MNFLYER

Pilots that are under the 103 rule. I happen to have a plane that qualifies under that rule, but the part that bugs me, is I have a private area that I use to fly my ultralight from, and I keep my 172 and PA28 at the airport, ever since I just started to fly with just the ultralight, I have another pilot that comes in with his and does touch and go's and he doesn't care if you chase him down on feet. It's private property, so I am getting sick of him doing it. Should I follow him with my 172, being that that is the only plane that can get out of my space, and follow him until he lands, but I would have go ahead of him first, because, I couldn't slow down as slow as he goes, or should I just follow him with my ultralight knowing he has the faster version of the same one and I couldn't get him? Or any other ideas?

Ed Toner

I suggest you photograph him, or at least get his Reg. #, and contact him, tell him to bu[>:]zz off or you'll get the local cops and the FAA after him.

MNFLYER

As far as I can see, he has no reg. #, so I guess its picture time, once I get a camera.

Ed Toner

Reminds me of an old Irish saying "If I had some bread I'd make you a sandwich, but I have no meat".

Another one:

"I see" said the blind man "a hole in the wall". "

"Yer a liar", said the dummy, "Ya can't see at all!"

Irish humor. I used to fly Connies for Aer Lingus. The place got to me, and I married a young Dublin lass. Swept the poor child off her feet, I did.

MNFLYER

I still might make a fly by of him to see if there is a reg. on the other side..... guess what I am doing in tommorow, I'm going to the airport, 20 miles away getting in my plane, full of fuel($$, this is going to be expensive) I think I'll just fly above the general neighborhood for about an hour after and before he usually does this at about 1500 AGL, so I can still see him, then fly about 1000 feet off to the side, maybe more, I just need ot see if there are #'s on the other side, I don't even need to get close, to stay farter away, I'll use autopilot and a pair of bioculars...

normgoyer

Hi if the field is marked on the charts as private and he is landing there with knowledge that he should not be there, like you chasing him then he is trespasisng, call the Sheriff. Norm
You may be liable for an accident on your insurance

MNFLYER

I actually did this morning since it marked as private, one of the local sheriff's is coming with me in the plane and once we find out where he lands, he has another local ready to have it radioed in. Since our town is only 760 people, we have 2 cops, and a retired one, no plane, since this has been a problem on the other side of town before, the town just pays the pilot to fly, because they don't have a plane. But I am not going to charge anything to this town.

dstonic

My Feedback: (18)

I've an idea.......seems to me you would own a tractor or something that you use to cut your field, right? Leave it on the runway when you're not there!!
I'm not sure.........but it seems to me, if I was using your runway for touch and goes I'd think twice about doing so........heck, I wouldn't want to ruin my plane landing and hitting your "OBSTRUCTION"

Seriously though....I would just park something on the field that will keep someone from landing there. It's private after all. Hope I helped in some way. Good Luck

MNFLYER

Actually I just got it figured out, the sheriff figured out where he lived, happened to only be 2 miles away, so my whole flight lasted less then 10 minutes in flight+ground. The pilot said he didn't know that it was private- even though it is marked, so the sheriff said he can't do anything else, so I guess its time to fly my PA28 in also, and park it in the middle of the runway, along with my 172. He said its time to bring in the FAA if it happens again.

normgoyer

Be very careful of that, with the way the courts think you could be liable for an accident if anyone crashed into your airplanes. Never believe that you are safe in today's convulted liability world. Norm

dstonic

My Feedback: (18)

I promise you, parking your Warrior (pa28) and the Cessna should say something.....what I'm thinking here is, will someone think it's a landing strip for whomever now? Of course though you did say it's marked private......hmmmmmmm (thinking here) but this other cat decided to state " he didn't know it was". That's about right !!! Tell you what Crasher....drive to his house, better yet......FLY TO HIS HOUSE and land your plane there. Then proceed into his "private home" (two can play at this game) and sit in his living room and turn on something like Opra or Donahue....and kick back on the sofa while you're at it. See where I'm going with this? hahahahaha

Oh darn, but then this guy won't be able to call on the FAA will he .....hmmmmmm why do I have visions of a devious plot ready to take place ........hahahahaha......

nehhhh, seriously don't do any of that. But it really get's your goat as they say don't it? To just come out and say " I didn't know". Wow what a profound excuse.

Sorry everyone, I just had to vent here .......It just floors me how some people just take it for granted that you can use some lame brain reason why he was landing on a "marked" "private field".

................ok ok........where's my Tylenol..

MNFLYER

Oh yeah I know about that, that is why I have my J.D., I have my law degree, saw plenty when I clerked in the federal circuit. I could be held liable but 2 cases I remember, is that this situation has happened before, and a guy did park his plane at the end of a runway and it was marked private. The charges against the pilot that parked his plane there were dismissed because a judge decided to rule that the pilot had tresspassed that flew into the field, and the judge found him liable for damages to the plane also.

sorry, pa28-140- cherokee

MNFLYER

I also think I might just take some spraypaint and mark private on the runway every morning, I don't know, all I know is I am getting sick of the guy flying in on my land, if he asked I would be fine with it, but he doesn't so.....

note: this guy is good, I pulled up the Metar:

METAR text: KSTC 161453Z 18013KT 10SM CLR 24/16 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP193 T02440156 51007
Conditions at: KSTC (ST. CLOUD, MN, US) observed 1453 UTC 16 August 2006
Temperature: 24.4°C (76°F)
Dewpoint: 15.6°C (60°F) [RH = 58%]
Pressure (altimeter): 30.09 inches Hg (1019.0 mb)
[Sea-level pressure: 1019.3 mb]
Winds: from the S (180 degrees) at 15 MPH (13 knots; 6.8 m/s)
Visibility: 10 or more miles (16+ km)
Ceiling: at least 12,000 feet AGL
Clouds: sky clear below 12,000 feet AGL
Weather: no significant weather observed at this time

MNFLYER

never mind, I did have something but don't need it here anymore, anyways, the guy came over and apoligized, he said it won't happen again, etc....so I guess that is it, for now, unless he does it again, then I might put my law degree to work.

DKjens

My Feedback: (50)

I would think leaving something parked on a runway, private or not, would be illegal. In case of an emergency, it would be a bad situation, if a runway was useless, or if it further worsened the situation.

DKjens

Sport_Pilot

It would be quite legal. It's not an airport. Private strips are no more an airport, than a prarking lot.

normgoyer

See you in court, Norm

MNFLYER

I consulted with 2 other experienced attornies and the AOPA this last Thursady through this Monday, and the decision was made that it is illegal what is going on, the AOPA advised me with there legal team besides the other 2, to get very powerful insurance, in case of a problem.

Sport_Pilot

OK, which is illegal, the ultralight landing on his field. Or parking a car on the runway?? If this is a private field that is not listed on the charts or listed with an big X through it I would think it perfectly legal to park a vehicle on it, or plow, it, put stakes on it; or whatever you want, short of land mines.

MNFLYER

It is illegal, the ultralight landing on the runway. I am an attorney, but don't practice aviation law, yet, I sure hope to. It is listed as a private field, so it is illegal. As to the insurance, as the other atttornies said, I should just get, just in case, if the guy tried to come after me, that way if he does and the judge doesn't dismis the charges because the guy was trespassing when he did get injured, I would be covered for all expensises arrising from a lawsuit.

viperdude

If you own the property that the strip is on, and the airport is marked as prive, you have every right to do whatever you want with the land. park 1000 semis on there if you want.
Its your land, and your not at fault or responsible for something that someone else does.

RVator

My Feedback: (1)

I know of two guys with private stips at thier houses that are on the charts marked as private strips. They both keep white X's at the ends of the runways to mark them out of service.

Tired Old Man

My Feedback: (1)

At last someone has described the correct markings for a closed or private runway. A large white "X" at each end is the proper designation and is recognised everywhere in the world's aviation community.

MNFLYER

note: has x's on it already.....

normgoyer

here's a thought. If the owner of the airport takes off from a runway with the Xs in place could his insurance company balk at paying a claim because he was operating from a closed runway. Never trust an insurance company or even many lawyers not to go for any crack in the system to avoid payment or winning the suit. Norm