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Two weeks ago, I encountered an obnoxious and overly aggressive club member at the model airfield. He harassed me stating helicopters cannot fly at the main field. While it's normally used for airplanes, there are no rules stating helicopters cannot fly there. He stalked me from the minute I showed up... before he knew I had helicopters in my car.

I stood my ground, but his threats continued to the point of him calling the Sheriff and Park Ranger. I heard enough from this guy's mouth and put my phone on video to record the event. It was nearly 6pm and nearing sundown. That was enough for me to start packing up while he shouted profanities and stated I was the kind of person who was killing this hobby.

On the weekend, I met with the club president and filed a formal request. Since the video caught him mouthing off, he was easily identified. In an earlier blog I mentioned this event earned him warning number two. Another gets him ejected from the club and banned from flying at the park.

Last week, I had a day off before starting another job so I went to the field in the morning. I met a guy at the helicopter field who I haven't seen before. I introduced myself and he asked if I was the guy who had a 'run in' with another member the previous week.


Yeah, that must make me famous...

Mentioned a few times, taking advantage of Daylight Savings, I sometimes go to the model airfield to catch a few flights before dusk. Because it's 'dinner time' the fields are usually 1 or 2 people, where on a weekend, you can see 20 pilots waiting to fly.

The county park is huge with 3 separate fields: air strip for planes, grassy area for helicopters and a smaller area for drones or control-line airplanes. The car and dune buggy track is a few hundred yards away.

Airplanes usually need a runway (to takeoff and land) and fly in long circuits, they can stay in one area. Helicopters can fly with less restriction usually in a boxed area.
There are no written club rules that say a helicopter cannot fly at the airplane field, but in the interest of safety, all pilots must notify the others when they are going up, flight pattern, encroaching on the space of another pilot and shout out for any landing, especially emergency.

I showed up one afternoon and as I carried my flight box out to the field one guy approached me asking if I had AMA. The Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) is the voice of anyone wanting to fly models. They have strict safety guidelines and offer liability insurance for members who fly at registered parks/fields and sanctioned events. AMA is a requirement and I put my equipment on the table to take out my card along with the club membership card and asked if he wanted to see it up close. He declined.

Back to my car and I carried 2 helicopters heading the the table where he tells me I cannot fly there. My statement was "That's not true" and he followed me back and forth to my car where I picked up more gear and another helicopter as he continues to tell me it's against club rules for a helicopter to fly at the airplane field. I stated "Are you saying I cannot fly here?" He 'blubbed' a few words and say's in the the rules posted at the gate.
So... I stand at the sign, read it out-loud. Nope, no helicopters mentioned.

2 guys with small planes in the sky and when I was ready to go up. One was on the far right side and the other finished. I advised both I'd be flying a helicopter. Both said no problem. Walking to the opposite side of the strip, probably 100 yards away from the other pilot.

This didn't stop the man who was now arguing about club rules. He threatened to call the police and park ranger. I invited him to do so. I placed my model on the edge of the runway and as I stepped back to the safety zone he's still 'barking at me' for not following the rules. Just then the guy from the opposite end of the field crash lands near me and his plane tumbles end over end off the runway. It's the pilot's responsibility to shout out a warning, especially since he flew until the battery died and had no power to control the landing. He didn't. By then I was being blamed for some safety violation and that I could have been decapitated by that 'crashed plane' for stepping on the runway.

I stated his constant harassment to me was a safety distraction in violation to the rules.

So now I want him, the pilot who crashed and me to meet with the park ranger as I insist on filing a formal complaint. Asking his name he replied with profanity. That's enough, I set my phone to record the rest of the event, started packing my things. As I got a half mile away from the park, I see the ranger turning in. Too late, the party is over!

On our usually Saturday flying session, I told my story, to another club member who was the vice-president for 3 years and he calls the current president who comes right over to hear my story. I played the video and he's recognized. Trouble maker at best this guy has an attitude that gets him ejected from club meetings. A previous episode he was formally placed on a 90 day restriction... not allowed to fly. Three violations the member is banned from the club for good. His harassment and use of profanity to another member got him strike two.

Today at 15h15. UK time.

In Cardiff.



My prediction: Dragons: 28 Springboks: 46

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R.I.P Craig Breen, God's speed on your journey brother..

The fight between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor was stopped when the left leg of McGregor broke!
He was carried out of a Las Vegas Octagon on Saturday night with his leg in a splint.
Is his career over? His mouth didn't think so!

Brit Hamilton wins, with German Vessel second. Mercedes' 100th as constructor. I'm entering my Green 1994 Mitsu 3000GT as the Maine coastal self pissing grand dad's first GP attempt next week in Austin, Texas. We'll carve up that sissy Mr. Hamilton and his girly 230MPH Mercedes. Stay tuned.

Dateline H town. ) Chi Sox looking good...
But them Houstonians R even gooder ...::laugh:
Alvarez on Pace for 200 R B I s....
Astros now confirmed as the best hitting club
With 2 outs... anyone can remember.
Houston fans applaud the Time clock & no shift policy...[ .also giving Joe Kelley a standing Bronx
Ovation for a wild pitch...
.. standby.

Look who’s @ the bottom, then look who’s @ the top n baseball! ?