Beware of Public Impressions

[BobK]

I wonder what the exact time and date was when society suddenly lost the ability to apply common sense and reason to situations.... Sometimes, no actually most of the time, I wish people would just relax and mind their own business. The older I get, the more depressing it becomes. (And thats sad, because I'm not even 30 yet !)

Hasta ~

Bob K.
Anchorage, AK

[GAHorn]

You blokes are so right about being wary of public impressions. We had just done a recovery on a downed 170 and it was pass mid-night after it was completed so instead of heading back to the hangers I decided to leave the trailor and aircraft parked on my front lawn. Next morning about 7.30 a fire truck and the local authorities turn up in a fanfare . The person who lived across the road had rung them complaining I was storing wrecked aircraft and had "thousands" of liters of avgas stored in the wings. The local authorities then showed this "clown" that the wings were empty and the total capacity was 140 liters.
Less than what was in his boat in his driveway. BUT I got a written warning not to do this again.

And what is the "penalty" if you do it again? There's a law against temporary storage of a trailer on your own property? I supposed they'd prefer you to transport the entire thing thru the public highways in the dark?

[Metal Master]

We had just done a recovery on a downed 170 and it was pass mid-night after it was completed so instead of heading back to the hangers I decided to leave the trailor and aircraft parked on my front lawn. Next morning about 7.30 a fire truck and the local authorities turn up in a fanfare . The person who lived across the road had rung them complaining I was storing wrecked aircraft and had "thousands" of liters of avgas stored in the wings. The local authorities then showed this "clown" that the wings were empty and the total capacity was 140 liters.
Less than what was in his boat in his driveway. BUT I got a written warning not to do this again.

I have recovered many an airplane and had the "wreck" parked in my yard for months at a time. We live just outside the City limits of Seattle. My neighbors have always commented they thought it was kind of neat as apposed the guy down the road who had upwards of 50 cars in the yard. Who was eventually forced to remove them by the police. I have assembled aircraft and ran the engines at my house. Those operations regularly drew a crowed or when I inspected and ran my motor gliders engine at home. I would let the neighbor kids sit in the pilot’s seat while I worked on whatever airplane I currently had around. You could sense the kids thought it was sort of weird for someone to have an airplane in the yard. Having an airplane up on jacks in the yard out trumps an old pick up on blocks anytime. Comments like you take red neck to a whole new level while my coon hound howled at the neighbors standing around is a sight to to behold. I live a long was from the airport.

[DWood]

When we lived in Tennessee, I rented a hanger at Eagleville. The hanger was across the road from the run way. I would get alot of strange looks when I was waiting for traffic to clear and even had state and county police wave when they went by. It was a state highway and no one seemed to care. Also, we had a 195 on a trailer in our driveway for 6 months. The neighorhood women probably hated me but the men were envious.

[ghostflyer]

The local council in our city has by-laws restricting commerical vehicles and comerical activities in domestic housing areas. It stops people parking semi-trailors trucks being parked out-side domestic housing and blocking up the streets, or businesses being run from home. They will allow a small office in your home but no employees on site.

[1SeventyZ]

But the unknown fool orbiting my house in a lawn-chair with a chain-saw motor who landed on my strip and decided to "look around" found me pretty irritated.

How is this different than the unknown fool who arrives uninvited to your strip in a cherry 170? Permission is permission, a respectful pilot a respectful pilot. I fly lawnchairs with chainsaw motors as well as my 170, and conduct myself as a responsible pilot in both cases. It just so happens than more dingbats arrive uninvited in crappy homebuilts than cherry 170's.

As noted earlier in the thread, aviation is mysterious and frightful to much of the uninformed public. Death from above is often the impression rather than the awe of flight. I suppose all we have left to do is informally educate and remove the mystery from aircraft when we're confronted. It's a common misconception that "Avgas" is a super explosive substance hundreds of times more volatile than pump gas. We might as well be transporting plutonium for all they know.

While my first response would have been to strangle the neighbor for calling the cops, it was probably a good time to peacefully educate the informed.

[GAHorn]

But the unknown fool orbiting my house in a lawn-chair with a chain-saw motor who landed on my strip and decided to "look around" found me pretty irritated.

How is this different than the unknown fool who arrives uninvited to your strip in a cherry 170? Permission is permission, .....

The fool didn't have permission. He was not related to any group I know. Not a TIC170A member or anyone associated even remotely with anyone I know. He was a trespasser. That's the difference.

He had no idea who I was, or whose strip he was landing on. He was out cruising around and decided on his own to land at a place he didn't know and stroll about my property and home.
A sectional chart with a circle and an "R" on it denotes a land-at-risk airport, but it does NOT grant permission to land. You should obtain permission before landing at such places.

[1SeventyZ]

I'm not arguing with you George, I'm saying permission is permission regardless of what type of aircraft you're flying. Aircraft type is irrelevant. I'm sure you'd greet me with open arms with my 170 and charming personality, but I'd never presume as much. You never know when one of your TIC170a buddies is going to fold under the pressure of $5 avgas and come to visit in a chainsaw powered lawnchair.