A Cowboy - In More Ways Than One.

[red750]

I will let the story say it all.

 

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/tv-star-faces-charges-for-chopper-antics/story-e6frg6nf-1226242939104

 

.

 

 

[dazza 38]

A bit if a beat up.They fly helicopters like we drive cars.

 

 

[TAA Student Pilot]

That's a pun Dazza? If you go further into the article there is more involved than an isolated incident. GA is the same as RAA, you have rules if you want such freedom to fly. To me the issue is more a legal mine field, they are not arguing if he did it or not, the huge money is spent finding if the evidence they have to use was attained to the letter of the law and can be used. The more bottom feeding, scum sucking, low life parasite legal mercenaries are involved on both sides of any argument the more we lose.

 

 

[Spin]

Methinks Casa has been drawn a little too deeply into the concept of reality TV - everything is exaggerated and overhyped, reality being a fairly elastic concept. That said from my limited exposure to the Aussie GA business, there is undoubtedly a commercial competitor standing behind Casa-man whispering accusations in his ear and driving the witch hunt.

 

I wouldn't be amused if someone started playing those games at the local lake, over Joe Public, but I think it is a bit precious to get over involved in what someone is doing with his family, in his aircraft and on his property.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Whats wrong with him towing his son water skiing.The only trouble I see is the chopper is alot more expensive to operate than a boat(and it ending up on film).They are in the NT, everybody knows that country folk are not too worried or know about every rule.As to the picking up croc eggs without a CPL .Realy who cares ? He probably knows how to fly a helicopter , better than 90 percent of Commercial Heli Pilots in this country anyway.Maybe these guys get a bit complacent being in the middle of nowhere These guys hop in helicopters or fix wing aircraft and used them the same as we use use our cars to go to the corner store.Im pretty sure Milton Jones is quite capable, of flying a helicopter .I watched the the episode of the alledged beer drinking.(I have seen all the episodes).Hard to tell.The tape has been cut.Does not show him going straight from a beer to hoping in the chopper.

 

 

[TAA Student Pilot]

A comparison would be old mate doing beat ups then hitting the water in his Saphire. Good clean harmless fun? Didn't hurt anybody so it's OK? Everyone know's there's an odd yobo flying RAA but that's OK cause he was just letting of some steam?

 

With the Jones's thing if you read further they operate 40+ Aircraft, do you think there might be a bit more to this than just some clueless bureacrat having a go at some great bloke for having a good time?

 

As I said we are free to fly the way we do within the rules, we are all under the same rules. If you go back into the not too distant past you will remember how hard it was to fly light Aircraft, that is available to many people now. If you fly WITHIN the rules.

 

 

[Spin]

No actually there is no comparison with old mate and his drowned Sapphire, if you re-read the submissions above you'll see that Jones' supposed "antics" had nothing to do with the public whatsoever - private property anyone?

 

Don't get me wrong, I think he was daft to give every holier than thou, nitpicker, ammunition but it is difficult not to see this as a manifestation of the tall poppy syndrome.

 

 

[Guest avi8tr]

The waterskiing bit as fun as it looked would be bordering on reckless flying unfortunately, even if on private property. He would need to be rated on sling loads probably too. Anyone remember the video of the Jetranger towing the power boat and it all went bad? I know the kid doesn't weight much, but the line could get snagged and anything could happen.

 

The Crocodile eggs one appears a little unfair on the surface. What they don't tell you though is where he is collecting them from. If it was someone else's property he would need to be a CPL, but you'd think if it was his own property a PPL would suffice.

 

 

[cficare]

read the article...they ain't wearing seat belts and the dog ain't restained and the kid is holding a 'protected' species...so what!

 

 

[Rotorwork]

Casa spent millions on this!

 

Fly Safe

 

RW:rotary:

 

From ABC News

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-05/helicopter-licence-breaches-shown-on-reality-tv/5867782

 

A Northern Territory man has won a battle against the cancellation of his helicopter pilots' licence after aviation safety authorities saw him breaking flying rules on a reality television show.

 

Milton Jones and his family starred in a TV show titled Keeping Up with the Joneses, based on their lives on a Northern Territory cattle station.

 

But the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) cancelled Mr Jones's private helicopter licence saying the show revealed incidents that breached flying rules.

 

Mr Jones appealed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal about the cancellation of his licence despite admitting he had made a number of errors.

 

But Mr Jones disputed the seriousness of some of the breaches and argued there was disagreement over whether some of the matters alleged against him were actually breaches of the rules.

 

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal found Mr Jones did breach rules on a number of occasions, including low flying incidents "that were plainly unrelated to his agricultural ... operations".

 

"The scene in which he hovered above a watercourse while baiting a bull-shark is one example," senior tribunal member Bernard McCabe said.

 

"So too, the scene in which he hovered above a waterhole attempting to snare and tow an enraged crocodile.

 

"Even more dramatically, there was a scene in which Mr Jones flew low over a stretch of water as he raced his brother-in-law on a jet ski, and another scene in which he towed his son Beau on a wave board."

 

... his unusual experience doing dangerous work in a remote location has seen him develop a skewed perception of, and tolerance for, risk.

 

CASA noted there were also a number of occasions on the show where Mr Jones was seen exiting the helicopter while the engine was still running and he was the pilot in command.

 

Mr Jones said there were good reasons not to shut down the engine when the helicopter landed at a remote point because if the engine did not restart, the pilot might be stranded.

 

Mr McCabe said while there was some merit to the argument, during filming Mr Jones was often accompanied by a film crew who could have come to the rescue if the helicopter had not restarted.

 

"I formed the strong impression that Mr Jones routinely alighted from the helicopter while the engine was running and there was no one at the controls - or leaving his young son at or in reach of the controls, which is worse," Mr McCabe said.

 

But the tribunal found that at first glance some CASA requirements seemed almost surreal, such as requiring a person wear a high visibility vest while being lowered into a crocodile nest armed with only a radio and a stick.

 

Mr McCabe said he was satisfied that Mr Jones was an intelligent and skilful pilot.

 

But he said the pattern of conduct shown on the television show demonstrated Mr Jones' "knowledge of the relevant rules and procedures is deficient" and "his unusual experience doing dangerous work in a remote location has seen him develop a skewed perception of, and tolerance for, risk".

 

The tribunal set aside the cancellation of Mr Jones's licence but ordered him to take remedial training on flying rules and pilot responsibility within 28 days, otherwise his licence would be suspended.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Casa spent millions on this!

You Guys have got to put t stop to all this nonsense, there's rights and then there's the right to be human and you are being denied that right.

 

 

[av8vfr]

"Mr Haslam also alleged Mr Jones used two helicopters to collect crocodile eggs without a commercial licence, also punishable with two years' jail."

I read this as a commercial licence to harvest croc eggs maybe? Nothing wrong with a private pilot flying someone to a location for free. Doesn't appear he needs the fuel money..