Strange vehicle hanging out near runway

[Robert M. Gary]

I went for a quick flight yesterday evening and I notice a couple of
guys hanging out near the end of the runway. This is a pretty quiet
airport so people around are noticable. At first I thought they were
watching someone solo. However, as I taxied by them I noticed that
they were in a John Deere mule with a orange and white checkered flag.
I don't know many people who drive around in mule's with checkered
flags. Could this have been the FAA or CalTrans? They were there when
I returned. Luckily I didn't land before the numbers this time (1/2
our runway is displaced so pilots often land before the numbers).

-robert

[Gig 601XL Builder[_2_]]

Robert M. Gary wrote:
> I went for a quick flight yesterday evening and I notice a couple of
> guys hanging out near the end of the runway. This is a pretty quiet
> airport so people around are noticable. At first I thought they were
> watching someone solo. However, as I taxied by them I noticed that
> they were in a John Deere mule with a orange and white checkered flag.
> I don't know many people who drive around in mule's with checkered
> flags. Could this have been the FAA or CalTrans? They were there when
> I returned. Luckily I didn't land before the numbers this time (1/2
> our runway is displaced so pilots often land before the numbers).
>
> -robert

Well at least they had the flag. Could they have been a contractor
checking the lights or something?

My field is getting a ton of work done we have bulldozers and huge dump
trucks driving around with those flags.

[Blueskies]

"Robert M. Gary" > wrote in message
...
>I went for a quick flight yesterday evening and I notice a couple of
> guys hanging out near the end of the runway. This is a pretty quiet
> airport so people around are noticable. At first I thought they were
> watching someone solo. However, as I taxied by them I noticed that
> they were in a John Deere mule with a orange and white checkered flag.
> I don't know many people who drive around in mule's with checkered
> flags. Could this have been the FAA or CalTrans? They were there when
> I returned. Luckily I didn't land before the numbers this time (1/2
> our runway is displaced so pilots often land before the numbers).
>
> -robert

Camarillo?

Anyway, sounds like someone watching. This is what the airport watch is for. Did you contact anyone 'official' about
them?

[Robert M. Gary]

On Mar 5, 2:53*pm, "Blueskies" > wrote:
> "Robert M. Gary" > wrote in ...

> Anyway, sounds like someone watching. This is what the airport watch is for. Did you contact anyone 'official' about
> them?

I guess not because they seemed "official". We don't have a full time
airport manager so I didn't have anyone to call right then and there.

-Robert

[[email protected]]

On Mar 5, 2:49*pm, "Robert M. Gary" > wrote:
> I went for a quick flight yesterday evening and I notice a couple of
> guys hanging out near the end of the runway. This is a pretty quiet
> airport so people around are noticable. At first I thought they were
> watching someone solo. However, as I taxied by them I noticed that
> they were in a John Deere mule with a orange and white checkered flag.
> I don't know many people who drive around in mule's with checkered
> flags. Could this have been the FAA or CalTrans? They were there when
> I returned. Luckily I didn't land before the numbers this time (1/2
> our runway is displaced so pilots often land before the numbers).
>
> -robert

Anyone working on an airport needs to display this style of flag. it
could have been people spraying for weeds, surveying, fixing lights,
fixing fences, a contractor looking over the place before he/she bids
on a job or 100 other good reasons to be there. It is a high
probability there were legit.. The ones who you should really be
looking close at are the ones just on the outside of the fence, with
binocs, a walkie talkie and dressed in camo. Remember, it is up to all
of us pilots to challange anyone who looks suspect. If it bothered you
enough to post this here then you probably should have taxied back and
quizzed them right after you landed,,,
Jus my ol opinion ya know...

[Ron Lee[_2_]]

"Robert M. Gary" > wrote:

>I went for a quick flight yesterday evening and I notice a couple of
>guys hanging out near the end of the runway. This is a pretty quiet
>airport so people around are noticable. At first I thought they were
>watching someone solo. However, as I taxied by them I noticed that
>they were in a John Deere mule with a orange and white checkered flag.
>I don't know many people who drive around in mule's with checkered
>flags. Could this have been the FAA or CalTrans? They were there when
>I returned. Luckily I didn't land before the numbers this time (1/2
>our runway is displaced so pilots often land before the numbers).
>
>-robert

Is this the airport that had a plane crash just after liftoff a year
or so ago?

Ron Lee

[Robert M. Gary]

On Mar 5, 3:57*pm, (Ron Lee) wrote:
> "Robert M. Gary" > wrote:

> Is this the airport that had a plane crash just after liftoff a year
> or so ago?

Yes. We're also fighting with the state to keep our night ops
certiicate. Several local airports have either had to close at night
or put up dangerous high lights to keep their Cal-trans night permits.
The state has really stepped up the airport permit requirements in the
last 10 years. That's why I was thinking it could have been cal-trans.
We've also gotten a lot of guff from the state because many of us
drive on the taxiway, because there is no road from the ramp to the
electric gate and we're too lazy to get out of the car and unlock the
gate. However, its never resulted in an incident that I'm aware of
because there is little traffic at the airport.

-Robert, CFII

[Jim Stewart]

Robert M. Gary wrote:
> On Mar 5, 3:57 pm, (Ron Lee) wrote:
>> "Robert M. Gary" > wrote:
>
>> Is this the airport that had a plane crash just after liftoff a year
>> or so ago?
>
> Yes. We're also fighting with the state to keep our night ops
> certiicate. Several local airports have either had to close at night
> or put up dangerous high lights to keep their Cal-trans night permits.
> The state has really stepped up the airport permit requirements in the
> last 10 years. That's why I was thinking it could have been cal-trans.
> We've also gotten a lot of guff from the state because many of us
> drive on the taxiway, because there is no road from the ramp to the
> electric gate and we're too lazy to get out of the car and unlock the
> gate. However, its never resulted in an incident that I'm aware of
> because there is little traffic at the airport.

I've always wondered about the 'no driving on
taxiway' law. Our airport is posted as-such,
but there are lots of buildings that can only
be reached by the taxiway. I've never seen
the law enforced and I suspect it's more to keep
kids from racing their motorcycles than anything
else.

[Robert M. Gary]

On Mar 5, 7:23*pm, Jim Stewart > wrote:
> I've always wondered about the 'no driving on
> taxiway' law. *Our airport is posted as-such,
> but there are lots of buildings that can only
> be reached by the taxiway. *I've never seen
> the law enforced and I suspect it's more to keep
> kids from racing their motorcycles than anything
> else.

yea, it seems pretty dumb. However our airport manager tells us that
when Cal-Trans sees it they give him a pretty hard time about it. He
said they've said they may close some of the gates to prevent it. Cal-
Trans is really going nuts. They're taking away night permits at
airports throughout California left and right. They claim there isn't
enough clearance at night from trees adjacent to the runway. These
trees have been where they are for hundreds of years, the trees
haven't changed but the rules have. Unfortunately it takes a very long
and complicated environmental review to cut back trees that have been
there for hundreds of years.

-Robert

[Gig 601XL Builder[_2_]]

Robert M. Gary wrote:
> Unfortunately it takes a very long
> and complicated environmental review to cut back trees that have been
> there for hundreds of years.
>
> -Robert

Or a few hours in the middle of the night with a drill, funnel and
diesel fuel.