MORON HITS PARACHUTE with RC PLANE

[Reza]

I read it many times and that's exactly how I felt about his post as well! Taking responsibility with humbling attitude in a mistake of this degree is the least you would expect!

Clearing what area, when one is not even supposed to be in the air while there are canopies?! This incident is not as a result of one mistake but series of mistakes one after another, poor judgment and total disregard of safety rules that were in place! After disregarding the safety rule that you are not supposed to fly when canopies are in the air and the face of Murphy's Law!

Hope all of us learn a lesson from this in being more careful and play it by rules in situations that can easily change into something of grave danger!

	Quote: Originally Posted by Judge
	I agree that some of his post comes off a bit arrogant

[bradn116]

Hey everyone. I am the guy that filmed this. Honestly, I now regret posting it to Youtube. I am deeply sorry for any troubles I may have caused anyone. It was not my intention to tarnish anyone's reputation. I am not in the sport of r/c, but I really hope I didn't ruin it for anyone else. Like I said, I regret posting the video. I probably shouldn't have drawn so much attention to it. I didn't think it would cause this much discussion. I just thought I captured something crazy on film and wanted to share it.
I would have joined one of these sites before but I only just discovered the discussions yesterday. It seems people have put the speculation to rest and even found out more than I knew, so I guess I'm not needed to answer any questions.
I saw in another post, a quote from another site talking about somebody trying to shut down Skydive Orange or something. I don't know details or the story behind this. For what it's worth though, I have always wanted to go skydiving (and still do), and I would love to make my first jump at Skydive Orange. I hope I'm not hated there now for drawing negative attention to the site.
So I guess that's what I have to say for now. I'm sorry for drawing negative attention to the sport of r/c flying or the DZ where the incident occurred. It was not my intention. I didn't want for people to use my video as ammunition against anyone. I hope I'm not hated.
Feel free to circulate this around any other forum sites with discussions about this video.

[bradn116]

Also, I forgot to mention, I currently changed the settings of the video so it is no longer viewable by the public. If people want me to delete it let me know. I know the damage is already done but just let me know if there's anything you want me to do. I feel terrible about this whole thing.

-Brad

edit: changing settings back by request.

[Al Lewis]

Don't sweat it. You didn't cause any problem for anybody. The dumbass with the RC plane did that all on his own. He is to blame for whatever happens and he alone. You have actually done a great service to the RC and Skydiving communities by bringing this to light.

[Extra nuts]

Brad, you probably saved someones life by posting that video. Mike French would have continued to act irresponsibly, and still might, if it wasnt for you bring his uncondonable behaivor to attention. We all owe you a big thanks if anything. You da man. Dont think that anyone has it out for the skydiving company either, they did nothing wrong. They should be happy you documented it. You have no enemies here Brad. Only grateful supporters of what you did. Keep smilin,OK.

[BOSSIER_ROB]

I agree with Al. You didn't do anything wrong. I think it's great that you caught this nonsense on film. It will reasure that this kind of bulls doesn't happen there again. Will it stop other idiots from doing the same thing? Probably not, but it WILL make someone think twice about doing something similar. Things like this need to be exposed so that the fools doing it can be punished by law to ensure others safety and keep our hobby from being in the public eye in negative ways. There's too many things poping up in the video world of stupid people doing foolish things with r/c aircraft such as the plane getting way too close to an airliner landing and the baseball game stopping for someone flying around the field. The more of these guys getting busted, the better. It's just rediculous that the pilot involved in your video was a skydiver. If anyone should know better, it was him. I bet if he was the one hanging from the chute and one of his cronies hit him with a plane, he'd see it differently. Think of how the person in that tandem rig could react. They could sue the hell out of that outfit, shut down the DZ, and go on a public crusade bashing r/c flying. These days, we have enough to worry about with people uneducated in the hobby. The last thing we need is more ammo on how unsafe and dangerous r/c is. Without that video, though, that incedent probably would have been swept under the rug.

[classclown]

I have been following this quietly because I now Mike. Most of you guys know that I usually talk smack, and if this had happened in the west coast or anywhere else, I probably would have been yackin like the rest of you. First of all, Mike is a stand up guy. He is not a retard, moron, or a dumbsh!t. He made a mistake, and he is horrified about the whole incident. He knows very well, what could have happened. Skydive Orange is a great outfit, that has run into some goofy situations this past year, after over 30 years of a clean record. So, what was this, the third incident? I guess everything should run smoothly for a while!!! I work at that airport and finally saw where he was standing, when he was flying that day. The video did not make sense to me until I saw where he was flying from. Basically, what you see in the video, he was in a completely different vantage point. He was standing next to our hangar, was flying around(the second video), when the chutes popped overhead(which is heard distinctively), he landed. He thought everyone was down, took off again. The jumpers came from behind the hangar, he tried to veer off and did not realize the plane was closer to the chute than he thought. He did not do this on purpose, these are his friends and customers. He made a bad decision to fly that day where he did. He is already paying the price, as this affects his livelyhood for some time. Lets not blow this up anymore than it already has, that might just spark the very thing we are all affraid off. Mike's post comes off a little on the harsh side, he is just under some pressure from this whole incident. Believe me, he is not like that at all. Steve

[SofaKing]

	Quote: Originally Posted by mikefrench
	Just so you all know I am the guy, and I am in contact with the FAA, the County and USPA. I probably have more RC time than any of you. There was no intention to buzz anyone. I tried to get clear and made a serious mistake. You all can run your mouths all you want but it will not help resolve your concerns about the future of RC. You all are doing a good job of adding gas to a fire. Feel free to come to Orange and discuss this if you like. I have been in to RC and skydiving for over 30 years with no prior issues. This was a serious mistake and I will have to deal with it. Move on with your selves and try not to make any mistakes of your own. Blue Skies

Mr. French,
The best way for you to "deal" with this is to cancel your AMA membership,
sell everything you own that is even remotely related to the RC hobby,
then swear you will NEVER pick up a trasmitter again so long as you shall live.
30 years experience... You should have dirtnapped the plane rather than try to fly anywhere near canopies in the air. More like 30 years of arrogance!
This is the single most irresponsible thing I have ever heard about related to the RC hobby.
You are an idot!

[Tired Old Man]

The problem was not in filming or posting the video, just as the arrogance that some have noted in Mr. French's post is not the problem. I believe Mr. French well understands the ramifications that will likely come from the incident.

The problem is that it happened at all. That R/C flying was permitted in an active D/Z is one issue. That an individual knowledgable of both R/C and skydiving was flying is another issue. The contact between the plane and the canopy is simply the result of the two issues.

A new issue is that the FAA is likely aware of the incident. Most don't have a clue just how precarious the future of R/C in this country is at the moment. There is an extremely influential and powerful group of individuals and corporations that are lobbying the FAA hard for airspace. That R/C is going to get hit with regulations in several areas is an absolute given. It's only the severity of those hits that's in question at the moment. This particular incident has provided the means for more regulatory oversight of the R/C industry that one can possibly imagine. Altitudes, airspeeds, aircraft sizes and weights, equipment certification, operator certification, are some of items that this incident might impact negatively. Yes, all of those items are currently on the table but few are aware of it.

Modelers can and have been their own worst enemies for a very long time, and the thought processes that take place permitting this type of activity are beyond shallow and self serving. Combine this with other incidents and activities posted in various locations and you have more than enough evidence of a need to better control R/C modeling through federal regulations. They already own ALL the airspace, but how they manage it has been pretty lax in some areas. I think you're going to see that change sometime next year.

This incident was by no means "the straw", but it certainly poured a heck of a lot more fuel on the fire than somebody flying a foamie through the window of a college classroom. BTW, that did happen a couple years back. Add in the people using explosives to blow up aircraft in flight, running into power lines, drawing a line on commercial aircraft in Australia, and a bunch of people trying to produce home made uav's, and you can see the writing on the wall.

[Mithrandir]

"There have been a tremendous amount of overreacting by the RC community"

That comment bugs me a bit... almost like they/he is pulling the "It wasn't that bad" thing to minimize the whole deal.... Trying to minimize the event and get it under the rug....

Hey... I think we oughta give Mike French the benefit of the doubt here now....

He screwed up, he knows he screwed up, he wishes he didn't screw up, and I bet he doesn't screw up again....

We can ourselves mitigate the potential damage by what????

In a unified voice say.... "That is not stuff we as RC Modelers engage in"......

And all of us take this event and use it as a learning experiance....
We gotta have situational awareness at all times!!! and a spotter is nice too!

I say Mike has been beaten enuff.....

[Judge]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Tired Old Man
	The problem was not in filming or posting the video, just as the arrogance that some have noted in Mr. French's post is not the problem. I believe Mr. French well understands the ramifications that will likely come from the incident. The problem is that it happened at all. That R/C flying was permitted in an active D/Z is one issue. That an individual knowledgable of both R/C and skydiving was flying is another issue. The contact between the plane and the canopy is simply the result of the two issues. A new issue is that the FAA is likely aware of the incident. Most don't have a clue just how precarious the future of R/C in this country is at the moment. There is an extremely influential and powerful group of individuals and corporations that are lobbying the FAA hard for airspace. That R/C is going to get hit with regulations in several areas is an absolute given. It's only the severity of those hits that's in question at the moment. This particular incident has provided the means for more regulatory oversight of the R/C industry that one can possibly imagine. Altitudes, airspeeds, aircraft sizes and weights, equipment certification, operator certification, are some of items that this incident might impact negatively. Yes, all of those items are currently on the table but few are aware of it. Modelers can and have been their own worst enemies for a very long time, (hey!! That's my line) and the thought processes that take place permitting this type of activity are beyond shallow and self serving. Combine this with other incidents and activities posted in various locations and you have more than enough evidence of a need to better control R/C modeling through federal regulations. They already own ALL the airspace, but how they manage it has been pretty lax in some areas. I think you're going to see that change sometime next year. This incident was by no means "the straw", but it certainly poured a heck of a lot more fuel on the fire than somebody flying a foamie through the window of a college classroom. BTW, that did happen a couple years back. Add in the people using explosives to blow up aircraft in flight, running into power lines, drawing a line on commercial aircraft in Australia, and a bunch of people trying to produce home made uav's, and you can see the writing on the wall.

Everyone needs to read and then re-read this post.

[cliff600]

	Quote: Originally Posted by classclown
	I have been following this quietly because I now Mike. Most of you guys know that I usually talk smack, and if this had happened in the west coast or anywhere else, I probably would have been yackin like the rest of you. First of all, Mike is a stand up guy. He is not a retard, moron, or a dumbsh!t. He made a mistake, and he is horrified about the whole incident. He knows very well, what could have happened. Skydive Orange is a great outfit, that has run into some goofy situations this past year, after over 30 years of a clean record. So, what was this, the third incident? I guess everything should run smoothly for a while!!! I work at that airport and finally saw where he was standing, when he was flying that day. The video did not make sense to me until I saw where he was flying from. Basically, what you see in the video, he was in a completely different vantage point. He was standing next to our hangar, was flying around(the second video), when the chutes popped overhead(which is heard distinctively), he landed. He thought everyone was down, took off again. The jumpers came from behind the hangar, he tried to veer off and did not realize the plane was closer to the chute than he thought. He did not do this on purpose, these are his friends and customers. He made a bad decision to fly that day where he did. He is already paying the price, as this affects his livelyhood for some time. Lets not blow this up anymore than it already has, that might just spark the very thing we are all affraid off. Mike's post comes off a little on the harsh side, he is just under some pressure from this whole incident. Believe me, he is not like that at all. Steve

Steve,
I am AMAZED at this post coming from you. Like you said, if this had been anyone, anywhere else, in any other situation, you would have been hunting the guy down yourself. It is still an incredibly stupid thing to have taken place. I don't know Mike French, but I would like to meet him.

Mithrandir,
I guess you are right too, we have bashed this guy pretty well. He had enough balls to come on here and admit to it. I am sure there are alot of other folks (airport authority types) waiting to talk to him too that will effect him way more than AMA.

We do all make mistakes (atleast I do) and I have seen a few others as well. Mike French (as you already know) this was an incredibly stupid thing you did. I, personally, think you should have had way better common sense, but it is done and over now. I am sure you will have some type of consequences for the whole thing and I am certain you will never do it again. I am sure you understand why we (including myself) have ripped you a new one. With that said, I am not sorry for what I have said about your actions, but with the state of this country at the present time, I will hope for the best for you.

[classclown]

	Quote: Originally Posted by cliff600
	Steve, I am AMAZED at this post coming from you. Like you said, if this had been anyone, anywhere else, in any other situation, you would have been hunting the guy down yourself. It is still an incredibly stupid thing to have taken place. I don't know Mike French, but I would like to meet him. Mithrandir, I guess you are right too, we have bashed this guy pretty well. He had enough balls to come on here and admit to it. I am sure there are alot of other folks (airport authority types) waiting to talk to him too that will effect him way more than AMA. We do all make mistakes (atleast I do) and I have seen a few others as well. Mike French (as you already know) this was an incredibly stupid thing you did. I, personally, think you should have had way better common sense, but it is done and over now. I am sure you will have some type of consequences for the whole thing and I am certain you will never do it again. I am sure you understand why we (including myself) have ripped you a new one. With that said, I am not sorry for what I have said about your actions, but with the state of this country at the present time, I will hope for the best for you.

Yes Cliff, unfortunate situation we have here. At least, on the bright side, the skydivers came out unscratched, with only damage to the chute. Mike is having it repaired, as we speak. Different situation when you know the person involved. I did'nt want to piss gas on the fire until I learned more about the incident. Steve

[Tired Old Man]

Makes me curious about air to ground communications at that field as well. There are common traffic advisory frequencies that have long been in place for use at full scale uncontrolled flying fields, and although not required in some airspace, most full scale aircraft have the ability to broadcast their intentions to other aircraft and ground facilities. I can't imagine that neither the pilot of the drop plane and the jump facility on the ground were not aware of the simultaneous activities taking place, and failed to curtail one or the other until the area was clear.

Sucks there was a mid air between manned and unmanned aviation but it's a done deal.

[Judge]

	Quote: Originally Posted by classclown
	I did'nt want to piss gas on the fire until I learned more about the incident. Steve

I think that perhaps there is a lesson here for all of us in this statement. Sadly on the Internet we are all too eager to grab our virtual pitchforks and torches to storm the castle yelling to kill the monster.