Now this is a retirement hobby

[Amethyst]

Ho ho. Your implication is clear; the pilot is 75, and that's why she's arrogant and careless. But 25-year-olds aren't arrogant and careless?

Be careful; if you're lucky enough, you too will be 75 one day. Do you want your car keys taken away on your 75th birthday?

A.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero It's a delicate subject but there has to be a way to get dangerous activities out of the hands of folks not qualified. ...the right of a 75 year old (and a bit arrogant to boot) to fly a plane capable of wiping out several homes.

[Walt34]

She's earned a hefty fine and at least a license suspension, but to claim that a J-3 can "wipe out several homes" is an exaggeration.

I learned to fly in one. The airplane has an empty weight of less than 700 lbs, flies at about 65 mph, and lands slightly above 40 mph fully loaded. With only my skinny 150 lb. butt in it landing into a 10 mph wind I landed at about 25 mph ground speed and could have it stopped in less than 50 yards. The reason it was and is highly regarded as a trainer is that it requires true "stick 'n rudder" skills to fly, but does it so slowly that there is plenty of time to make mistakes and recover from them, and you have to work at being stupid to hurt yourself or anyone else with it.

That said, a phone call to the nearest FAA office would have let her know that the NOTAM's (Notice To Airmen) were out about the presidential visit. Locally here, Camp David near Thurmont, MD normally has a five-mile restricted airspace around it which expands to 25 miles when the President is there. It's not uncommon for out-of-area pilots to be unaware of that.

[sailor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by freebird5825 Flying a small airplane NORDO in any airspace borders on crazy.

Can you elaborate why?
I'm routinely flying with no radio in F and G (uncontrolled) airspace and so are hundreds others pilots.

[rescueme]

My late father owned/flew a J3 and later a PA18 (Super Cub) in the late 50's-early 60's. While I took lessons (not from him, but from a certified instructor), but never got my license (had other interests and really no desire to become a pilot), I still remember those days of flying, without a radio.

The planes were based on an old grass field that had a few T-hangers and not much of anything else. I used an old tractor to cut the grass (and was paid in instruction hours, rather than cash), also in a J3.

When flying in the area, we would often land at the local airport (used for private/commercial traffic) and would have to enter the pattern and hold until we would get a green light (literally, they used a light gun) from the tower to land. Don't know if that's still done, but you didn't need a radio to get clearance. Had to do the same, holding on the taxiway until getting the green light to enter the runway when taking off.

Memories...

[samclem]

Many (most?) J-3 Cubs don't even have a radio. The stock ones generally have no electrical system and are not allowed to fly at night. That's not a big deal to hard core Cub pilots, they go all over the US without a radio. Most airfields in the US are uncontrolled fields, and it's perfectly legal to fly through most of the US airspace below 18,000 feet without a radio.
Now, Myrtle screwed up by not checking on the current Temporary Flight Restrictions (she could have gotten this info quickly with a standard briefing received over the phone form a free 800 number). It also sounds like she was in Class B airspace (or "under the veil" of class B), which requires that she have a transponder and a radio (and that she actually uses them). So, she's in the wrong, absolutely no doubt about that.

Off topic,
Sailor, where do you fly that you find Class F airspace?

[Rich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero ... AND, that she chose not to use her radio. ....

d

Zero, I suspect that as she was in a J-3 Cub, which has no electrical system, her radio is a battery powered portable. Probably kept off unless she needs to announce coming or going into a general aviation airport.

Just my guess.

Rich

[clifp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 She's earned a hefty fine and at least a license suspension, but to claim that a J-3 can "wipe out several homes" is an exaggeration. I learned to fly in one. The airplane has an empty weight of less than 700 lbs, flies at about 65 mph, and lands slightly above 40 mph fully loaded. With only my skinny 150 lb. butt in it landing into a 10 mph wind I landed at about 25 mph ground speed and could have it stopped in less than 50 yards. The reason it was and is highly regarded as a trainer is that it requires true "stick 'n rudder" skills to fly, but does it so slowly that there is plenty of time to make mistakes and recover from them, and you have to work at being stupid to hurt yourself or anyone else with it. .

I flew in J3 a couple of times while getting my license I also had chuckle at the thoughts of wiping out a couple houses in one. Under most circumstance I'd say that house would win in a collision with Cub. I am pretty sure that a muscle car in the hands of teenager, or a SUV driven by a distracted a soccer mom both pose much bigger threats to peoples houses.

[grasshopper]

Tough crowd.

[sailor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by samclem Off topic, Sailor, where do you fly that you find Class F airspace?

While most of my flying is in US (G/E mostly, occasionally D or C), when I fly in Poland there is class F there.

[ItDontMeanAThing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grasshopper Tough crowd.

The powered and sailplane (aka glider) pilots I knew had little use and less respect for those who were unable or unwilling to follow basic procedures designed to keep us all safe.

Flew in Class E and G many times without a radio in my hang gliders. FAA regs exempted us. Always had a radio when flying sailplanes. Having a skydiver airstrip and drop zone adjacent to an uncontrolled airstrip used by powered and unpowered craft meant the two organizations had long since worked out an agreement that all pilots needed radios. I don't remember if the FAA required it.

[TromboneAl]

It sounds like this pilot is both old and bold. Hey, wait a minute...

[calmloki]

Was just reminded of the movie "Secondhand Lions". Could be she has a plan for her assets and herself.
Hub: What do ya want me to do? Die of old age?

Sheriff: Best I can figure, they were trying to fly through that barn, upside down.