I said What the... (police almost ran over by airplane)

[Tai-2]

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/21587992/detail.html

Yep this guy try running away and...
Hopfully this guy is not even allowed to come within 10 miles of an airplane.

[beaky]

This is bizarre. Gryder flies the Herpa DC-3, and is part of  a reputable airshow and DC-3 flight training operation.

http://www.thedc-3network.com/


I don't know the guy, but this behavior seems way out of character. Just starting and taxiing a DC-3 without a second pilot aboard is bad enough... add the strange driving and threatening to it, and it really gets weird. I have a funny feeling that there's more (or less) to this than the article indicates (it completely lacks any statement from Gryder). Either that, or he';s suffered a nervous breakdown or something.  :-/

[expat]

[quote]This is bizarre. Gryder flies the Herpa DC-3, and is part of

[DaveSims]

I do wonder about "the rest of the story".

[BSW727]

Well the tip-off to me of his mental state was after all that had happend, he asked for fuel.

I wonder if he really thought they were going to help him  just fly away.

Not too bright to be pulling a stunt like that and not know whether or not you will be getting away. 

[beaky]

I'm not sure a DC-3 requires a second pilot, so I'm not sure if that is strange or not.

This got me thinking, and digging... the DC-3 was not certified as requiring at least 2 crewmen, but in the US, it seems that all airworthy DC-3s, even if they are operating under Part 91, are flown with 2 pilots, in keeping of 91.531 (second in command requirements), as pertains to "large" and

[beaky]

I think that there is a whole lot more to this story than was written, but hey, who are we to get in the way of a good story to sell a paper.

Matt

We are pilots, that's who we are.  True or not, this sort of stuff makes us all look like idiots, and it's one more nail in the coffin of GA in the US.

[expat]

I think that there is a whole lot more to this story than was written, but hey, who are we to get in the way of a good story to sell a paper.

Matt

We are pilots, that's who we are.

[machineman9]

Like why an officer was writing driving citations on the airport.

Are they even allowed on airports? Do they not require special training seeing as airports can be highly active and highly dangerous?

I think the argument may be that the police car should not have been right there and that it was 'a danger to the aircraft' as lets face it, aircraft typically get right of way over cars. But even then, it would be hard to explain that one.

[DaveSims]

Like why an officer was writing driving citations on the airport.

Are they even allowed on airports? Do they not require special training seeing as airports can be highly active and highly dangerous?

I think the argument may be that the police car should not have been right there and that it was 'a danger to the aircraft' as lets face it, aircraft typically get right of way over cars. But even then, it would be hard to explain that one.

In accordance with FAA regulations, aircraft always have right of way over ground vehicles.   ;)  The more that comes out of this, the more I wonder.  The original incident began when a female "code-enforcement officer", which I'm told is basically someone who makes sure you grass is cut, etc, approached the pilot.  Now his reaction to her to be ellusive was probably not the best, but I think when it all shakes out the charges will disappear.

[expat]

Like why an officer was writing driving citations on the airport.

Are they even allowed on airports? Do they not require special training seeing as airports can be highly active and highly dangerous?

What!!! you mean to tell me that CSI, NCIS, Law and Order, Without a Trace, Cold Case and even Starsky and Hutch

[Tai-2]

No updates on any local stations :|.... real odd...
guess this drunk pilot isn't "big enough news" but HS football is...

[DaveSims]

No updates on any local stations :|.... real odd...
guess this drunk pilot isn't "big enough news" but HS football is...

Was he intoxicated?  I haven't read that anywhere yet, but if he was then he is done.

[beaky]

FWIW, here's some comments found on a pilot forum, posted by someone who seems to know more about the history leading up to this...

"The Airport Commission and the petty city of Griffith have had Dan in their cross hairs for years now. Ever since the Carvair accident about 8 years ago they have been trying to get rid of the DC-3 and the associated training activities. Recently they erected concrete poles at the approach end of the runway and Dan and AOPA made then remove them as they were illegal. Dan has been (harassed) ticketed for excessive noise (no mufflers on DC-3s), oil leakage on the ramp contaminating the water supply, improper oil storage (in the onboard DC-3 oil tanks), cited for parking his airplane where he had specific approval from the airport manager prior to his departure (later proved) He's also got the court system there in a bind because the city violated state and federal law in trying to evict him from the airport, but the judge has been sitting on the ruling for over three years rather than rule against the local officials there in their little town.The local cop pulling him over for driving on the airport is just another example. Hopefully the good is the Airport Commission and the Mayor will all be looking for new jobs. Dan finished changing a cylinder and was preparing to fuel up to do a run-up. The credit card did not work so he drove to the FBO to pay.
By the way, to the individual stating that he drives with the students on the airport demonstrating procedures and checklist usage, when I got my type rating this summer he did that but it was in the isolated area around his T hangar bank, not on taxi ways or runways. There is more to this than the media knows and like I said, I hope the city gets their house cleaned in the end. The only thing that he initially did that was in violation of FAR was not to provide a picture ID to the cop when requested. Whether or not she had authority to pull him over for driving on the airport in the first place will soon be seen. Yes he should have just taken the ticket and have it thrown out as has happened before."

[Tai-2]

No updates on any local stations :|.... real odd...
guess this drunk pilot isn't "big enough news" but HS football is...

Was he intoxicated?