Watching the local news last night in north Texas, some bozo Phantom pilot flying over the freeway and downtown Dallas. This area is defined as a no fly zone due to its proximity to Love Field (a major airport). Thanks so much for the unwanted publicity, The news outlet did interview a knowledgeable user and of course he was unable to explain why folks choose to be irresponsible. This type of thoughtless behavior just adds fuel to the fire and puts all of us that fly responsibly in a bad light.
A Bozo Phantom pilot strikes again
- Thread starter mjw
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He was flying over freeways, in restricted air space for Love Field (per the news) whether notified or not this is the wrong place to be flying - nope don't know if he/she notified anyone - but the representative from the North Texas Drone Users Group make no excuses for the flight as well -
Thank you for contributing to the general hysteria over personal drones.
If the operator did advise the Love tower, then the flight was probably perfectly legal and within FAA guidelines.
Airport aside, where is your evidence that flying over a freeway is "the wrong place"?
This is what we in the rational world call "Fear Mongering".
Keep the risk of personal drones and model aircraft in perspective.
Today (if this is an average day):
1560 people will die from Cancer
268 people in US hospitals will die because of medical mistakes.
162 people will be wounded by firearms in the US.
117 Americans will die in an automobile accident.
98 people in the US will die from the flu.
53 people will kill themselves with a firearm.
46 children will suffer eye injuries.
37 will die from AIDS.
30 people will die in gun-related murders.
3 General Aviation airplanes will crash in the US.
0 people will be seriously injured or killed by a small drone accident.
There is absolutely no factual evidence to support the fear and ignorance around small personal drones.
Screaming "HE FLEW OVER A PERSON, A CAR, A DOLPHIN --- WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!" doesn't help the perception that this is one of the safest hobbies in the world. People have died from baseballs and golf balls, but not one from a personal drone.
I am not in the least opposed to making owners of these small aircraft operate them safely, but don't imagine an operation is unsafe when there is no evidence to support your opinion.
Or this new loser yesterday......
Monday, October 26, 2015 07:21PM
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (KABC) --
A man flew a drone into power lines, causing a power outage in West Hollywood on Monday.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said they received several 911 calls stating a man flew a drone into the power lines off of Sunset Boulevard.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department said the calls came in at about 1:15 p.m.
Monday, October 26, 2015 07:21PM
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (KABC) --
A man flew a drone into power lines, causing a power outage in West Hollywood on Monday.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said they received several 911 calls stating a man flew a drone into the power lines off of Sunset Boulevard.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department said the calls came in at about 1:15 p.m.
OK Steve
So you say you are usually right, but a drone with a weight of say 1130 grams hits a cars wind-shield, when car is travelling at 60 MPH, resultant Kinetic energy about 309 ft/lbs , 9mm bullet traveling at 1124 feet/sec resultant KE 345 ft/lbs, you figure...! ahh it will never happen, is that right..?
Waylander
The drones energy would be spread out over several inches, and the aircraft is mostly frangible. A bullet's kinetic energy is concentrated on a small radius of just a few millimeters. A drone might crack the windshield, a bullet definitely would penetrate it.
I never said it would never happen. But, there is no verifiable report that it has happened. Anywhere. Just because it might happen is no reason to play Chicken Little. All that does is feed the hysteria around personal drones.
Steve I'm not a lily livered lefty tree huger, neither do I advocate a Chicken Little response, but I am a Motorcyclist, and mate I do not think it reasonable for some jerk to fly over a road, freeway, or where ever, unless they are qualified and have permission to do so, it may only crack a wind-shield IF it crashed into it, but it would do a whole lot more damage to my face if it collided with me.
Steve if you can't see it, please don't blog as if you condone it, there are enough ****-Heads doing the wrong thing at the wrong time just for a laugh..., for the record I am against the nanny state, there is too much unnecessary legislation as it is, acting like a jerk whilst flying will only encourage more law making.
With Respect
Waylander
N017RW
Premium Pilot
I don't believe Mr. Mann believes anything.
Just likes to take a contrarian approach to any topic and argue.
Just likes to take a contrarian approach to any topic and argue.
If it's contrarian to push back irresponsible hysterical responses to news stories that will hurt the hobby - that's me.
N017RW
Premium Pilot
Where are you pushing back?
Here?
Please link to your blogged or published editorials.
Here?
Please link to your blogged or published editorials.
RodPad
Premium Pilot
The public is familiar with your list in that order. The new is what makes the news.
At the end of the day what are the people going to remember, the bad press of something the sounds dangerous.
If every household that has a automobile also had a drone. It wouldn't be new.
Evidence has nothing to do with bad press.
If the airport gave permission to a flyer, It shouldn't have been in the news.
Flying over Interstates and Highways, if was to hit a vehicle or distract a driver, causes a crash and or a death, then there will be evidence. That bad press will be bad as it can get.
I won't do it.
Steve from your logic “I never said it would never happen”, one could argue that the same may have be said about the likelihood of the present white house incumbent , or of Women ever getting the vote.
Or unlikely as it seemed a child would never turn up at school with a gun and shoot his fellows or teachers…!.
I think like N017RW, that you don’t have a reasoned argument for or against, you just have an argument, period
Waylander
RodPad
Premium Pilot
I missed the irresponsible hysterical response. When did that happen?
All I said was don't add to the public hysteria by being Chicken Little. HE FLEW OVER A FREEWAY - WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE.
I'm looking back at the OP's first few posts... where does he say "WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE"?? All he was saying was that it was stupid (which it was anyway, permission or not), and common sense DOES dictate that flying over ANY large group of people shouldn't be done, especially when said people are zooming down a highway.
Still looking..... still nothing....
Still looking..... still nothing....
I am the king of sarcasm - just ask my teenage daughter.
Look, we have enough irresponsible and lazy news reporting that sees every personal drone as the end of the world, so headlining a post with "A Bozo Phantom pilot strikes again" serves no possible use but to fuel even more public hysteria. If you speak only in absolutes, eventually people start thinking that is a rule. You would be surprised to find how many people even on this forum still think there is a rule limiting their personal drone below 400 ft. AGL. There is no such rule - just a recommendation. Many assume that I encourage irresponsible flying when all I do is point out that it is not illegal. Unwise, maybe, but not illegal and not automatically careless or reckless.
Flying over a freeway may not be the best idea but flying over roads vs houses and yards is much better option when traversing into adjacent open flying areas. One thing that seems to happen quite often is folks lumping all forms of an operation into a blanket judgment of being irresponsible. You can fly within the 5 mile radius, fly over roads and fly at night safely if the proper precautions are taken. Understanding you flight environment is the key to safe flying not blindly following guidelines or opinion without considering the area at hand.
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