Originally Posted by
pfalzaflyer
I've been the Contest Director for the past several years, for my club's annual Class C Fun Fly.
One of the founding members of my club was flying at our annual Fun Fly. He was flying straight at the pits and spectators at low altitude taking photos with a camera mounted to his plane. An estimate of how far away and how high would be 50 to 75 feet before pulling up into an Immelmann type of maneuver to line up to make another pass and 15-20 feet high, straight in at the crowd. I have considered this flyer to have been reckless in the past and this one incidence angered me no end!
As the CD, it's my job to determine what is safe and what is not and I take corrective action if needed. I did take corrective action and this set this guy off! He is directing his anger at me, stating I am coming up with Bull-Bleep rules! He is a member of the AMA, so he has access to all the rules and guidelines.
I am somewhat baffled over what to do! I am quitting being the CD for the club with this guy participating. The fact that I feel his anger has very little basis, makes me wonder about even continuing to be a member of this club!
I want the members of my club to use good safety practices; but, his being one of the founding members and also one of the clubs instructors. I am thinking his philosophys are being transferred to his students.
I really don't know what to do and am asking people with more experience in these matters, how to handle this!
I have read the first several posts and although some hint at it, here is the cold hard truth...
When a club files and receives an AMA sanction for an event, the event is not under the control of the club. It is under the control of the AMA with the CD having direct control and responsible for the safety of any and all spectators and pilots. This fact is very difficult for some clubs to understand.
With this being said, somebody flying in a careless or reckless manner is very subjective and the CD has the discretionary right and AMA authority to make that decision. If there is a conflict with the club rules, then the CD enforcing AMA rules will prevail during a sanctioned event.
The recourse of the offending pilot is to make a complaint to the AMA which may or may not be investigate.
As stated by somebody else, the club doesn't have to allow the CD to be the Contest Director for future events.
Just My .02, it is only my opinion and I could be wrong...