I had 3 different places to go yesterday: an aerial photo job for some new solar customers, of their property about 35 miles away, then I landed at the airport in American Falls (well, at least the grass next to the asphalt), got the bike out and rode into town to get a check from another business deal I have going on. The last place was another new solar customer, his place was right on my flight path home so I called him and told him I'd be dropping in in just a few minutes. He said he'd be there, so that's permission right? The day earlier when I drove out there I checked the site over, and noted the fields surrounding his place wern't his and were super fluffy/soft just plowed, but his dead end driveway was good enough.

So I land, (first picture) and a few minutes later as we are discussing his situation power wise, I turn around see a pickup with a flashing beacon on top pull up behind my plane. (second picture) Nah...couldn't be, I'm on a private drive....and this area is used to crop dusters doing their thing all over at low levels. It turns out it was the Idaho Power meter reader, on his once a month trip, and there I was selling this old boy a grid tie solar system, all three of us had a good laugh about the timing.

The last thing I did on the way home was take another aerial shot of a big house I'm doing the crane work on Friday, a free service for my contractor customers. I sure get, for flying a not for hire homebuilt, a lot of business worth out of my plane. I mean I HAVE to fly a lot, don't have a choice, damn the luck.

Several months ago a friend and I were out marauding the country side. We stopped for fuel on the way home and within 3 minutes the sheriff pulled up behind our planes. We looked at each other like - ohooh this can't be good and thinking: what in the hell did the other guy do while I wasn't looking???

Sure enough he started asking questions like hey did you guys just come from the East and were you flying really low, what are your names, where do live, is there anything in your planes, etc?

Turns out we had flown over some sort of survalance area in another county and this guy got the call and came to the airport to check us out. The funny thing is we had pretty much been on our best behavior and hadn't even seen anyone on the ground. Once he realized we were innocents, he backed off.

Then I told him I almost landed on the road in several places and that we land on dry lakes all around the state, etc. He looked like I'd just kicked him in the nuts - I'm pretty sure he was thinking how in the hell can I enforce these airplane nuts when they can land anywhere?

This really made me wonder what this country is coming to when you can't even fly around the most remote places in the lower 48 without someone being paranoid about it.

blackrock wrote:This really made me wonder what this country is coming to when you can't even fly around the most remote places in the lower 48 without someone being paranoid about it.

Welcome to "our" post-9/11 world. It is sorry to believe this is where we have arrived... ...The land of the free and home of the brave.

blackrock wrote:This really made me wonder what this country is coming to when you can't even fly around the most remote places in the lower 48 without someone being paranoid about it.

I think more than any post 9-11 terror anxiety, or any government oppression, this behavior and reception comes from an increasing estrangement of general aviation from the routines of every day society. When all anyone sees is news reports about small planes crashing into homes and killing innocent children glued to the Xbox, that campaign of negative coverage is going to have an effect. Enter the ignorant country law enforcement (and by ignorant, I mean unexposed to aviation) and it's not exactly the picture of friendly welcome we think of when imagining country flying adventures of the early century. Maybe nothing has changed, it's only our [my] perception, and it's the luck of the draw whether you encounter a friendly good old boy who thinks airplanes are cool, or you get the bored-but-paranoid guy who thinks airplanes are vessels of malice and should be strapped to a trailer.

I've written on this subject recently, as I find it rather disturbing. But I believe it's more a shift in culture, a sad one, than a response to anything oppressive.

I know it's not as viable a solution in heavily populated areas as it is out here in the boonies, but this is why it's so important to get to know and educate your local law enforcement guys. I'm an ex-deputy sheriff, so I know the lingo and it makes it a little easier, but I guarantee you, in Mineral County Nevada, the sheriff, and every deputy and state trooper in the area has been up flying, bombed around the canyons and lakebeds, and taxied into Mina for a Lobster burger. They are used to seeing airplanes on dirt roads and places other than the airport.

Gump

I posted this before, but here is one of my road stories again:

I have landed on my fair share of roads, mostly for my own amusement. The majority of mine have been in Ohio and they are not always illegal landings, even though most everything else is illegal in Ohio.

I have a couple of contractor friends who have built some roads that I have landed on. This one time I Ihad the local city police, the county sheriff deputy, and the state trooper, all come racing up with lights flashing and sirens screaming. They all wanted to arrest me for trespassing. This was on the Sunday before the big ribbon cutting ceremony that was on Monday.


I landed to pick up my friend so he could take some pictures. When we got back and landed again, all these whistle-pops jumped on us with the intent to haul us off. My friend jumped back and threatened them with trespassing charges. Turns out that the road belongs to him until they cut the ribbon and he turns it over to the highway department.

I can’t say that I wasn’t enjoying that.

John

Hey Zane, I gotta say... you are a pretty eloquent writer.... even if you do like rock and roll played too loud with your videos. Well put my man.

1SeventyZ wrote:

blackrock wrote:This really made me wonder what this country is coming to when you can't even fly around the most remote places in the lower 48 without someone being paranoid about it.

I think more than any post 9-11 terror anxiety, or any government oppression, this behavior and reception comes from an increasing estrangement of general aviation from the routines of every day society. When all anyone sees is news reports about small planes crashing into homes and killing innocent children glued to the Xbox, that campaign of negative coverage is going to have an effect. Enter the ignorant country law enforcement (and by ignorant, I mean unexposed to aviation) and it's not exactly the picture of friendly welcome we think of when imagining country flying adventures of the early century. Maybe nothing has changed, it's only our [my] perception, and it's the luck of the draw whether you encounter a friendly good old boy who thinks airplanes are cool, or you get the bored-but-paranoid guy who thinks airplanes are vessels of malice and should be strapped to a trailer.

I've written on this subject recently, as I find it rather disturbing. But I believe it's more a shift in culture, a sad one, than a response to anything oppressive.

So......is being a private pilot and flying a small plane in the same class or perception as a truck driver?? God, I hope not!!

Yeah, paved subdivision roads are fun, especially when owned (still) by people you know! I've got one here, gravel actually, upslope (of course), and short. It ends in a circular turnaround, just right for the plane. Still owned by a friend, I have my butt covered if anyone ever sees me do it (they won't, I'm too sneaky) and calls the "road police". Several built up areas were "tagged" (new term for a onetime landing of a place where in a short time you won't be able to) by me prior to the buildup, it is fun years later to drive by and think "yeah....been there, done that!"

Just last week I was setting a church steeple (crane job) in a subdivision in the valley below me, and was daydreaming about all the times I landed in the same location way back when.

My dentist used to be in a local new (at the time) mall, and I'd been landing in the vacant field for years and walking over to a nearby cafe for breakfast. When the mall went up, the field was now in the back, so I got to fly into a couple of dentist appointments. I had to arrange for them to have the back door unlocked, and didn't do it for other then non nitrous oxide work! There is a ShopKo there now.

patrol guy wrote:I posted this before, but here is one of my road stories again:

I have landed on my fair share of roads, mostly for my own amusement. The majority of mine have been in Ohio and they are not always illegal landings, even though most everything else is illegal in Ohio.

I have a couple of contractor friends who have built some roads that I have landed on. This one time I Ihad the local city police, the county sheriff deputy, and the state trooper, all come racing up with lights flashing and sirens screaming. They all wanted to arrest me for trespassing. This was on the Sunday before the big ribbon cutting ceremony that was on Monday.


I landed to pick up my friend so he could take some pictures. When we got back and landed again, all these whistle-pops jumped on us with the intent to haul us off. My friend jumped back and threatened them with trespassing charges. Turns out that the road belongs to him until they cut the ribbon and he turns it over to the highway department.

I can’t say that I wasn’t enjoying that.

John

Somebody saw me from the highway and called 911 (The landing was not all that bad:-)

The young cop seemed really dissapointed that he could not give me a ticket for something, thank god for
experienced officers to keep enthusiasm in check.

Another old post...

watkinsnv wrote:CA. passed a law mind you not the FAA, that states you can only land and take off at or on a designated airport. Lance



About 25 years ago I was down in Truckee with a buddy of mine, and we were out goofing off in a mutual friend's Citabria. We took off from TRK and headed up to the "Old Truckee Airport" which was just some ruts in the sagebrush next to I-80 where the CHP scales are now.

We spent about an hour doing bounce and go's, landing south, up and 180, land north, up and 180, and so on. As we did this, we saw a CHP (California Highway Patrol) 4X4 sittin' on the shoulder of the freeway, and just figured he was there enjoying the show, and didn't really pay much attention to him.

After about an hour we got bored and headed back to TRK. We landed, and had barely parked the airplane when the airport manager came running out all excited, shouting, "What the f*** did you two do this time?!?!" Al and I pointed fingers at each other and said, "Who? Us?" not knowing what the heck he was talking about.

"Well, there's a CHP Officer here, and he's going to take you two to jail."

Oh well, that was a new one, but what the heck. About that time our young officer comes storming out, spittle flying, eyes bugged out, just screaming about pilot licenses, airplane registration, jail and handcuffs. Quite the show. I asked quietly and politely what the problem was, and he launched into a tirade about how we had broken "the law" by landing in the sagebrush and not at an airport, and he was going to arrest us.

"Ok," says I, "what law did we break by landing out there?"

He looked at me like I was stupid or something and said, "It's against the law to land an airplane somewhere other than an airport." I asked again, "What law? Give me the code section, and regulation it comes from, that you're gonna use to take us to jail and book us with." His answer was the same... "It's against the law."

This went on for probably ten minutes, back and forth, and I was actually looking forward to the trip to jail so I could get a cup of coffee and a sandwich. But my buddy Al, who was an Alaska float pilot in the summers and TRK CFI in the off seasons, had given the airport manager the high sign to call a flight student of his, who was also a Truckee CHP officer, to get down there and help get this train wreck straightened out.

The manager made the call and Scotty arrived shortly. He listened to the story for a few minutes, looked at Al and I and rolled his eyes, then pulled junior CHP aside and had a long talk with him. Our young officer never came back to apologize to us, but just stomped off after talking with Scotty. But, Scotty came back, said, "Sorry about that guys. Kid's new, fresh up from LA, and he's never seen an airplane land in the dirt before."

Maybe there is a law on the books now, but in my experience, most non-flying cops think off airporting is against the law just because they think it should be, but when pushed to cite the actual code section, they can't.

Gump

I dimly remember living in the screwed up state of California (moved 7 years ago), so know how goofy the laws are - - just look at all the gun and ammo regs garbage. However, I've not heard of a prohibition against landing at other than airports - - not saying there isn't one, but I couldn't find anything Googling. So if someone has a link I'd appreciate it.

bumper

When I landed at the airstrip in Amboy, CA the first guy that came up to me was the local Sheriff (plain clothes, but with a badge and gun on his side and driving a county SUV). After seeing I was a good guy, the Sheriff was way cool!! He said the strip has been used by drug runners many times. That's why I was suspicious at first.

I heard that landing on dirt roads in remote area's of Nev. SW Idaho, E. Oregon isn't that big of a deal.

58Skylane wrote:I heard that landing on dirt roads in remote area's of Nev. SW Idaho, E. Oregon isn't that big of a deal.

No shit... Why do ya think some of us live there!!!

Gump

GumpAir wrote:

58Skylane wrote:I heard that landing on dirt roads in remote area's of Nev. SW Idaho, E. Oregon isn't that big of a deal.

No shit... Why do ya think some of us live there!!!

Gump

Gump stop lying....nothing to see in NV.....move along.....keep going

Oh shit, I forgot.

SuperDave is right. Nothing but flat, ugly, dirt and rocks. Mean cops, and toothless people. Don't even think of flying here.

Gump

About 10 years ago one of my dad's coworkers fulfilled his childhood Walter Mitty fantasy and became a "Reserve Deputy Sheriff". That is to say he is a Certified Texas Peace Officer who happens to volunteer instead of getting paid. So I get a call from my dad, who is also a pilot, and he asks me if it was illegal to land a floatplane on a particular local lake. I said I didn't think so, but I'd look it up and by the way, why are you asking? Turns out my dad's friend responded to a call at the lake about some crazy floatplane pilot who had the gall to land right in the middle of the lake, which undoubtedly pissed off the local drunks in their speed boats. I mean this guy had the audacity to land a floatplane on the water and taxi at slow speed. I'm sure it was pandemonium on the water! So the new volunteer cop wanted to arrest this guy or at least give him a ticket because, well that just has to be illegal. Turns out it was a Corps of Engineers lake and floatplane operations are authorized on most Corps of Engineers lakes in designated areas.

I don't really know what's happened to society that anything that the masses think is remotely fun or perceived to be dangerous should be outlawed. The mentality is "I don't see why anyone would want to do that, you could get hurt! That should be illegal!" There's a lot of places where you can't shoot a gun on your own property without someone calling 911. And apparently you can't fly GA airplanes anywhere without attracting the attention of law enforcement. It's about damn ridiculous. Meanwhile, real criminals are continuing to commit real crimes and real terrorists are crossing our borders freely.

PilotMikeTx wrote:....I don't really know what's happened to society that anything that the masses think is remotely fun or perceived to be dangerous should be outlawed. The mentality is "I don't see why anyone would want to do that, you could get hurt! That should be illegal!" There's a lot of places where you can't shoot a gun on your own property without someone calling 911. And apparently you can't fly GA airplanes anywhere without attracting the attention of law enforcement. It's about damn ridiculous. Meanwhile, real criminals are continuing to commit real crimes and real terrorists are crossing our borders freely.

What he said!

Shoot, I know guys who land on roads all the time and don't get hassled by the authorities. They're called aerial applicators around here. Nobody much cares if you land on a road around here.

As long as your plane is painted yellow....

MTV

Yellow is good !!!