Advise on Illegal flying required

[coastwise]

I have personally seen him at about 1500 to 2000 feet when driving back from Grahamstown while I was busy with my lisence with Larry McG. As far as I am concerned he is an @rsehole looking for a place to die and probably take someone else with him when he does. He put me in the eyes at the Air School, and the day I find him flying while I am flying I will definitely try to get the registration of the trike. .

I don't need this sort of sh!t in the area I am flying.

[Stephan van Tonder]

probably very unlikely that the trike will be registered if he's flying with no license.

[RV Sometime]

I have personally seen him at about 1500 to 2000 feet when driving back from Grahamstown while I was busy with my lisence with Larry McG. As far as I am concerned he is an @rsehole looking for a place to die and probably take someone else with him when he does. He put me in the eyes at the Air School, and the day I find him flying while I am flying I will definitely try to get the registration of the trike. .

I don't need this sort of sh!t in the area I am flying.

Have you spoken to Bob Ewing or Jim Davis about this? If not, I am good friends with Bob & can raise the issue with him. I am sure he would persue it.

I am coming down in a couple of weeks time, maybe we can get together at 43 when we land?

[Gyronaut]

My sentiments exactly RV

I flew into PA once and the circuit was so busy, as a result of mis-communication, I landed on taxiway Delta and the other three guys in my squadron landed on 02 left (if I remember correctly). I went to the tower, discussed it and apologised and since I didnt endanger anyone it was ok.

(I was severely embarassed since I messed up big time )

The thought of flying silent into that airspace scares me unbelievably!

Fix it or somebody is going to die.

Rgds

Len

[RV Sometime]

Hi Len

Dont feel bad, you have the 2 parallel 28 rwys, 25 & 36 & all the taxiways serving these rwys etc. I have made my name toti there too but had a chat too & all was ok. I had flown down East London for business & then flew coastwise to PA. I know EL like the back of my hand too & had not reset the di to the compass for some time. I also had a lovely big gps on board which I use unashamedly. I feel that you must use all technology available but many disagree with me, saying you need to remain current on your steam guages. Anyway, the compas had gone belly up durin the flight & had swung out by 30 degrees so when I lined myself up with what I thought was 25, I landed on one of the taxiways. My 1st impression was that the rwy was as rough as hell, then I got the call to pay a visit to the tower. I could not fthom out how I could have made such a big mistake, apologised profusely & left with my tail between my legs. Wouter & Emarie were manning the tower. I went back to the aerie & sat trying to work out where I had gone wrong. I taxied to the pumps & suddenly noted the gps heading vs the compass heading & saw it was out. I called the tower to inform them I was going to see Hannes, the amo & he did a compass swing for me after having had the compass repaired, all was fine.

43 can be very dangerous, a good mate of mine scribbled his Cessna 340 pressurised twin on the closed rwy 28. He did not see the crosses & landed on 28R straight into a mound of sand, ripped out the uc & the aerie burned out.

With these kind of factors considered at PA, it is very scary to share the skies with this illegal character. I wonder if getting his reg will even help. The trike may not even be registered.

I know a number of the local pine farmers & will put out some feelers there too.

[coastwise]

I have given the air school the guys name and phone number. As far as I know they are going to take the matter up with CAA.

[RV Sometime]

Good stuff Coastwise, many people may say that we are sitting on our pedestal as if we have never done anything wrong, I have made mistakes but have never knowingly broken the law & I can admit to & face the consequences of any transgressions I may have made.

I am new again with microlights, started flying them in the 80's stopped & then flew bliks & still fly bliks but am buying a trike soon.

Thanks for the heads up & please keep us posted as to what transpires.

What impresses me here is that we can have a logical debate without someone who thinks they are superior to an mpl come on & make derogatory comments about "typical behaviour of garden furniture pilots". At least here there can be a proactive solution to the problem.

I will pm you closer to my trip down & would like to meet you.

[CalvW]

Sorry to hear about this Coastwise. Lets hope something gets done about it!

[lamercyfly]

Hi Folk.

Just some things that need clearing up.

I have just confirmed with ATNS that Port Alfred airfield is class G airspace. This means that any NTCA aircraft is exempt from having a radio on board. That's it. No argument. Final.

Now, before you guys start shooting your mouths off, just think about it. O.K.

Port Alfred is not an IMC rated airfield. It is VFR!! get it. VFR. Keep your eyes open and lookout. Klaar. Just like they do it in the good ol USA, at Oshkosh and other huge fly in events. In my opinion, not enough guys are flying VFR lookout. Guys in trikes with more instruments than I've seen in some blik aeries!!

Next thing, since when does not having a licence mean you are a dangerous pilot?

I know of many pilots, trained by 'so called' reputable schools, whose airmanship is atrocious. They have, in my opion, done many dangerous things, endangeriing many peoples lives. These guys all have and had at the time, valid, current licences.

So, get it out of your mind, that only pilots who have licences are good pilots. Bollocks. I know of many pilots who DO NOT have current licences, and they are darn fine pilots.

And NO, I will NOT report them to any darn authority. It is NOT my resonsibility to turn our beloved country into any more of a police state than it is. Spying on your neighbour!! Sies man!

But, if some-one is flying in such a manner as to endanger the lives of other users of the sky, then that issue I would deal with if I felt my dealings could be constructive.

We already have FAR too many stupid laws governing microlight trike flying, and with CAA continually, blindly, ingnorantly trying to think up more laws, please, guys, stop bickering amongst yourselves about 'doing the legal thing'......... The legal thing is not allways the right thing... think about it.

Regards.

[Gyronaut]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and of course there will be differing views, which is fine Dave. Accepted.

......... The legal thing is not allways the right thing...

Perhaps,... but doing the illegal thing is NEVER the right thing!

Len

[cornell]

Hi Folk.

Just some things that need clearing up.

I have just confirmed with ATNS that Port Alfred airfield is class G airspace. This means that any NTCA aircraft is exempt from having a radio on board. That's it. No argument. Final.

Now, before you guys start shooting your mouths off, just think about it. O.K.

Port Alfred is not an IMC rated airfield. It is VFR!! get it. VFR. Keep your eyes open and lookout. Klaar. Just like they do it in the good ol USA, at Oshkosh and other huge fly in events. In my opinion, not enough guys are flying VFR lookout. Guys in trikes with more instruments than I've seen in some blik aeries!!

Next thing, since when does not having a licence mean you are a dangerous pilot?

I know of many pilots, trained by 'so called' reputable schools, whose airmanship is atrocious. They have, in my opion, done many dangerous things, endangeriing many peoples lives. These guys all have and had at the time, valid, current licences.

So, get it out of your mind, that only pilots who have licences are good pilots. Bollocks. I know of many pilots who DO NOT have current licences, and they are darn fine pilots.

And NO, I will NOT report them to any darn authority. It is NOT my resonsibility to turn our beloved country into any more of a police state than it is. Spying on your neighbour!! Sies man!

But, if some-one is flying in such a manner as to endanger the lives of other users of the sky, then that issue I would deal with if I felt my dealings could be constructive.

We already have FAR too many stupid laws governing microlight trike flying, and with CAA continually, blindly, ingnorantly trying to think up more laws, please, guys, stop bickering amongst yourselves about 'doing the legal thing'......... The legal thing is not allways the right thing... think about it.

Regards.

I'm really shocked by this post.

Don't you think CAA is thinking up new rules because of guys like this.

I also believe in the MKI eyeball but don't you think it's good airmanship to have a radio with you when flying close to FAPA. Yes like you say it's a class G airspace and look a Oshkosh but remember FAPA got solo students flying around.

Or what about a phone call to the tower saying your intentions also called airmanship

Flying without a licence I'm sure you are not ok with it are you

Does flying without a licence make you a dangerous pilot HELL YES You have already shown you are anti authority

The legal thing is not allways the right thing... think about it.

[lamercyfly]

Hi..

My second last paragraph states my intention....deal with it if it endangers etc.,.....

.....and why do you think that students flying solo are not good pilots? I can honestly say that students who are past their solo consolidation phase, and are cleared for GFA and Cross Country flying are and SHOULD be very capable pilots, flying in a controlled meteorological environment..

I must say that students I have trained, are so ingrained to look out while they are enjoying the view, that many times they spot an aircraft before I do, and that's they way it should be....

They should never find themselves in a 'scud running' exercise, or heavens forbid in a 'valley-hugging' flight, and when they are at a safe height AGL, they should be looking out continually, as should all other air users, licenced or otherwise.... (note I use the phrase 'otherwise' . This is the term used by our aspirant head-man, JZ, who stated that he is innocent until found 'otherwise' )

Anyway, to sum up my opinion, I frown on any dangerous flying which if it goes wrong can damage a 3rd parties property or live/s. What the pilot does over his own property in his own aircraft is his own business.......... And NO, it is NOT a reflection of an entire industry, and any illogical person who jumps to these kinda silly and rash reasonings is really just a stupid empty vessel...

Remember this is recreational/sport flying. Does the entire motorcycle community get branded 'cowboys' and 'idiots' because 1 rider gets himself killed for not wearing a helmut ( Oh! and let's hope with all our might that he HAD A LICENCE to drive a motorcycle....) etc., etc., about mountain bikes going too fast downhill and the rider falls off, breaking his neck now he is paralysed......does this make all mountainbikers reckless....... Does it even make him reckless? He was just having a good time doing a recreational thing.......

Come on guys... stop putting recreational pilots on a pedestal...... flying recreational is just another sport, requiring different skills, that's all.........

But this fella does need to be asked to stop flying around the airfield at Port Alfred. Without hearing his side of the story, my first opinion is that I agree that this is just plain stupid....

Cheers.

[lamercyfly]

Hullo Len..

yes, point taken.

But I would rephrase your last comment, to read:

"Perhaps.....but doing the illegal thing is never the legal thing" Right and wrong, they are a whole discussion of philosophy

I am in favour of living in a society with reasonable laws. But I battle to to feel free in an environment which is stifling, and which the people have accepted...........

Even as we speak, there are punitive new laws being drafted to make owning and operating a microlight and LSA school an absolute nightmare.

And what about all the microlight pilots out there still doing their own maintenance, like washing the airfilters or changing a rusty hose clamp on the fuel line........ IT IS ILLEGAL!! But is it wrong? I don't believe so

Think about it...

Nice chatting.

Cheers guys, have a lekka and safe week-end.

Annie and I are working flat our toward opening our new training school facility at Virginia Airport (KZN), so won't even have time to see if it is sunshine or rain outside.......

[Pat Two]

Hi Dave,

I believe whats on the table here is not the debate whether this person is a safe pilot or not. The concern is that if he is operating a craft without valid certification he is operating outside the spectrum of the law. Thus it is illegal. There is no room for interpretation here.

Further, We are all well aware of the knee jerk reaction when it comes to aviation safety in South Africa. It takes TV expose's for people to start sitting up and taking notice of unsafe practices. By then it is too late, the perception of the industry as a whole suffers as all are tarred by the same brush.

Lets take a hypothetical situation. Our unlicensed pilot is Mr. X.

Mr.X has a wonderful sunset flight along the coast and passes overhead a built up area on his way back to his farm. His aircraft then experiences a failure of some sort. He crashes and kills a couple of people on the ground as well as himself.

The investigation reveals that his last authority to fly had expired more than a year ago, the aircraft had lost control due to a cable failure of some sort (the kind of defect that would have been detected at the last AP).

Here comes the knee jerk:
1. Regulations to have microlights operate in an area of not more than 20nm from home base and not over built up areas.
2. AP's now need to have their work signed off by a licsensed AMO.
3. All aircraft to be fitted with BRS otherwise they are not airworthy.

and so we go on and on...

I don't think that I am being silly, however, if we as concerned microlight pilots do not take a stand against people that are abusing the sport our sport will be regulated out of the sky.

In the same vain...do you support doping in sport? It's illegal but it's not killing anyone... If I interpret your thoughts correctly, this would not be a problem.

Interested in your views...
Cheers,
Jaco

[Stephan van Tonder]

The next Knee jerk is all being fitted with transponders that must be on - we almost already had that......
I can't believe that somebody can condone that - so then the okes that took money for a license there at rand was also OK.