Fine line between reckless and skilled, like when they pulled Hoovers medical because some FAA terd though his routine looked lazy. (I know this kid wasnt Hoover Jr, but everyone starts somewhere)

Unless this guy was cutting the football fields grass with his prop then I may give hom some credit for doing what I daydreamed about every single day in high school.

 

daydreaming and doing are two different things. I know i've had my fair share of trying to touch the wheels on the corn, only to have to pull up for the telephone wires, great fun. Also remember looking back and seeing a cop tailing me once while doing the same stupid stunt. But on the same note, there was nothing around, and w/ the airspeed we were never in a situation where we couldn't complete a safe landing given an emergency. So same note.

Flying over you school isn't a crime, flying lower than the second story windows while you buzz the quad could be considered one. And while TP isn't going to do any "permanent" damage to anything (faa doesn't specify whether it has to be permanent or not) paintballs into the side of your fender at 90 mph probably could put a dent or two, and that would definitely be a violation.

I'd vote for suspension, if he sees it, he probably wouldn't do it again...Just hope he was able to learn form this, and convince the Airforce that he has as well...cause this stupid prank wouldn't be worth throwing an academy experience away for...i'd be kicking myself for the next 18 years.

 

Poll added to first page

 

Before I got an airline job I flew over my house several times (above 500ft AGL) and the neighbors called the police, when I landed at Monmouth Exec. I was greeted on the TAXIWAY by 3 NJ State Troopers....... I taxied off shut down and They asked me where I was coming from blah blah blah.............make a long story short I tld them the truth, that yes I was flying over my house, but I was above 500ft AGL and It probably scared them because it was loud, the Props were "Full Foward" man that RG was fun.............I called the police station filled out a NASA report and heard nothing about it.....................Scared the bajesus out of me, but learned a lesson, this day in age everybody from your neighbors to the TSA wants to be a hero...............be careful they will bust you if they can

 

Ahh BLM alumi, same here. Maybe the troopers came out because you went too fast over 195 on the 45. My neighbors love my buzz jobs!

 

Got those tiny little 3in tail numbers on my bird...When I'm up close and personal with the Locals (LoL) I watch their responses. If anybody's got their hands on their hips (or the cellphones), I head-off perpendicular (can't see the tail #), preferably into the sun and in a real round-about direction to my home airstrip - fly off towards another airport! If they're waving, smiling, or pointing, I feel obliged to give 'em an airshow :-)

 

update... i saw another story on the news tonight in detroit about this. so far he got fined. there was a local cop saying how dangerous that his actions were, even though i'm sure he didn't know anything about the subject. but so far he still has his ticket.

 

That same Cop probably thinks just getting into the damn airplane is dangerous...the Public is ignorant on all things Aviation. Period.

 

I remember in training on a windy day, my instructor and I did slow flight over my house for 30 minutes in a constant hover over the ground. It drove my parents nuts.

 

There was a pilot-hating lady in my area who published and distrubuted flyers on how to bust "low flying" airplanes, including phone numbers for the FSDO, the cops, and the city airprt folks. One of her recommended techniques:

- Use binoculars to get the aircrfat tail number...but when you call it in "Forget" to mention the binoculars so they assume it was naked-eye. The FAA assumes that if they can see your n-number with the Mk1 Mod0 eyeball, then you were too low.