Gatwick flights suspended after reports of drones over runway

[thoneter]

Attend as many meetings as possible, if nothing else than to keep reminding the policy makers to keep “looking for the facts” rather than succumbing to unsubstantiated media sensationalism.

Do our elected and appointed officials really want to their legacy to be attached to legislation like the following:

“...in response to issues unrelated to drone activity at [insert location/facility] we are restricting the use of drones in our community.”

In complete seriousness, do you think the community/govt/news media/public oppinion will be changed by simply attending a council meeting?

I've seen so many people going to these council meetings and getting timed with council members that have the IQ of a (insert moronic platitude). We no longer are "the people, of the people for the people".

How many of us would change the way we fly on this forum if there was no gov't agency collecting fees and coming up with regs that attempt to define common sense?

The gov't's job is to police and protect. They now define how to raise our kids in school. If I'm dumb enough (and I am) to not want to wear a seatbelt in my vehicle that should be my choice as an adult. In New Jersey they have signs in the water that you could drown if you swim in water. This is our present day gov't.

Bust the morons and leave the rest of us alone. What's going to happen is that we'll be flying in our back yards up to 20 feet. There's always going to be accidents and dumb people. The only way to stop accidents on the roads is to set the speed limit to 0 and the gov't is getting that absurd. It's always $ and control by the elites.

The writing is on the wall for us fliers. We either take back control of the gov't or let the sheep support those in control of us while we pay to support them!

 

[Santa]

To all the posters. Please stay on topic with this thread. This thread does affect all of us. I have been noticing a lot of one liners that really are not relevant to the topic, and just whimsical comments. I understand you may be tempted to chime in on this one, but please only do so if it is actually going to add to the discussion vs posting just for the laugh. This happens too many times in threads that have serious content and I have been going though threads to put a stop to it. When it does happen, the thread gets lost in the comments. Again, please stay on topic.

Murray

Good point Murray. While I don't support censorship, it is incumbent upon all the contributors to stay on topic and provide constructive commentary. Keep up the good work

 

[NorWiscPilot]

In complete seriousness, do you think the community/govt/news media/public oppinion will be changed by simply attending a council meeting?

Hi @thoneter,

No, I don’t think views will change simply by “attending” council meetings, et al. I think views will NOT change if we, as pilots, do not attend, do not stay informed of planning, et al, and most importantly, will not change if we do not speak up.

My point wasn’t intended to imply “just be in the audience”. It was intended to state: “speak up, participate.”

And @Santa, if your quote of Murray’s “stay on topic” was directed at these very discussion points above, then I submit you re-think. As more and more “facts” come out about the Gatwick incident, and the knee jerk reaction fall out taking place based on inaccurate accounts of the actual events, these continuing discussions are spot on topic. They affect us all, one way or another.

Respectful submitted,

Jeff

 

[thoneter]

Hi @thoneter,

No, I don’t think views will change simply by “attending” council meetings, et al. I think views will NOT change if we, as pilots, do not attend, do not stay informed of planning, et al, and most importantly, will not change if we do not speak up.

My point wasn’t intended to imply “just be in the audience”. It was intended to state: “speak up, participate.”

And @Santa, if your quote of Murray’s “stay on topic” was directed at these very discussion points above, then I submit you re-think. As more and more “facts” come out about the Gatwick incident, and the knee jerk reaction fall out taking place based on inaccurate accounts of the actual events, these continuing discussions are spot on topic. They affect us all, one way ore another.

Respectful submitted,

Jeff

My point is that meetings, us speaking up, participating etcetera will not make it to anywhere that stands a chance of making a difference. I'm not on here to hear myself talk or to take anyone down for having an opinion. I've spent 4 years trying to get common sense statutes for Medicaid, DOT, DMV, STS ecetera and got nowhere.

I called the governor's office 100 times and left 50 voicemails. I rec'd 3 call backs with "it's not my departments job". There's no way for our voices to be heard unless there's a group or individual with lots of teeth to make a difference.

 

[PatR]

New book out named “Deceiving the Public” by Gossamer Veils. It talks about how most people can be blinded by the thinnest disguise.

 

[thetrecker]

blame it on the drone oh and how the bbc really is good at reporting ( not ) and looking after the interest of the people that pay there wages the public who pay the licence fee
its was definitely a drone ( well thats there line )

 

[Mrgs1]

If you say it enough times it must be truth springs to mind.

 

[PatR]

It appears they achieved the goals they sought. Nobody will utter a sound as the “anti drone” counter measures are deployed, nor will anyone protest the search and seizure policy.

 

[thoneter]

Granted when I grew up the abacus was our computer but at the same time my classmates drove their pickups with a rifle or shotgun in the back window and left their windows down while in school.

No one brought a gun to school and shot up their classmates. No one in the tristate area committed suicide in school. There were a few that were bullied relentlessly. What changed?

We were immature juveniles but no one lost it and brought a bomb or gun to kill anyone. What changed?

We were bright enough to know you don't drive your car down the airport runway (didn't have drones). What changed?

Don't think registration or more rules is going to change anything except to make those of us that can't stand more rules and more registrations dislike the gov't even more!

 

[thoneter]

It appears they achieved the goals they sought. Nobody will utter a sound as the “anti drone” counter measures are deployed, nor will anyone protest the search and seizure policy.

Some day in the near future these zombies are gonna wonder why the gov't is targeting them!

There's only so long that you can chant "get those guys" before you become those guys!

I love the Bubetube videos where the pro-gun people interview the anti-gun people and ask them what they'll do if someone breaks into their homes with guns. Typical answer is call the police. What if it is the police that breaks into your home?

 

[DoomMeister]

Granted when I grew up the abacus was our computer but at the same time my classmates drove their pickups with a rifle or shotgun in the back window and left their windows down while in school.

No one brought a gun to school and shot up their classmates. No one in the tristate area committed suicide in school. There were a few that were bullied relentlessly. What changed?

We were immature juveniles but no one lost it and brought a bomb or gun to kill anyone. What changed?

We were bright enough to know you don't drive your car down the airport runway (didn't have drones). What changed?

Don't think registration or more rules is going to change anything except to make those of us that can't stand more rules and more registrations dislike the gov't even more!

Our parents were allowed to beat our backsides if we misbehaved. Even in public! The old adage of spare the rod, spoil the child rang true back then. If your kid acted up or was unruly and you gave them a swat or two on the rump to get their attention people didn’t call the police or brand you a child abuser.

We were created with a booty for a few purposes.
1. Sit somewhat comfortably on hard surfaces.
2. Get up off of and go to work! No free rides here.
3. Get our attention when we misbehaved. There is a difference between a spanking and a beating and most parents knew it.

Most families could make a living wage with only one parent working so the kids had attention and guidance at home.

 

[Ren57]

blame it on the drone oh and how the bbc really is good at reporting ( not ) and looking after the interest of the people that pay there wages the public who pay the licence fee
its was definitely a drone ( well thats there line )

All this is bad enough. But the one good thing is, all this was coming along anyway, there's nothing new. It was all in the CAA's consultation document at the end of last year. It's just given the authorities a good excuse to give it a massive publicity plug. If it hadn't have been for the Gatwick incident, that publicity wouldn't have happened. The only people that are going to win out of this, are the people that manufacture (so called) counter drone technology.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Drone sighting halts Heathrow flights

 

[Chefinthesky]

Drone sighting halts Heathrow flights

Oh please no. I'm flying through Heathrow this Friday!

 

[AeroJ]

FFS. Someone is trying really hard to kill this hobby ! :/ No picture this time either then ?

 

[Jagerbomb52]

 

[Mrgs1]

FFS. Someone is trying really hard to kill this hobby ! :/

All over
Heathrow Airport: flights resume after brief suspension due to 'drone sighting'

 

[Ren57]

FFS. Someone is trying really hard to kill this hobby ! :/ No picture this time either then ?

No pictures this time either, even though it was a BBC cameraman apparently who saw the drone. According to him, it was about 300ft up, stationary with red and green flashing lights. So, what drone has red and green flashing lights then? Even though he says he watched the drone for 4 or 5 minutes, apparently that wasn't enough time for him to take his phone out of his pocket and take a picture or video....

 

[Ren57]

I'm surprised it's taken this long to be honest. Now, all anyone has to do is cry drone and that'll be enough to close any airport for at least some period of time. Interestingly, this incident didn't cause all the trouble that the Gatwick incident did. Apparently Heathrow already has counter drone technology in place and has done for some time.

 

[PatR]

Just increase the gain on the radar. The drones will hit the ground shortly thereafter. So will the birds everyone thought were drones.