Woodstock?

[mcelrah]

Not so fast. If anyone is still watching this Punch and Judy show, perhaps we should discuss the proposition floated above that one should or would *never* land in a schoolyard. (Let's first stipulate that no one has landed in a schoolyard anywhere around here recently that I know of - just as this string of e-mails has nothing to do with "Woodstock?".) Now, it just so happens that the designated LZ for the gondola launch in Queenstown, New Zealand is the rugby club. It's in the middle of town, exactly the size of the rugby field, surrounded by building, lightpoles, etc. - and the rugby players do NOT suspend play while you are landing your paraglider (I suppose one could put a single-surface hang-glider in there). Let us further stipulate that sturdy rugby players are not the same thing as first graders. The actual schoolyard is reserved for tandem paragliders (I don't know whether they land there during recess, but I kinda doubt it...). My point? Never say "never". What is beyond the pale in one situation may be standard operating procedure in another. In flying, as in life, we are constantly making risk/benefit calculations - and the risks and benefits are *relative*, not absolute. - Hugh

[Richard Hays]

I received a weired text the other day on my cell phone regarding the forementioned topic. For the record.....I have not posted any commentary regarding this incident/event. So.....I think ( again ) the Rich H thing is a case of mistaken identity.

Sincerely,

Richard HAYS

[Flying Lobster]

I just noticed that this thread has now been propagated to the the Oz Report's Off Topic area--a notorious cesspool (so called by Davis himself) lorded over by rabid para-bashers. I have no idea why this is spinning so far out of control, but in the interest of ending the discussion here I would like to state the following:

JR YOU ARE RIGHT AND I AM WRONG!!!

Tom Cunean has behaved in a selfish, criminal manner with blatant disregard for the future of all pilots and the freedom of flight when he chose to avoid a crash landing. In a manner fitting his crime, he should have all his equipment confiscated immediately, be stripped of his green card/citizenship and be deported immediately back to Pakistan (or wherever he came from). At the very least, vigilante squads should be formed to regulate transgressions such as this. I am exploring the possibility of equipping myself with air-to-air weaponry in case these measures prove inadequate.

marc

[theflyingdude]

I just noticed that this thread has now been propagated to the the Oz Report's Off Topic area--a notorious cesspool (so called by Davis himself) lorded over by rabid para-bashers. I have no idea why this is spinning so far out of control, but in the interest of ending the discussion here I would like to state the following:

JR YOU ARE RIGHT AND I AM WRONG!!!

Tom Cunean has behaved in a selfish, criminal manner with blatant disregard for the future of all pilots and the freedom of flight when he chose to avoid a crash landing. In a manner fitting his crime, he should have all his equipment confiscated immediately, be stripped of his green card/citizenship and be deported immediately back to Pakistan (or wherever he came from). At the very least, vigilante squads should be formed to regulate transgressions such as this. I am exploring the possibility of equipping myself with air-to-air weaponry in case these measures prove inadequate.

marc

Sarcasm is obviously not your strong suit, but since Tom is a first-time offender and stupidity is not a felony (luckily, for many of us), I would suggest a warning and if it happens again, a B-line hanging from a tree near launch to draw in the vultures for a few months of good thermal markers.

JR

[mcelrah]

Well, Marc's post was a bit shrill but, based on a phone conversation with him today, I know he was actually trying to make peace. Really. It's just hard to say anything nice about your opponent, so it comes out wrong, I guess.

JR calls somebody stupid and threatens him with baroque harm - who has never even disagreed with him and whom he has never met. All by way of excusing him - or an awkward attempt at humor.

But I suppose this is progress in this dysfunctional family.

JR, I hope you get to meet and fly with Tom someday. You will find that he is a superb pilot with excellent decision-making and a healthy concern for safety.

And I hope to fly with you again, too.

But I don't think you should be so quick to criticize and find it so hard to understand how a safe LZ could be revealed as hazardous at the last minute, leaving very few options, none of them good.

- Hugh