I just heard a disturbing rumor from a buddy of mine that is a CHPee that the F'ingAA has closed Prado due to a complaint from a full scale pilot. He said that during BITW somebody was up between 800 and 1000feet and the full scale had to take evasive action. Anybody heard of this? I hope it is not true. Scott

I heard of the airport problem during the event, but nothing about any subsequent fallout.

bummer news if true

Hey GSR I noticed you're from Seal Beach ever thought about moving BITW to Los Alamitos AAF?

awesome facility, super friendly folks and plenty O airspace. $$$ accrued at the event parking, entry etc. goes to the Los Al's morale, welfare and recreation fund or something similar.

SFC-2500' for airspace, even my eagle eyes can't keep sight of my Big Red Rafale

L8R

Buck

Heres what I know..... Board meeting last night, the San Bernadino Parks Dept asked to suspend flying temporarily while the FAA investigates a reported near miss the weekend @ the BITW. The pilot made a formal complaint, and actually visited the site during the event to complain to the CD, and Pres. It just so happened that an FAA representitive was in attendance and witnessed the so called "near miss". I believe this will be only temporary, but dont know how long. As far as I know their were proper FAA Waivers pulled for airspace alt limit increases, however there was never mention on KCNO ATIS or NOTAMS for those days. There have been notices and ATIS notes for previous BITW's and they are very direct in describing location to approach and departure, as well as atltitudes. This leads me to believe that a "ball" was dropped somewhere in the organization of the event. As well as it was organized, this was one duck that shouldnt have been out of row. Now were payin for it.

If there were waivers issued by Chino's ATC, then the ball dropping is not the fault of the organization of the event but with the FAA themselves. THEY issue NOTAMS and record ATIS messaging, not us.

O.K. People settle down here are the latest rumors as I know them.

Yes a full scale pilot did make a report, and YES and FAA inspector was actually on-site when the incident happened, so he witnessed the whole thing.
Now here is where it gets interesting. The full scale pilot and his friend where aware of the event because they where at the field in 10 minutes from the Airport.


AMA is very concerned and they are willing to send legal council.


The field is closed as of yesterday at 5:00 P.M. and the next meeting with the parks and FAA and all the other stuff starts next Tuesday. It looks bad for us Jet folks right now, even if the club re-opens soon, we will have people looking at us badly. Also since summer is coming, we will also try not to fly jets there because of the dry brush. (when and if we are allowed back)

Now, as one who had to attend club meetings for over a year and a half to get Jets allowed in that field, and then paying money out of my own pocket to have our first jet rally there, I can assure you there is no-one more pissed off than I, close but not as much as me.

Turbulence

[:@]

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I just hope we can all just come together to solve this and then we can go back to our normal flying.


Turbulence

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I hope the AMA boys are on a plane right now, this is a huge field for southern california

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Gentlemen, Aresti is wise beyond his years. its all about perception and right now its not real good. keep your heads up by no means are we lying down here. the battle has just begun. (on a side note_) All this B.S. about guys trying to do harm simply does not help our cause I'd ask you to let this go and concentrate on the issues at hand getting the field reopened.

Thanks for reading
GMONEY

I think Gdog is wise beyond HIS years. First things first. Solidarity.

Hi Buck, Thats something I have thought on many times. I think the last time an R/C event was held there was the AMA Nats in the 70s. You are correct that there is TONS of room there on the east end. Perhaps Ralph could contact the CO at Los Al with a proposal. They do have many community activities there and have stated they want to be a bigger part of the community. I approached two different CO's a few years back regarding club flying and was met with a big negative from both. Its a shame both bases right here, (the JFTB at Los ALimitos and the Seal Beach Naval weapons station) have a total of about 6000 acres of open land that would make perfect flying spaces. I became friends with the last weapons station CO during his 2 year post and he didn't see it ever happening. He also told me that BOTH bases are at peril in the next reallignment rounds. That would be a crying shame if either one of them goes. The weekend warriors fly their Hornets right over my house on the weekends and I love it. Be Safe, Scott

Scott

thanks for the reply. The COs were probably thinking people control on base etc, can't blame 'em for that especially on that base. However, it's all in the presentation. Maybe we could get a couple of the East Coast guys to come out and help. You know the Fentress NAS boyz in Virginia or Roy Holt and his boyz up in Whidbey. They've been doing something right for years.

I've been researching a proposal for years to organize a Toys for Tots gathering down in Miramar but OpTempo will likely never allow it to happen.

L8R

buck

Hi Dont forget the full size that tryed to land at prodo and we had to take action on the ground to keep from getting ran over, you didnt see us go crying to The Faa!! that full size pilot lucky I wasnt around Ill pull his ticket for being a Whimp and a winner, he probley flys around school parks and reports high flying kites also!!!

Hey guys,

I am not going to become another worm in this can (we are all aware of the rumor mill), but I will inform you all that a very suspect individual did file a formal complaint with the FAA that resulted in the Parks Department temporarily closing Prado until they get to the bottom this issue. There is a meeting scheduled next Tuesday with the President of Prado, the FAA, and the Parks Department. I will fill you in once that meeting has occurred.

The pilot that filed the complaint did come to the event claiming to be an FAA official, but after discussing his complaint with me admitted he was not actually an agent. I told him I would ground all of the pilots on the spot and have an emergency meeting to find out what really happened and who the alleged pilot was. He made me promise I would not do that, and that it was not that big of a deal. He seemed to be pretty calm about the incident once he left the field.

I have to admit that with a dozen event staff, 75 registered pilots and literally hundreds if not thousands of spectators on Saturday, no one mentioned this near mid-air to me until the pilot arrived at the field claiming to be an FAA pilot.
Very suspicious?!?!

Please be patient, and rest assured I had all of our ducks in a row quacking as they have for the past four years with me managing the event!

This is from the horses mouth so-2-speak, so please do not extend this any further than it needs to. I would hate to see us jet guys make this bigger than it really is.

Thank you all, and hang in there.

Mike Sieniarecki
Aircraft Marketing Manager, Horizon Hobby, Inc.
Events Coordinator, CRCJA
Contest Director, AMA #15066

Paul,

Please don't go there,

Help us out in other ways to get our field back

Ralph

I hope you guy's get this all worked out. Best in the West was my first time visiting the Prado field and it is a fantastic place to fly. Were they able to identify what jet was accused? Who the pilot was? Just curious.
Hope this all gets worked out,
Dave

Here you go Ralph. PISTOLA FUMA!!

Ralph come on, if the situation was handled right, Ie Cement shoes Back side of Catalina we wouldnt be grounded

HA! I'll bet he thought he was landing at Corona (AJO), which is a hop, skip and a jump away from Prado.

While AJO is small, it ain't that small.

Dan

DUK DUK.....

I cant believe you caught that on film..... Is that the 2nd attempt @ the short field landing >? didnt he go around a couple of times ?

j

The guy said it was a Camo Viper w/ smoke[X(]

Naw, just kiddin'. Plus we all know that Dave does most of his work 2 ft. off the deck...and
that's the way, uh huh, uh huh, I like it, uh huh, uh huh.