Austin, Texas, Scam Snares Unwary Pilots

[Andy Shane]

I just got finished a 777 Tokyo trip with the most meticulous,
cautious
captain I've seen in years.

He (and earlier another American pilot) recently got caught up in
Lakeway's New
Millenium version of a rural southern speedtrap.

My guy landed in daylight, having been giving sightseeing rides to
residents. At about 100 feet on short final, he heard a voice saying
that the airport was closed.

The comment made no sense, and he landed.

Ten minutes or so later, as he walked to his car, a constable pulled
up
and issued him a $ 1 , 2 0 0 "citation" for landing after sunset.

Never mind the fact he'd been on the ground for some time: he had no
proof of actual landing time. It became obvious to him, as he
protested this injustice, that he'd uncovered a carefully planned
scheme to defraud hapless visitors to this community.

Protesting it in a rigged local court proved nearly pointless. He
ended up "negotiating" the fine to $750 and was put on two-year
"probation" for this criminal act.

The general aviation community has no room for sleeze of this nature,
and its pilots need to be made aware that these Lakeway miscreants
have somehow infiltrated our ranks.

Add Lakeway to Crawford as qualifying for the "black magic-marker
treatment" on your Texas sectionals!

[Almarz]

Has anyone contacted AOPA about this Texas justice?

On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 20:40:51 -0600, Andy Shane
> wrote:

>I just got finished a 777 Tokyo trip with the most meticulous,
>cautious
>captain I've seen in years.
>
>He (and earlier another American pilot) recently got caught up in
>Lakeway's New
>Millenium version of a rural southern speedtrap.
>
>My guy landed in daylight, having been giving sightseeing rides to
>residents. At about 100 feet on short final, he heard a voice saying
>that the airport was closed.
>
>The comment made no sense, and he landed.
>
>Ten minutes or so later, as he walked to his car, a constable pulled
>up
>and issued him a $ 1 , 2 0 0 "citation" for landing after sunset.
>
>Never mind the fact he'd been on the ground for some time: he had no
>proof of actual landing time. It became obvious to him, as he
>protested this injustice, that he'd uncovered a carefully planned
>scheme to defraud hapless visitors to this community.
>
>Protesting it in a rigged local court proved nearly pointless. He
>ended up "negotiating" the fine to $750 and was put on two-year
>"probation" for this criminal act.
>
>The general aviation community has no room for sleeze of this nature,
>and its pilots need to be made aware that these Lakeway miscreants
>have somehow infiltrated our ranks.
>
>Add Lakeway to Crawford as qualifying for the "black magic-marker
>treatment" on your Texas sectionals!
>

[OtisWinslow]

Did he have witnesses with him as to what time he landed?

Did he post a notice on airnav.com so others won't fall into
the same trap?

Seems like it wouldn't be hard to bait them and then bust
them for their little scam.



"Andy Shane" > wrote in message
...
>I just got finished a 777 Tokyo trip with the most meticulous,
> cautious
> captain I've seen in years.
>
> He (and earlier another American pilot) recently got caught up in
> Lakeway's New
> Millenium version of a rural southern speedtrap.
>
> My guy landed in daylight, having been giving sightseeing rides to
> residents. At about 100 feet on short final, he heard a voice saying
> that the airport was closed.
>
> The comment made no sense, and he landed.
>
> Ten minutes or so later, as he walked to his car, a constable pulled
> up
> and issued him a $ 1 , 2 0 0 "citation" for landing after sunset.
>
> Never mind the fact he'd been on the ground for some time: he had no
> proof of actual landing time. It became obvious to him, as he
> protested this injustice, that he'd uncovered a carefully planned
> scheme to defraud hapless visitors to this community.
>
> Protesting it in a rigged local court proved nearly pointless. He
> ended up "negotiating" the fine to $750 and was put on two-year
> "probation" for this criminal act.
>
> The general aviation community has no room for sleeze of this nature,
> and its pilots need to be made aware that these Lakeway miscreants
> have somehow infiltrated our ranks.
>
> Add Lakeway to Crawford as qualifying for the "black magic-marker
> treatment" on your Texas sectionals!
>
>

[Andy Shane]

According to him, he not only pointed to witnesses, but also stated
that the time it took to secure the airplane alone demonstrated he'd
landed before Lakeway's defined sunset time.

The cop said none of this made any difference.

In other words, their revenue-generating mechanism wasn't about to be
thwarted by logic or decency.















On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 16:05:37 GMT, "OtisWinslow"
> wrote:

>Did he have witnesses with him as to what time he landed?
>
>Did he post a notice on airnav.com so others won't fall into
>the same trap?
>
>Seems like it wouldn't be hard to bait them and then bust
>them for their little scam.
>
>
>
>"Andy Shane" > wrote in message
...
>>I just got finished a 777 Tokyo trip with the most meticulous,
>> cautious
>> captain I've seen in years.
>>
>> He (and earlier another American pilot) recently got caught up in
>> Lakeway's New
>> Millenium version of a rural southern speedtrap.
>>
>> My guy landed in daylight, having been giving sightseeing rides to
>> residents. At about 100 feet on short final, he heard a voice saying
>> that the airport was closed.
>>
>> The comment made no sense, and he landed.
>>
>> Ten minutes or so later, as he walked to his car, a constable pulled
>> up
>> and issued him a $ 1 , 2 0 0 "citation" for landing after sunset.
>>
>> Never mind the fact he'd been on the ground for some time: he had no
>> proof of actual landing time. It became obvious to him, as he
>> protested this injustice, that he'd uncovered a carefully planned
>> scheme to defraud hapless visitors to this community.
>>
>> Protesting it in a rigged local court proved nearly pointless. He
>> ended up "negotiating" the fine to $750 and was put on two-year
>> "probation" for this criminal act.
>>
>> The general aviation community has no room for sleeze of this nature,
>> and its pilots need to be made aware that these Lakeway miscreants
>> have somehow infiltrated our ranks.
>>
>> Add Lakeway to Crawford as qualifying for the "black magic-marker
>> treatment" on your Texas sectionals!
>>
>>
>

[Mackfly]

>Subject: Austin, Texas, Scam Snares Unwary Pilots
>From: Andy Shane

all that about rotten airport / cops----
How about a few pilots going over there about closing time and doing a bunch on
"near" touch and go's? Two, three feet off the runway, power up and go around.
Fly out of the pattern and come back and do it again???? small N numbers
would be a good idea-------Mac

[Gord Beaman]

(Mackfly) wrote:

>>Subject: Austin, Texas, Scam Snares Unwary Pilots
>>From: Andy Shane
>
>all that about rotten airport / cops----
>How about a few pilots going over there about closing time and doing a bunch on
>"near" touch and go's? Two, three feet off the runway, power up and go around.
>Fly out of the pattern and come back and do it again???? small N numbers
>would be a good idea-------Mac

Likely give 'em the idea if you get a bunch of guys together and
do a dozen or so each between 0200 and 0400 AM maybe?...likely
more than one way to skin a cat...
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)