The Definition of STUPID

Well, that's one 17 year old who just ruined his dreams of a career in aviation...
 
but..but...it was a DARE

you can't go against a dare in high skool. Its a law or something.

/sarcasm

I weep for the future.
 
Oh don't weep for the future... Odds are you or someone you knew was just as stupid back then. I was. I got busted my senior year for vandalizing the school. Nothing really malicious, just us being stupid teens. We spray-painted the Buckaroo Bonzai logo on the building...

Just weep for this idiot's future. He busted the height restrictions FAR, the "general safety" FAR and of course the standing TFR over stadiums...

Maybe if he's very, VERY lucky, the FAA will show him mercy and allow him to start over from scratch in a few years... like ... 7...
 
MrCrispy said:
but..but...it was a DARE

you can't go against a dare in high skool. Its a law or something.

/sarcasm

I weep for the future.
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Actually, he should have let the dare pass by. It's only when it reaches a double-dog dare that carry-through is required. It's a shame that he didn't know the dare regulations.
 
In ref. to STUPID, I assume you're talking about the 17 year-old. But what about this guy?

“My immediate reaction was that we were going to have a terrorist act of some sort,” said Vincent “Bud” Cesena, head of CMS law enforcement, who was among the 4,000 people in the stands.
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I can sure see why he'd immediately think that. I mean, Charlotte must be pretty high on the list of terrorist targets. Come on "Bud", get a grip.

MrCrispy said:
I weep for the future.
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So do I.
 
Greebo said:
Just weep for this idiot's future. He busted the height restrictions FAR, the "general safety" FAR and of course the standing TFR over stadiums...
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There are no TFR's for high school stadiums, yet...:(
 
I thought the TFR applied to any sporting event. Oh well, regardless, he's still got 2 on his hit list...
 
Bill Jennings said:
There are no TFR's for high school stadiums, yet...:(
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Greebo said:
I thought the TFR applied to any sporting event. Oh well, regardless, he's still got 2 on his hit list...
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My thought on the news reporting..Why isn't there some kind of rule that says you can't fly over crowds of people or something?
 
Stupid kid. But the reporter!
“My immediate reaction was that we were going to have a terrorist act of some sort,” said Vincent “Bud” Cesena, head of CMS law enforcement, who was among the 4,000 people in the stands.
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Everyone in town knows that his last name is Pieper, not Cesena!:rofl::D:goofy:
 
I've heard of things like this being done, but properly coordinated with the local authorities and waivers obtained through the local FSDO when necessary. For example, during one pep rally when I was in high school, a Cessna made a low pass (about 200-300' AGL) over the field. Never so low that it "dipped below the stadium lights". I've heard of other cases where it was arranged that a plane would do a low pass and drop some sort of mannequin dressed in the opposing team's colors onto the field, where the schools football team was waiting to dogpile on top of it. Once again, it was pre-arranged, precautions were taken, and no FAR's were broken or a waiver was obtained. I'm not sure of the details, and this second one could be urban legend, but there are ways to do things like this safely and legally - and not necessarily on a "dare".
 
HPNPilot1200 said:
It's a shame how one idiot who made the media can so easily ruin the public's respect and integrity for other young aviators throughout the nation.
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Jason, although I would agree, I suggest your statement would also be true if you deleted the word "young".

-Skip
 
gibbons said:
In ref. to STUPID, I assume you're talking about the 17 year-old. But what about this guy?
......
I can sure see why he'd immediately think that. I mean, Charlotte must be pretty high on the list of terrorist targets. Come on "Bud", get a grip.
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Chip, you have no idea how seriously some people take high school athletics. In their minds, there would be no better way to strike at the very fabric of American life...... Charlotte is on the edge of the south. Pull this stunt in rural Texas and the plane would have been shot down; I think they have phalanx systems mounted and at the ready on every high school stadium down there....

-Skip
 
i was never much of a football fan in high school. i always thought it would be fun to drop a couple rolls of toilet paper on the field some friday night.
 
CapeCodJay said:
4000 people for a high school game - wow!
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Ever live in the south? Friday night HS football in the rural areas is huge!! When I lived in San Angelo they had what seemed like the whole town turn out for games.

The Bulldogs up in Abilene seated over 7000 people in their stadium!!

Shortly after 9/11 there was a blankett NOTAM that prevented people from using the airspace within 3 miles of a sporting event. That was changed to the major leagues and NCAA division 1 type events. Otherwise most of the airports in AMerica were shut down each and every Friday night and Saturday morning.
 
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The last few Friday nights, I've been out in the boonies making hospice med deliveries. After about 10PM, I get stuck behind buses and a lot of other vehicles for the crowds crisscrossing various county lines for the football games. Scott's very correct. HS football is almost bigger and more important than pro and dang near college ball.

Regardless, the kid was indeed stupid. He deserves whatever sanctions come his way. As said, I hope he gets mercy and is allowed to re-enter aviation in a few years... hopefully after growing up.
 
This whole situation really ticks me off. If you're going to be a pilot, be a pilot. If you're going to be a stupid immature high school student, be a stupid immature high school student. But please don't do both!

I made a choice a little over a year ago that I wasn't going to be a stupid immature high school student. Even little things like showing up to parties where under-aged drinking is involved can hurt you and your reputation.

I really hope this guy gets his certificate revoked. He sure doesn't deserve it.
 
RossFischer said:
This whole situation really ticks me off. If you're going to be a pilot, be a pilot. If you're going to be a stupid immature high school student, be a stupid immature high school student. But please don't do both!

I made a choice a little over a year ago that I wasn't going to be a stupid immature high school student. Even little things like showing up to parties where under-aged drinking is involved can hurt you and your reputation.

I really hope this guy gets his certificate revoked. He sure doesn't deserve it.
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Don't hold back Ross, tell us how you really feel! :D:D:D

But yep, I cannot find any fault in what you are saying. What he did reflected on all of us. It says to the public we are a bunch of spoiled idiots. He does not deserve the privilege of flight. Harsh, but that is the way I see it too.
 
RossFischer said:
This whole situation really ticks me off. If you're going to be a pilot, be a pilot. If you're going to be a stupid immature high school student, be a stupid immature high school student. But please don't do both!

I made a choice a little over a year ago that I wasn't going to be a stupid immature high school student. Even little things like showing up to parties where under-aged drinking is involved can hurt you and your reputation.

I really hope this guy gets his certificate revoked. He sure doesn't deserve it.
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You are wise, young grasshopper.

I talked to an elderly lawyer many, many years ago who had handled lots and lots of CFIT fatality cases. They were all buzz jobs. They were almost all kids, although we know there are plenty of cases of older pilots managing to die doing the same thing.

If you want to be become a professional pilot you have to remember not to be a member of the gang. You don't get to have to one DUI or drug bust, that "everybody" does. Even in my day, it would have been tough for me to just set sail from the guys when things are looking to be getting bad, but that is what is required.

A certain celebrity that had a bright future is wishing right now he had done that. He even had said publicly he had to be careful. http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-labeouf_personalsnov05,1,2336765.story?coll=chi_mezz
 
Skip Miller said:
Jason, although I would agree, I suggest your statement would also be true if you deleted the word "young".

-Skip
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Certainly correct, Skip.

I also echo Ross's comments. As a high school student, I share similar values and have already made the choice to not be one of those types who shows up to underage drinking parties. The 17-year old in this particular story is just plain stupid, like the stupid immature kids I see every day at school. Such is life.
 
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RossFischer said:
This whole situation really ticks me off. If you're going to be a pilot, be a pilot. If you're going to be a stupid immature high school student, be a stupid immature high school student. But please don't do both!

I made a choice a little over a year ago that I wasn't going to be a stupid immature high school student. Even little things like showing up to parties where under-aged drinking is involved can hurt you and your reputation.

I really hope this guy gets his certificate revoked. He sure doesn't deserve it.
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Well said. I received my PPL when I was 17 and have always had the same view. It hasn't failed me yet.

Perhaps the next time I'm in Oklahoma we could meet up.
 
Thanks for the comments guys. It's nice to be backed up every once in a while.

Jesse, let's do it. I'll take you around (or up, whichever you prefer) a show you the sights.
 
Not meaning to hijack this thread (I agree with Ross's take on it) but a couple of years ago I was returning from a trip back east, flying US Air from Philly to Denver on an absolutely clear evening.

It was an early evening flight, on a Friday... I had heard about the movie and TV show about High School football, called "Friday Night Lights", but have never watched either. But I did play football for my school, under the lights.

During the course of the 2.5 - 3 hr flight, I was just amazed by what I saw- every town along our route had a stadium lit up. The larger towns had several! Even from 30,000' (+/-), it was an impressive sight I will always remember.

It really did drive home how much high school sports does impact this country!

Now, back to ragging on this dufus 17 y.o. kid.....
 
Well, the school suspended him and his passengers.
Highlights from the article for me are the glaring error in the minimum age for a pilot's license:
From the Charlotte Observer
Morris received his pilot's certificate in July, FAA records show. The minimum age is 16.
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Also, I liked this statement - it appears that he was planning this for a while:
From the Charlotte Observer
Hopewell junior Kaleb Combs, a friend of Morris', said students collected $700 at the game for his bail if he'd been charged. He said many students knew in advance of plans for the flyover.
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And this one just ticks me off:
From the Charlotte Observer
North Mecklenburg parent Beth Plummer said she feared for her family's life. The plane was so low she could make out its numbers and the faces of the pilot and passengers.
"In this day and time, you think terrorist attack," she said, "and whether someone's coming out to hurt us."
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Way to be brainwashed by the media, lady! Moron.
My feeling is that since he was obviously planning this for a while, he could have coordinated it with the school officials and gotten the necessary permissions from the local FSDO to do a low pass, or at least tried to. Who knows, he might have tried to get permission and was denied, then did it anyway. If that's the case, then he definitely should have a longer suspension if not a revocation. If he just didn't bother trying to get permission, then a short-term suspension should be sufficient.
 
t0r0nad0 said:
If he just didn't bother trying to get permission, then a short-term suspension should be sufficient.
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I disagree there. He shows either 1) ignorance of basic regulations pertaining to his PRIVILEGE of being a pilot, or 2) willful violation of those regulations.

Either way, he is not fit to be PIC.

Let him be popular on the ground.
 
in my younger years I ascribed to the motto of "easier to get forgiveness than permission" ... in my not-so-younger years it's morphed into "discretion is the better part of valor" ...
 
gkainz said:
in my younger years I ascribed to the motto of "easier to get forgiveness than permission" ... in my not-so-younger years it's morphed into "discretion is the better part of valor" ...
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Amazing how we get wiser as we get older. Must come from all the mistakes we make as we go along. :D
 
Ghery said:
Amazing how we get wiser as we get older. Must come from all the mistakes we make as we go along. :D
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Or...I was a lot smarter when I was younger and my parents were dumber. :D
 
a local contractor used to have a bumper sticker on his van that said "hire a teenager while they still know everything"
 
smigaldi said:
No but I have watched a few older people that I really respect lose their ability to think. My dad died of Alzheimer's. Even my mom was starting to have signs of senility.
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And we lost my mother-in-law to Alzheimer's, too. Not nice to watch at all.

Sitting in the hospitall waiting room right now. Dad's been in surgery for pancreatic cancer for the past 8 hours and we're not sure how much longer it is going to take. We're praying for a good outcome.

This getting older stuff is for the birds, but it beats the alternative.
 
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