saying a word I opened the gate, I was not surprised to see an ambulance parked with the doors open and two men in white coats helping him into the back putting a jacket on him with extremely long sleeves. Well I can be a little extravagant with the truth about the last part of this story, I think what I am trying to say is, let them have there say because there is probably a little element of truth in there complaint but just stand back and they will make themselves look f***ing stupid in the end.
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Titusville. Florida
Could it be....
Could it be...... is this the same guy that complained about
"rogue helicopter pilot"..........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA1hyqA6UTY
"rogue helicopter pilot"..........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA1hyqA6UTY
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
From: Saltsjöbaden, Sweden
We have to be careful...
In Sweden, the general rule is that it is OK to land anywhere after obtaining the land-owner's permission, and in the case of landing in an urban area, contacting the local police. This is a very relaxed set of rules, and it has to be guarded properly, else we may end up in the same situation as southern California, where - I beleive - helicopters are more or less forced to land at airfields.
I have a few landing sites near my home and I try to rotate them as to not disturb the same people all the time. At two of the sites I have become good friends with the people living more or less on the field perimiter, know that one of them works nights and sleeps until noon, and I can control my level of disturbance based on facts like that. I always let the kids check out the machine, tell them where to stand when I lift off etc, and this has led to the fact that I have no complaints at all, even though I sometimes get fairly frequent in my "operations" of helicopters.
As for having a landing site on your own land, that must be fantastic, and I would guess that it would be a true test of how "neighbourly" we all are.
None the less, I urge all helicopter "drivers" to fly neighbourly, safe and to exercise friendly communication to the extreme. Maybe we can slow down the inevitable path to flight restrictions to a crawl.
Oh, and as to the Swedish rule of "informing the local police", here is a re-cap of a conversation I had with them when I started flying in 1996:
"Hi, my name is Per Frejvall and I have the intention of landing a light helicopter in the open field by Valhallavägen in Saltsjöbaden this coming Saturday, so I'm just caling to let you know this fact."
"OK, so you want us to close off the park, then?"
"No, I'm just informing you as to the fact that there will be helicopter movements in the park."
"I see. Is this something to do with a rescue operation, 'cause I really can't find anything in my papers about it."
"No, no! It's just me and a friend, and the regulations say that I shall inform the local police authority of the fact that I will be landing in an urban area, that's all."
"Well... I don't quite get it. Should we place a police officer in the park? What time on Saturday?"
.... It took a while, but I finally got through to him with a few references to the regs etc. I have never called them since, and I beleive he forgot the call the second we hung up...
I have a few landing sites near my home and I try to rotate them as to not disturb the same people all the time. At two of the sites I have become good friends with the people living more or less on the field perimiter, know that one of them works nights and sleeps until noon, and I can control my level of disturbance based on facts like that. I always let the kids check out the machine, tell them where to stand when I lift off etc, and this has led to the fact that I have no complaints at all, even though I sometimes get fairly frequent in my "operations" of helicopters.
As for having a landing site on your own land, that must be fantastic, and I would guess that it would be a true test of how "neighbourly" we all are.
None the less, I urge all helicopter "drivers" to fly neighbourly, safe and to exercise friendly communication to the extreme. Maybe we can slow down the inevitable path to flight restrictions to a crawl.
Oh, and as to the Swedish rule of "informing the local police", here is a re-cap of a conversation I had with them when I started flying in 1996:
"Hi, my name is Per Frejvall and I have the intention of landing a light helicopter in the open field by Valhallavägen in Saltsjöbaden this coming Saturday, so I'm just caling to let you know this fact."
"OK, so you want us to close off the park, then?"
"No, I'm just informing you as to the fact that there will be helicopter movements in the park."
"I see. Is this something to do with a rescue operation, 'cause I really can't find anything in my papers about it."
"No, no! It's just me and a friend, and the regulations say that I shall inform the local police authority of the fact that I will be landing in an urban area, that's all."
"Well... I don't quite get it. Should we place a police officer in the park? What time on Saturday?"
.... It took a while, but I finally got through to him with a few references to the regs etc. I have never called them since, and I beleive he forgot the call the second we hung up...
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,957
Likes: 0
From: Australia
There is one gentleman in this world for sure who would feel a sense of deja-vu if he happened on this story.
The same man who designed, developed and built his own helicopter to land in his own backyard, which the legend goes, he did once before the local noise protestors blocked him.
His name starts with Frank I reckon and call him what you like, but certainly not a toffee nose - that's for sure.
The same man who designed, developed and built his own helicopter to land in his own backyard, which the legend goes, he did once before the local noise protestors blocked him.
His name starts with Frank I reckon and call him what you like, but certainly not a toffee nose - that's for sure.
