Robotech

My Feedback: (9)

Here's the scenario. There are two aiplanes flying. Both are in the established pattern for the field and both are being flown by experienced pilots.

Pilot # 1 has just made turn 4 and is flying parallel with the runway, straight and level. Pilot #2 makes turn 4 at a higher speed and comes directly beneath Pilot #1's plane then pulls full elevator and takes the LH wing off of Pilot # 1's plane resulting in a total loss of Pilot #1's plane, engine and most of the radio gear.

Does Pilot # 2 owe Pilot #1 a new airplane?


Pilot # 2's plane suffers only a broken prop and Pilot #2 is observed smiling when he lands his plane and just says " *hit happens " He is heard throughout the rest of the day laughing and joking about it. He says he was just going to do a loop and didn't see Pilot # 1's plane and that any midair, regardless of the circumstances, is a " no fault " occurrence. I know that doesn't have a bearing on whether Pilot #2 owes for an airplane but it sure *issed Pilot #1 off more. [:@] Pilot #2 even had the audacity to pick through the trash can and get scrap balsa and covering from the plane to take home. [:@][:@]

I've seen similar posts about mid-air but would like to have this one as a poll so that a definite tally can be taken despite all the "if's" and "but's"

P-51B

My Feedback: (5)

Since it doesn't say he intentionally mid-aired the other pilot, I voted NO, and put it in the stuff happens bin.

Sorry for your loss.

scottrc

If pilot #2 was really acting like that, I'd vote that we take him behind the clubhouse and give him some wup*****.
Or vote to let pilot #1 drop a live snake down his pants.
Or vote to tie him the the flagpole and let the fireants have their way with him.
Or I'd offer him a nice cold Mountain Dew that has some organic substitutions added from my last trip to the porta potty.


Come on, would we really let someone act like that after a midair?

SMALLFLY-

My Feedback: (19)

It's everyones airspace and you can only watch one plane at a time.. YOURS. Get a spotter to help view the sky at busy times

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

I voted no because of course that is the correct answer. As for his actions later there might have to be some repercussions.

famousdave

My Feedback: (61)

If pilot #2 was really laughing about it then he's a Jag... but he is right .. *HIT happens. I don't fly when the skies are crowded or if I know there are dangerous flyers in the air at the same time as me... just for that reason. I doubt he did it intentionally.. chalk it up to stupidity maybe, but not malice.

Unless you can prove malice, there really is no point in getting too PO'd


DP

TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

If you were not pilot#1, this time, you will be eventually. @#it happens and it happen a lot.
BTW, pilot #2 is an "A&&", sounds like he always has been & will always be.

AgCat1982

Out of just plain human decency, that seems to be fading away these days, I vote YES.

Sport Flyer

My Feedback: (10)

I voted for 'no'. Its pretty much impossible to prove malice unless there's been an outstanding grudge between the two or if #2 has had a history of 'scat happens' occurances. However I do believe #2 was at fault - he did, afterall, crash into #1 while #1 was flying straight and level. As to #2's actions afterwards, well, we all deal with adversity in different ways. Its entirely possible he made light to quash his own feelings of guilt. If nothing else at least the club has learned of what kind of metal #2 is made of. Personally I'd probably feel pretty darn aweful about it and would offer some type of compensation, like my trainer or Somethin' Extra airframe and possibly an engine if that too were smashed. But that's me - other's morality may vary.

btw, I've also been midaired, with someone else flying into me. I was in a hover and he came in to hover beside me. His plane lost its tail and spun in hard. Mine was landed successfully with a good chunk of the wing missing and an aileron dragging in the slipstream, held on only by the servo linkage. Scat does indeed definitely happen. The guy who hit me offered to do my repairs. I declined.

Freakazoid

My Feedback: (1)

I think of it this way:
If I smack my car into your cars side, would I have to pay for your cars damage?

I think so. I vote yes. He should pay atleast 25% or so, just to look a LITTLE bit decent towards other pilots.
Maybe it wasnt intentional, he did wreck something thats your property.

Also I think Pilot #2 is being a ***** for bragging about it all day long.


Reason for edit: Language.

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

If pilot #2 has displayed reckless flying previously (more than once) He should pony up the cost of repairs if nothing else. His attitude and actions post crash indicate he is an "I've got mine, how you doing?" or "I'm aboard pull up the gang plank" type. If he genuinely felt a bit of remorse and expressed it I'd feel different.

Robotech

My Feedback: (9)

O.K. I was Pilot #1. []

He HAD to be able to see my plane. He came up from behind it and was only about 10 feet below it. [X(]

He has been involved in at least 4 mid airs in the last few years and doesn't fly all that much compared to other members. He is a very erratic flyer and I rarely go up ( nor does anyone else ) when he is up. I guess if I feel any resposibility in the matter it is that I should have stayed on the ground but I had been assisting newbies for most of the afternoon and was itching to get my plane up for a few flights.

The plane was a total loss, including engine and most of the servos. When we had cleaned the mess off the runway and collected most of the debris and were walking back to the pitts there were still pieces of Monocote floating into the spectator area.


For the sake of club unity and everyone else's enjoyment I (mostly) kept my cool. I just stayed away from him and I didn't say much despite other members and spectators saying it looked like he tried to hit my plane. What good would it do other than cause a rift? Believe me the thought of getting out my POS Modeltech ME109 and drilling a hole through one of his planes briefly crossed my mind but I dismissed it and forced myself to try to enjoy the rest of the day.

The kicker was this was a scratch built plane and I am for the most part an ARF kind of guy. Every now and then I build a kit but I had bought this one in the ARC stage. I had probably 40-50 hours in finishing it and maybe a couple of dozen flights on it.

The irony is that the actual builder of the ARC was ............ Pilot #2.

50+AirYears

I don't recall how many motorcycle riders have been rear ended by cars whose drivers "Didn't see the motorcycle in front of me". When operating a motor vehicle, you are required to be alert to the environment around you. In flying, whether full size or model, the same need exists. If #2 came up from behind and pulled up into #1, that may not have been malicious, just careless. I've noticed that the more *hit seems to happen to or around the people with the attitude that *hit happens than to anybody else. #2's joking about it makes me think he is probably also the type that laughs off low level passes over the pits or people who have to go out onto the runway to retrieve a plane with a dead engine. I vote he owes #1 at least a major part of the replacement cost.

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

Because I don't know both sides of the story, nor do I know Pilot #1 or #2, I voted no. Generally we all accept the fact that $**t happens, and until I know conclusively what the intentions of Pilot #2 were, I have to vote No. (Sorry Robo)

We all have a tendency to exaggerate our side of a situation in order to garner support, and although this may not be the case here, I can't know that.

Now, IF it could be proved that Pilot #2 has intentionally mid-aired someone in the past, then he would be a much greater suspect for having intentionally done it this time. As has been said, his reactions after the fact may be simply to cover his feelings of guilt, or out of nervousness.

Personally, I would have apologized profusely, and at least offered help in repairing or replacing, but we're all different and there are no obligations when midairs accidently occur.
Dennis-

MHawker

My Feedback: (16)

Moral of the story.....

If you intentially midair someone, apologize. If you act like an jerk, everyone will think you did it on purpose.

While I'd be extremely upset too, there's no way you're going to "know" that he pulled up into your plane on purpose, unless he admits to it. And wondering will never make it so; it'll just cause ulcers.

Good luck getting back into the air with something else soon.

Freakazoid

My Feedback: (1)

No matter wether he did it on purpose or not, he should atleast cover a bit of the expences.
If you hit someones car by accident, you roll down the window and yell "***** happens!", aswell?

Underaged Pilot

My Feedback: (1)

i mean he only lost a prop!!!!!
Your club should have a new rule
how big is your club?
if its small then no aerobatics when training people or test flight or people just flyin around with no rolls or loops

YNOT

Funny how 3D pilots are like that. We accept the risk and if something happens, so be it. Sure was fun and it looked cool for a while

Sorry to tell you, however I say No also.

If the pilot is a danger in the air, you don't fly at the same time. (I have waited and landed when I wanted to watch pilot I was uncomfortable with)

And have you really tried to hit airplanes? I have, its hard.

Question: What is the immediate first reaction for most R/C pilots when panic hits?

Ansewer: PULL!!!!!!!

From your first post, it sounded like soon as he saw you, he pulled. You were just right there. It happens.

How did he not see you? Easy, he was focused on his plane. When he saw you, he pulled.

Best way to look at a mid air, "that really sucked, but IT SURE LOOKED COOL!"

And if you have a problem with Scat Happens.............then don't ever do helis.

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

What happens in a car accident has nothing to do with a mid air. It's always been an accepted fact that every once in a while a mid air happens. It's also always been accepted that it's no one's fault when one does happen.

Unless it's proven that it was intentional, it's no one's fault.
Dennis-

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

The car analogy is useless and does not apply to this duscussion. As for him trying to hit you, if he is an eratic flyer I seriously doubt he could hit a plane on purpose. Having spent much time trying to hit other planes I can tell you, it ain't easy.

powerlines

I was driving down the road and ran in to a Patrol Car and I told him that it was not my fault... I did not see your car and I was just about to do a Doughnut right here.. I would at least walk over and say how sorry I was and offer to help pay for the damages. That is just me. I fly well away from others.. the only thing I fly near is POWERLINES!! and Buzzards.. We had a simalar thing happen at our field but it was a $50 PieceOS and a SUPER NICE 33% Beauty.. I would have been in JAIL if that were my 33%... That is just my 2 pennies...


LATER

air mail rcu

I would say no too. Like everyone said its really really hard to hit someone.But and there is always a but. Talk about bad manners. What did the other members of your club say when he was bragging about hitting your plane. I hope somebody told him that this wasn't funny.

You could get a SPAD and the next time he flys............just to get his attention.

Reminds me of a story......Standing on the flight line with a couple of flyers. One kept flying right over my head. About 2 or 3 times I said your getting way to close to me stop it. And I said it loud. After the next time he did it I did the same thing to him. Man did he get mad. But you know what. He never got close to me again. I know its against all the rules. But sometimes you got to do what you got to do.

3DFanatic

My Feedback: (5)

When you get multiiple models flying in a confined area, bad stuff is bound to happen. From what you've said it doesn't sound like the midair was intentional and I thus voted no. Although I don't think laughing and joking about it the rest of the day while the owner is obviously thinking it was humorous is not good.

rfw1953

My Feedback: (2)

I voted no for the same reasons already mentioned. it's unfortunate, but it happens. I also agree that he demonstrated a bad attitude about the incident. It takes all kinds and you run into one every now and then. No pun intended. Sorry about your loss.

Freakazoid

My Feedback: (1)

The car analogy not implying is bull$****. You hit someone, you pay for it. No matter if it was on purpose or not. Its just being responcible for your own actions. If you fail to see it that way, im sorry for you.