[kghjfg]

I can't believe plod aren't involved. I remember a TV program about a car where an irate farmer blocked it in with a tractor, demanding monies. Plod were involved pretty quickly. Said farmer had even put up notices, but plod made him move it.

I also can't believe it's not gone viral.

I bet it would be illegal if they came and parked on my drive and I blocked their car in and told them they could remove it by dismantling it.

I can't believe it's not gone viral, I wonder why it wouldn't benefit the aircraft owner if it did.

[Keef]

I can't help thinking the blocking in of an aircraft is illegal, for all the reasons given above. There was a time when miscellaneous oddbods used to clamp cars and demand a ransom. That was made illegal. That same law may apply here.


I would imagine the owner also has a legitimate claim for compensation for the illegal withholding of property. What's the daily hire rate for the aeroplane in question?

Flying Lawyer may have a view.

[Whiskey Kilo Wanderer]

Hi Folks,

Latest update from the aircraft owner and his visit to Plymouth yesterday. Sadly it wasn't very productive, with the Security Guards ‘just doing as they had been instructed’.

He asked to:

1.Retrieve his belongings from the aeroplane.

2. Check that the tail around the stern post & the lower parts of the wings were not full of water (being a tail dragger made of wood & fabric).

3. He also asked to move it into a hangar, as he is concerned that by being subject to the elements the aeroplane will deteriorate rapidly.

These requests were all refused and he was escorted rather rudely by a security guard away from their car park area onto the public road.

The main problem seems to be that there is no one in the company that he can actually talk to. It seems to be being handled by a junior manager, who is understandably more interested in preserving his job than the plight of a small aeroplane.

I've not followed the Plymouth Airport saga, but there does seem to be a large political back-story.

To a humble farm strip flyer like myself, the obvious answer would be to let it fly away and simplify everyone’s life. It seems that the landowner is now trying to add costs of ‘security’ and ‘legal’ and lump them on the aircraft owner. This is a Jodel not a Lear Jet, guess the value from AFORS. If their claim gets much bigger they might find themselves the proud owners of a Jodel, to go with their ex. Airport.

Thanks for your support, interest and encouragement.

Safe Flying.
WKW.

[Flyin'Dutch']

He needs to ring the Police and tell them that they are preventing him for accessing/removing his property.

That will focus their minds.

In the meantime

1. Find friendly lawyer - write letter that any damage to the aeroplane as it is left out there will be theirs to recompense
2. Ring LAA for advice
3. Ring AOPA - if member for legal advice. FOC to start off with.

[joystick]

I think you need publicity he is getting nowhere doing it their way... where are all the celebrities when you need them !

[Waveflyer]

If the owner is not being supported by his insurers I can let him have a truck with a crane.

We work nights

[richardpw]

The sad reality is that Plymouth is now probably the worst place to make a precautionary landing due to the owners wish to develop the site for non aviation uses. It does however have protected status as an 'airport' even though it is a 'closed airport' so the infrastructure hasn't changed much since it was operated as a busy commercial and GA airport. Landing 'anywhere' else near by would probably have resulted in the ability to take off subject to it being safe to take off... I suspect that they do not want the public to see an aircraft take off from the site even though the runway is perfectly safe to use. Getting Legal advice and perhaps the national media involved might be the way forward. Surely the CAA would agree that landing there was the best, most sensible option to take upon encountering a low cloudbase.

[malcolmfrost]

I can't find it now! but there was something about Sutton Harbour profits that had been made solely as a result of the rates on Plymouth airport being reduced by some £200k as a result of it no longer being active. perhaps they are scared that if someone is allowed to take off, it will be seen as active again......

[gfry]

I would go mob handed with my own "security" and fly it out....simples.

[Genghis the Engineer]

1.Retrieve his belongings from the aeroplane.

These requests were all refused and he was escorted rather rudely by a security guard away from their car park area onto the public road.

That sounds like theft to my legally unqualified mind, and very good reason to call the police.


Does seem to me that, although personally I'm quite a long way away, this is a good case and need for aviators solidarity. I'd certainly be glad if I could to provide help to somebody in such a situation, as allowing a company to treat a pilot and their aeroplane like this once, just creates a precedent from which we can all suffer later.

This Jodel pilot has probably actually done massive damage to the company by using it as an airport for that one emergency landing. Frankly however, he was in the right, and they are just profiteering and now being bloody difficult. If they don't yet have planning permission to develop the site - then evidence in the public domain that a life was saved by being able to use the runway for an emergency diversion when the nearest other runway was some miles away will do their case enormous damage.


Presumably these security guards, in following orders to break the law, are also placing themselves at risk of arrest?


G

[Frank Leopald]

A question to help understand the status of the runway. Are large white crosses painted on each threshold and in the mid point?

It wouldn't stop me making a forced landing but their absence could prove helpful.

I agree with the get legal advice advice.

FL

[jollyrog]

Does the poor pilot have legal representation?

We could have a whip round?

Some kind of immediate court order may be the fastest solution, before the rain gets it and causes damage that stops it being flown away.

[richardpw]

FL, yes the runway does have crosses marked on it.

[trapdoor]

What's needed is an 'Airplane Repo' style of retrieval.

Even though there is 'security' on site, knowing just how bloody lazy these caretaker security guards are especially at night/early morning should make an out of hours retrieval possible. It also seems that this pilot/owner has quite a few supporters on here and PPRUNE so maybe a concerted effort by local aviators could assist getting him airborne is as quick a time possible, assuming the aircraft hasn't been knobbled by the landowner in some way. Surely the concrete blocks could be manhandled out of the way to allow the aircraft to be pushed onto the runway? There are also enough perimeter roads to effect access to the site without going via the main gate.

If it were my aircraft I'd certainly not be being quite as patient.

[davey]

If it was my aircraft, someone trying to stop me removing it would be rather bruised by now...

I would also welcome any legal comeback as I know I would win that one as well.