[Steve R]

I often get calls from people who think they're speaking to somebody from a particular airfield, this is because I am an agent for a lot of lfying schools and figure fairly high in Google search results.

Today's was from a print journalist, looking to find out more about an incident.

Something about an autogyro, possibly being flown illegally, by anti-hunt activists, following and bothering a hunt for several days, which has resulted in injury or death to a hunt supporter and the arrests of the aviators. Long Marston was mentioned.

I've told said journo that I'm very,very keen to get ACCURATE information about GA procedures and incidents into the public domain, and I'm very cross about 'plummet' stories, and that if any of my 'contacts' (my honourable friends herein) knows anything reliable I might pass it on to him/her.

Steve R

edit: needless nastiness removed 21:56

[derekf]

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/278379.html

[Squadgy]

[url=http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/278379.html]Horse & Hound[/url]

[url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1160724/Two-men-arrested-suspicion-murder-pedestrian-following-hunt-killed-low-flying-gyrocopter.html]Daily Mail[/url]

[url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/7933734.stm]BBC[/url]

[Biggles150]

BBC

Beat me to it Squadgy

[G-BLEW]

Today's was from a (spits) print journalist, looking to find out more about an incident.

Unnecessary Steve, there are good and bad journalists, like pilots, and voucher sales people.

Ian

[Steve R]

I apologize Ian. Sorry.

Actually my ol' man used to be crime correspondent on the DM, and I don't spit when he's around either.

Steve R

[Timothy]

Those three reports seem very measured.

[JoeC]

BBC TV news report shows a registration of G-RIFS

[DamienB]

Which is the aircraft pictured in this thread:

http://www.hunting-directory.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1230198208

...about 'microlights' being used to 'monitor' hunts. The person killed was a member of that forum.

[EastburyFlyer]

If I'm right about the reg it's an MT03 made by Rotorsport. I'm sure you guys already know that. The name and address of the owner (Mr B.G.) is, of course, on the caa website, and I dare say that Plod will be paying him a visit. However, I understand that the pilot and passenger are in custody anyway, so that probably includes BG anyway.

What a stupid, senseless waste of a human life.

Some forum members will, I dare say. be anti-hunting, and some will be pro, but whatever your view on the hunting issue I'm sure our thoughts will be with the poor chap who was killed yesterday. It's rather early to pass judgement on the pilot and passenger but it doesn't look likely they will be needing to buy much avgas/mogas for a very long time to come. What idiots.

[EastburyFlyer]

Just wondering if the owner will say......." Sorry officer, I've no idea what happened. I just left it outside my house and somebody must have nicked it. I know it was silly to leave the keys in it and I should have reported it, but I was busy and just hadn't got round to it"

[Mike Cross]

Well there's a responsible and measured response to an incident where we have no knowledge of the circumstances.

[EastburyFlyer]

Mike

That's a fair point of yours. It doesn't look good, but you're right. We don't know the circumstances.

EF

[SteveC]

As an aside to the circumstances, I find it utterly amazing that a participant in one minority activity such as aviation that has it's own queues of detractors should choose to use it to become involved in the 'interference' of another minority activity.

I think as participants on such minority activity we should show some refrain from interfering with others in the same situation.

[EastburyFlyer]

There's a bit more detail here:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/u ... 877904.ece