True. TP isn't an issue. We use to have competitions between flight schools where we tossed TP to see who could cut it the most within 2000 feet(I think it was 2000). Paintballs not the best. Still though, just give em a good ass whipping and let them be. It's harder for some to realize the severity of their actions when just starting. No reason to go crazy on the guys. They worked to get where they are and one is planning on serving our country. I'm pretty sure UPT will knock any of the kinks out of him. He was just having fun and screwed up. I'm sure by now he's already learned his lesson. Let him move on and fight for our country.

It's not the possibility of hazard that bothers me.
There's some things that pilots do that simply don't need to be shared with people outside of aviation. This is one of those things.

So you're saying to yank their tickets not because they did it but because someone ran a story about it?

Yep, that's it exactly.
:rolleyes:

If they dropped the paintball I doubt they would cause damage or be hazardous. Messy, but not dangerous. That was careless. Something like that really is unbecoming of any pilot, especially one who had such a big dream. I'd say he's going to have a bit of explaining to do no matter what happens. Neither the military nor the airlines want a pilot calling that kind of attention on themselves and their company.

Pull his ticket for dropping paintballs?

Are you fing serious?

What if a paintball had actually hit someone? It would have splattered them with water soluble paint! They would have had to wash thier clothing and probably take a bath, or at least wipe up.

Show me how this is truely worse than a 'drive by' paintball shooting.

Yes, it is obnoxious behaviour. But being a teenager is almost by defenition obnoxious.

The prosecutor should stop wasting the public's time and money and leave this stupid kid alone.

I know several guys that have done some bonehead things, some had their license suspended, some work for the FAA now lol. In the long run they all turned out to be good pilots. At least this guy is confident in his abilities :)

Sounds like this guy is Riddle material.. just throw on the aviators and bomber jacket :rolleyes:

I say suspend his ticket, but don't revoke it.

I'd say suspension is warranted. Taking his license is a little overboard since he wasn't dropping dangerous objects. But that is a pretty serious lapse in judgment. It can't go unpunished.

Suspension Only!

They are headed to the AF academy, that will clean up their act