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From: nathanm@hp-pcd.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.legal
Subject: Re: Roadblocks, etc
Message-ID: <11200001@hp-pcd.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 13-Jul-84 14:24:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: hp-pcd.11200001
Posted: Fri Jul 13 14:24:00 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 16-Jul-84 05:04:46 EDT
References: <3108@brl-tgr.UUCP>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard - Corvallis, OR
Lines: 40
Nf-ID: #R:brl-tgr:-310800:hpcvre:11200001:000:1894
Nf-From: hpcvre!nathanm    Jul 11 13:24:00 1984

Comparing restrictions on pilots to restrictions on drivers
is not particularly valid, although I hasten to add that I
am rabidly totalitarian on the drunk driving issue.

Obtaining flying priveleges is considerably more difficult
than obtaining driving priveleges.  On the other hand, enforcement
of the myriad regulations is a lot tougher.  The fact is, there
is no foolproof way to keep idiots out of the sky.  By and
large, the system works.  But I would like to cite a couple
of instances illustrating the system and its problems/benefits.

At a fly-in at the Lebanon, Oregon airport a couple of years
ago, some of the attendees at the party went flying around
in a four-seater belonging to another attendee (who was not
on board).  They tried some low-altitude maneuvers, crashed
and were all killed.  None aboard was wearing seat belts and
tests showed that all had been drinking.  Naturally, the owner
of the aircraft denies lending out his keys, claiming that the
use of the aircraft was unauthorized.  The old rule, "eight
hours from bottle to throttle", was obviously not observed
and there was no "roadblock" to the commission of an act of
incredible stupidity.  (Lebanon, like many small airports,
has no airline service or control tower.  Having a control
tower would have added the minor stumbling block of having
to sound coherent on the radio to be cleared for takeoff.)

Airline pilots are subject to much more stringent rules than
are private pilots.  Among these are the requirements for
a physical exam every six months.  One pilot I heard of
obtained his physical at an airport between flights.  The
doctor grounded him right there and then because he failed
the blood pressure test.

I have no conclusions or important points to share beyond
the mere mention of these instances to supplement the
point made by brl-tgr!abc.

----------
Nathan Meyers
hplabs!hp-pcd!nathanm