PLT OF A CESSNA 208B COMPLAINS OF HARASSMENT OVER SKYDIVING FLTS OPERATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH FARS NEAR BOSTON.
Synopsis
PLT OF A CESSNA 208B COMPLAINS OF HARASSMENT OVER SKYDIVING FLTS OPERATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH FARS NEAR BOSTON.
Narrative
ON THE MORNING OF SEP/XA/99 AT APPROX XA30 AT THE MGJ ARPT; I PLTED AN ACFT TO DROP SKYDIVERS. I CONFIRMED THAT MR X (OUR MANIFEST COORDINATOR) HAD CONTACTED MR Y AT THE ARPT OPS TO FILE THE APPROPRIATE NOTAM. HIS WORDS WERE; 'DO YOU WANT THIS UNTIL XB00?' MR Y SAID WE PROBABLY WON'T JUMP THAT LONG BUT WOULD BE FINE. I AM ALSO AWARE OF THE WORDING OF FAR 105.17 AND BASED UPON FEDERAL COURT ORDER THE ARPT IS REQUIRED TO GRANT SKYDIVING OPS UNLESS THEY GIVE REASON IN WRITING. IN THIS CASE AS PER MR Z (THE OWNER OF CPR X) THERE WAS NO SUCH CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED FROM THE COUNTY ARPT. AFTER THE APPROPRIATE SAFETY BRIEFING; WE DEPARTED AND SUCCESSFULLY DROPPED AND I LANDED AT THE ARPT. UPON SHUTDOWN OF THE CARAVAN; A STATE POLICE OFFICER SHINED HIS SPOTLIGHT ON ME AND ASKED ME TO EXIT THE ACFT. THE HELPFUL OFFICER TOLD ME THAT THE FAA HAD CONTACTED HIM AND WANTED TO KNOW WHO WAS FLYING THE ACFT. SITTING IN THE R SEAT OF THE CAR WAS AN ARPT OFFICIAL. I IMMEDIATELY PROVIDED THE OFFICER WITH THE APPROPRIATE INFO. FEELING THAT I HAD DONE NOTHING ILLEGAL OR BROKEN ANY FARS; I ELECTED TO FLY ANOTHER LOAD OF SKYDIVERS. DURING BOTH FLTS I WAS IN FULL CONTACT WITH BOTH NEW YORK APCH AND ZBW. NEITHER CTR EVER ADVISED ME OF ANY PROBS. ALL STANDARD SAFETY CALLS WERE MADE OVER UNICOM FREQ. UPON LNDG; I LEARNED THAT AN INDIVIDUAL HAD ANNOUNCED OVER THE UNICOM THAT WE WERE NOT AUTH TO SKYDIVE AND THAT WE WERE IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE FARS AND THAT THE AUTHS HAD BEEN NOTIFIED. MY PERCEPTION IS THAT ANYBODY COULD HAVE MADE THAT CALL ON THE RADIO. FURTHERMORE; IT IS RATHER IRONIC THAT IN THE PRESENCE OF BOTH THE STATE POLICE AND THE ARPT OFFICIAL; NEITHER MENTIONED THAT I WAS DOING ANYTHING WRONG OR VIOLATING ANY FARS. WHY WOULD THIS PERSON TRY TO CAUSE PROBS AND WASTE THE TIME AND RESOURCES OF BOTH THE FAA AND THE STATE POLICE? SOUNDS LIKE THIS PERSON OBVIOUSLY HAS PERSONAL ISSUES THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO ANY PROPER AND LEGAL FLYING THAT I PERFORM. NATURALLY THESE THINGS ARE RARE AND DO CAUSE SOME CONCERN; THEREFORE; I PERSONALLY WARRANT MY FACTS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.