NC-R.I.P.
I promised to tell you about the most foolish pilot yet alive. At a time when new Civil Aeronautics regulations are going into effect, it is appropriate. With this yarn in mind, it is easier to understand the WHY of flying regulations.

Driving down a highway some distance from Warsaw, we were intrigued momentarily by the crazy antics of a light airplane ahead of us.

My family was in the car. We stopped, which was a mistake, for the car became the object of this fellow's buzzing tactics. Within ten minutes we observed this flying sequence:

The plane dived at our car, pulling up abruptly from an altitude lower than the telephone lines along the road. Flew a short distance and repeated the performance over an other auto full of people. Then dived at two sets of farm homes, dusted off the silo and barn of each.

 

Pilot landed, let a passenger out and took on a new one. Took off DOWNWIND in a 15-mile per hour breeze, made shallow skidding turns at about 50 feet, climbed to less then 1,000 feet, where he went into a five-turn tailspin. I held my breath until he came out, giving him the benefit of the doubt at between 300 and 400 feet. He immediately pulled the plane up into two complete stalls, working lower each time.

Then he playfully came over the road again, doing a "Grandpa Snazzy" act; that is, putting the airplane through all kinds of gyrations, up and down, sideways, generally making a fool of himself, endangering his passenger, the occupants of the automobiles driving along the highway and anyone else unlucky enough to be in the neighborhood.

A little investigation discloses that he has only a student permit, very few hours in the air. He uses a private field, has no operator on his neck to hold him down. Hauls passengers who don't know any better than to ride.

The day he purchased the airplane he took it off without having ever soloed in it.

CAA inspectors can't be every place at once, but common sense should tell anyone not to ride with a guy like that. He will kill himself and unfortunately, take others with him.

People in his neighborhood are getting the idea that flying is like that. Flying is NOT like that.

An airplane is only the instrument. The way it is flown is up to the pilot. Out of one thousand pilots, you won't find more than one who tries to commit suicide and kill his friends and bystanders. One crash, caused by this type of flying, can set aviation back years in the confidence of the general public.

When you observe a deal of that kind, don't judge aviation by the exhibition. It isn't smart flying. It isn't good flying. It isn't normal flying. And it isn't safe flying. One bad apple can spoil the barrel. This boy's airplane, instead of carrying NC numbers, should carry "R. I. P." For he will.

New Rules October 8
Acrobatic flight over any town or settled area is now expressly forbidden at any altitude. They are forbidden within any control zone or civil airway. Acrobatics are against the law, lower than 1,500 feet or when visibility is less than three miles, anywhere.

Over cities and towns, pilots must now fly at 1,000 feet above the highest obstruction and high enough to glide to a safe landing. That makes the low altitude over Warsaw 1,200 feet.

There is a new reckless-flying law with teeth in it. "Buzzing" any vehicle, structure or person is reckless flying. Under Indiana law it always has been and most inspectors have always interpreted Federal law as such. It now says so specifically.

Flying within 500 feet of any person, vehicle or sturcture is reckless flying. The 500-foot minimum flight law over open country is back in effect. Anything under 500, except in a practice area and under supervision is reckless flying. Planes may not fly close enough to each other to create a collision hazard.

Planes on cross-country flight at more than 3,000 feet, must cross airways and control zones at the correct specified altitude for the direction in which they are traveling. A little research into the CAR will give you this information.

Special regulations governing helicopters have been set up. They may, in a nutshell, fly at any altitude, even over towns, but must pick the safest route.

As you can see, these regulations protect the pilot from himself, protect the innocent bystander.

Most pilots at conventional and regular airports are careful and conscientious. They want to live too. They are safe to ride with and can give you an enjoyable ride, absolutely devoid of "thrills." They can and will. Try it sometime.

Bob Herendeen, son of Mentone Flying Service operator, Chick, on his way to Galesburg, Illinois. Entering the Curry Aeronautics school. He will be an A & E, pick up commercial instructors' rating, too. Bob has acquired a Stearman biplane so he can fly home weekends. Mentonne's G.I. school waiting for the nod from Indianapolis to go ahead.

Warsaw Daily Times, Wed. Oct. 1, 1947

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