What a Black weekend.

[Bennie Vorster]

Let's not even go there. Pranks have killed a lot of brave, young and innocent people.

[Big-D]

Tailspin wrote

My Biggest fear is that ALL MICROLIGHT PILOTS now will get this funny sorta "Oh you are one of those crazies that fly MICROLIGHTS ? ? " thrown at you at parties or where ever

Never mind parties Tailspin. I was in an second job interview with a large blue chip company where they ussually ask things like "So what hobbies/interests do you have" - I told them what my passion is (trikes duh..) and the next thing I know the the head of HR made the remark that they don't like their staff to partake in HIGH RISK activities.....

Next time I am asked this question in a job interview I wil answer that I enjoy collecting stamps and reading the Huisgenoot

[skybound®]

It is all very sad, and my condolences to those that have lost near ones.

In this thread, some have related the stupidity of others actions, and in the above a near encounter with another aircraft.

Now my question to you is have you ever done anything about it? Have you ever challenged another pilots actions? Have you ever lodged a Confidential Hazard report, reporting that near miss or a pilot endangering himself and possibly others? Have you told your mate that he is probably chancing it by flying today?

If the answers to the above are 'No' - then self policing is out of the question.

[RudiGreyling]

Guys Very very sad indeed!!!

But I have to post this as well, Robert hit the nail on the head.
There is the other side of the coin as well. My friends arrived back in SA this weekend after a fantastic adventure:

Here is his post from SAmicro, (without permission), but since it is in a public forum, and I followed them around, and were there to welcome them back to SA I don't think he'll mind:

Posted by: "Robert Gassmann"
Mon Jun 12, 2006 1:05 am (PST)
The 1st day back and all the headlines scream danger & death.
What about the other side of the coin?

Angelo, Henk, Julius and myself just returned from our Africa trip.
Mozambique: Maputo, Beira
Malawi: Blantyre, Monkey Bay, Lake Malawi
Mozambique: Cahora Bassa Dam
Zimbabwe: Zambezi Valley, Lake Kariba, Victoria Falls
Zambia: Livingstone, Mutemwa Lodge, Upper Zambezi
Namibia: Katima Mulilo, Caprivi Strip
Botswana: Okavango Delta, Maun, Makgadikgadi Pans

16 Days - 60 Hours - nearly 6000 KM of the most amazing flying
only ever to be experienced in an open cockpit trike, without
any incidents or hiccups from equipment, authorities, fuel,
accommodation, food, weather, etc.

As Angelo would say: "Keep the Passion!"

Regards,
Lone Ranger - Formation ZU-RED

Kind Regards
Rudi

[DieselFan]

the closest I'll get to a trip like that!

[Smiley]

Yip, watta trip, it must have been amazing!!

I joined them on their last leg in from Warmbaths to Springs just to "try" and feel a little bit of what they felt. When I joined up with them I emediately felt the comraderie between these 4 pilots and the absolute passion they have for flying!!

Good stuff guys, and welcome back!!!

[Chaz]

After reading here it just makes one wonder WHY, HOW I think the Springs guys will confirm Fred's opinion that once a guy gets a license he now feels he can now go out and kill himself. We all know the machines work and fly. I think the more senior and experienced microlighters can bear me out but i think we seem to have lost more MP's now in state of the art machinery in the past 6/7 years than in the earlier days when guys were litterally flying on a "wing and a prayer" machines.

As Morpheus says "over water have the height to glide back to land". I think the sensation of skimming over water must be awesome untill something goes wrong.

No wonder people have such an extreme perception of microlights ref Big-D's job application. I think the stats would actually reveal that not a single microlight fatality was or has been due to "Aircraft structural failure". Maybe a competency certificate for flying must be looked at or the training intensified or the hours to qualify set at 40hours, i dunno just my opnion. I once said here it saddens and maddens me when i see such a waste of life of good contributing citizens.

I have always applied THREE RULES when buying a BIKE, CAR and now MICROLIGHT.

1)Know your machine first and foremost i.e (plane,car,bike etc etc)
2)Know the road/area you riding or flying.
3)Let the road/weather dictate as to how you drive or fly.

Ive seen guys in cars who honestly believe on a wet road ABS and TRACTION control is his butt saver yet if all the tyres lose contact with the road surface there is no control. I think the minute a guy has gone "solo" he is already thinking of those skim the water, tree tops scenario and worst of all he thinks he is a pilot already forgetting in the process all the finer detail that only comes with experience over a period of time.

There we see guys i.e. Robert Gassman and friends flying 16days and 6000 uneventful kilometers. Why are instructors around for so long and yet from the same and various schools we hear of MP's being in accidents or worse being killed shortly after receiving there license.

Oh well to everyone out there i do believe that you should carry on flying as you always have because obviously we doing something right.

Your's in Flying
CHAZ

[eyetie]

Well said chaz. I agree with you , i have seen a few guys do some dumb things. I haven't had my license long, i love flying and i want to fly for many years. So i take the cautious approach, if i am not comfortable i don't fly. I am not willing to do stupid things as i value my life too much. Its good to read this forum as we learn loads from you more experienced guys. Fly safe

[RV4ker (RIP)]

(not sure what it was just that it was red and fast) flies a stone throw from me into the pipers sector, no radio call to anyone of us. He must have known we were there if he was on the radio - too fast to get any registration marks but I think he was just fooling around, the other guy asked if I had seen him and was also stunned.

Not me....

PS
Sad indeed....

[Bennie Vorster]

Ok, so we all agree then,........................... We do the Ostriches maneuver, we put our heads under the sand and all will be well