ORIGINAL: Bob Mitchell
That said, I see a world of difference between that, and the school incident where the pilot was flying a craft that far exceeds reasonable recommendations for speed of "park" aircraft, in a schoolyard DURING school hours, and putting his aircraft into the window of an occupied classroom. It's my impression that the individual actually seemed to revel in the attention the incident afforded him and even tried to peddle the aircraft on ebay as some sort of souvenir. As I said, it's a textbook example of what Cherry was talking about.
AND with all that said...I see a world of difference between that school incident and an AMA modeler with a home engineered turbine jet powerful enough to blast speeds of 250 mph with only mere ropes protecting unsuspecting spectators...at least the school building offered much better protection of a much smaller threat.
In that light the parkflyer guy is much more responsible.
JC was trying to make a derogative contrast between AMAers and non-AMAers that are associated with the new parkflier models...It was wrong for him to do so...no way around it. It is wrong to stereotype those enthusiasts...just plane wrong.
The incident regarding the school was just that...an incident unique to itself....nothing more nothing less...the perpetrator even admitted it was wrong and accepted full blame.
Like I said, for every incident offered up like that one at the school another can be given about "real modelers" (AMA) on the other side of the equation.
A big fat zero is the net.
He gets no point!
Neither do you!