Sessholvlaru

I have been running into more and more people (various ages) who do not seem to care for doing 'unneccesary' work in this hobby. They want instant gratification for minimal effort. For instance, I was at my field with a friend and a new guy pulls into the lot. He gets out and asks several general questions about the field. My friend, who is relatively new to the hobby, tells him about our rules, i.e. having to attend three club meetings in a row in order to get voted in, fees, whether or not he needs instrution, flying rules, etc. He replies that he doesn't want to bother with any "crap" that he does not have to. He just wants to fly. He told us that when he bought his first plane the LHS owner offered to meet him at a field and show him how to do it. Evidentally the LHS guy never showed and this guy flew his plane anyway, succesfully (so he claimed). He did not have AMA coverage (extra 'crap') and had a real piss-poor attitude. He sounded cocky for a guy (in his 40's) who claimed to have an intermediate trainer (wow!) and probably minimal flying experience. Basically, this guy was one of those guys who you know will sneek down the field during a weekday and fly without a membership in the club or the AMA. This is a difficult situation, since most of the people I know in this hobby are east going, friendly and even pacifistic. I have never seen a fist fight break out at my club. I am 24 and have been flying for many years, and even a young guy like me has learned the respect needed for both our machines and the people who fly them. Most of us here are AMA members and pay club fees in order to fly, and I am sure that most people would not like someone coming down when no one is around and flying for free, and risking injury to both body and equipment. Anyone else run into someone like this? I can't imagine what can really be done to get rid of people who refuse to play by the rules, other than calling the police for trespassing? Quite a shame.

daytimeninja

That sucks. If I were you I would just lay it down plain and simple. Tell him to get off the property, or you will call the cops. If he doesn't like the rules, he can fly in his backyard.

Dr1Driver

daytimeninja has the right idea, unfortunately. Some people just have to learn the hard way. Your field should have a gate and lock or something to block entry by unwanted people. Give him short notice that, if he breaks your rules, he WILL be charged with tresspass. Your club members have EVERY right to protect what they pay for. If someone catches him flying during the week when no one is around, sign a tresspass notice on him. This is a handy little law that most communities or counties have. It's a written warning to the individual that, if they come on the property again, they are subject to immediate arrest.

Dr.1

Roby

Been in this hobby a long time, seen this similar attitude
many times before. My experience with this type is that they
usually just go away in a short time as they spread the word
that your a hostile group.

If he doesn't want to put up with your so called "crap", then
politely tell him he should look elsewhere to fly.


Good luck,
Roby

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

I know this gentleman and everyone that has been around a while knows him. Its a very common attitude and these folks are everywhere. This attitude has always been around but has been exacerbated and fueled by the park flying crowd as well as the attendant advertising for park flyers.

The solution is just don,t worry about it. As an individual this person will rapidly destroy possibly one to three or four airplanes and fade into oblivion.


One classic example I witnessed yet agine not to long ago: Our field is a public facility so no local club membership required but AMA is. My caller and I were alone at the field and I was flying when we heard a car pull in and proceed to near one end of the field, not the pit/ramada area. When my caller said they started pulling out airplanes I teminated my flight.

Several Hundred yards away they pulled out three what appeared to be nice sport and scale aerobatic airplanes. Not checking frequencys they started up as fast as possible and launched. This one last about thirty seconds, as if in a race the second was launched and destroyed in record time as was the third. Predictably none of the three airplanes made it to a one minute flight before being destroyed.

Most who think like this if offered help usually will consider the offer as an attack.

John

Dr1Driver

You can try explaining to the guy how the "crap" rules and AMA requirements are for everyone's safety, including his. Good luck, these guys have usually made up their minds far in advance of ever visiting your field. And Roby is right, your club will be the bad guy in every conversation he has with his cronies. However, JohnBuckner is also right: most of these guys will crash their way through 2-3 planes, then never be seen again. They usually have more $$$ than sense.

Dr.1

larry@coyotenet

My Feedback: (21)

I have belonged to an AMA sanctioned club for over 35 years and can agree with the other responders that people like that turn up at out field at least once or twice a year. Results are always the same, won't listen, plane is destroyed, never seen again. Usually if they come back they are in a better frame of mind to join the club and take advice. Our club will not tolerate fliers who won't follow rules and seldom do they come back twice. Most new members or prospective members have their planes checked and friendly advice given by the more experienced members. Some newcomers take offense to this and that is the last we ever see of them! Probably for the best. All of us who have stuck with the hobby for a few years know that the real test of a new member is the first crash! So many can't handle it and are never seen again

BillyGoat

Wouldn't worry about it. Seen his type many times before. He'll likley keep showing up with tall tails about hovering on his third flight with a trainer etc. I'm willing to bet this guy will never show up with a plane or the cash to join, but will with a big ego acting like some big shooter. That is until everyone knows he's full of crap.