[ExI] The Flight of the Lawn Chair Man, Part II

spike spike66 at att.net
Sun Jul 6 05:15:45 UTC 2008


 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org 
> [mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of 
> Amara Graps
...
> 
> What is is about Americans who like to take flights in lawn 
> chairs hovering ~15,000 feet altitude, lifted by helium balloons?

If you want to make a joyride in the sky, this is probably still the most
economical way to do it.  Comparable in cost to a commercial plane ride
perhaps, but with with the balloons one is so much more out there.

> 
...
> In April the FAA signalled their willingness to compromise by 
> dropping one of the charges (they'd decided his lawnchair 
> didn't need an air-worthiness certificate after all) and 
> lowering the fine to $3,000.
> Walters countered by offering to admit to failing to maintain 
> two-way radio contact with the airport and to pay a $1,000 
> penalty if the other two charges were dropped. The FAA 
> eventually agreed to accept a $1,500 payment because "the 
> flight was potentially unsafe, but Walters had not intended 
> to endanger anyone... Amara Graps, PhD  

What bothers me about this is that the FAA is essentially claiming ownership
of the skies.  Well who decided they own the air?  Why should not some crazy
yahoo be free to fly, so long as the damages are paid should she fall upon
some hapless prole?

spike

  





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