Pilot charged with Manslaughter

On Thu, 21 Dec 2006 06:41:18 -0800, Gig 601XL Builder wrote
(in article ):

PILOT CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER AFTER FATAL CRASH

How terribly unfortunate.

"Christopher Campbell" wrote in message
e.com...
On Thu, 21 Dec 2006 06:41:18 -0800, Gig 601XL Builder wrote
(in article ):

PILOT CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER AFTER FATAL CRASH

How terribly unfortunate.

Unfortunate for who? If you mean the passengers (assuming they A. Didn't
know he didn't have a license and B. Didn't know he was drunk) or all the
legally licensed, safely aviators out there who have what we do lessened
somewhat in the eyes of the general public then I agree.

If you mean for that asshole then well...

On Thu, 21 Dec 2006 09:50:39 -0800, Gig 601XL Builder wrote
(in article ):


"Christopher Campbell" wrote in message
e.com...
On Thu, 21 Dec 2006 06:41:18 -0800, Gig 601XL Builder wrote
(in article ):

PILOT CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER AFTER FATAL CRASH

How terribly unfortunate.

Unfortunate for who? If you mean the passengers (assuming they A. Didn't
know he didn't have a license and B. Didn't know he was drunk) or all the
legally licensed, safely aviators out there who have what we do lessened
somewhat in the eyes of the general public then I agree.

If you mean for that asshole then well...



Flying without a license did not kill his passengers, any more than flying
without a flight plan kills anyone. Having a license does not make you a
better pilot.

There are guys who have flown for many years without a license, even filing
and flying IFR in multi-engine aircraft. I do not approve of breaking the
law, of course, but I have been around long enough to know that someone who
is flying illegally may not be any more dangerous than those who are flying
legally.

Drunk, of course, is another matter.

I think there is something wrong with charging a guy with murder because he
did not have a piece of paper from the government. Charging someone with
murder for flying without a license is pure vindictiveness -- punishment for
daring to defy governmental authority. It is not any more dangerous to fly
without a license than with one. You should only be charged for murder if
reckless behavior led to a death. I have no problem with charging him with
murder if he was drunk.

Christopher Campbell wrote:

I think there is something wrong with charging a guy with murder because he
did not have a piece of paper from the government. Charging someone with
murder for flying without a license is pure vindictiveness -- punishment for
daring to defy governmental authority. It is not any more dangerous to fly
without a license than with one. You should only be charged for murder if
reckless behavior led to a death. I have no problem with charging him with
murder if he was drunk.

So if someone who had never been to medical school posed as a surgeon
and operated on your wife or child and killed them, you'd be OK if they
weren't charged with murder? After all, a medical license is just a
piece of paper from the government.

Matt

On Thu, 21 Dec 2006 13:51:55 -0800, Matt Whiting wrote
(in article ):

Christopher Campbell wrote:

I think there is something wrong with charging a guy with murder because he
did not have a piece of paper from the government. Charging someone with
murder for flying without a license is pure vindictiveness -- punishment
for
daring to defy governmental authority. It is not any more dangerous to fly
without a license than with one. You should only be charged for murder if
reckless behavior led to a death. I have no problem with charging him with
murder if he was drunk.

So if someone who had never been to medical school posed as a surgeon
and operated on your wife or child and killed them, you'd be OK if they
weren't charged with murder? After all, a medical license is just a
piece of paper from the government.

He should be charged for murder if he made mistakes in procedure that would
not be expected of a licensed surgeon. He should not be charged with murder
simply because he did not have a license. He should be charged with murder
because of actual reckless behavior, not for simple non-compliance with a
government regulation.

Christopher Campbell wrote:
On Thu, 21 Dec 2006 13:51:55 -0800, Matt Whiting wrote
(in article ):


Christopher Campbell wrote:


I think there is something wrong with charging a guy with murder because he
did not have a piece of paper from the government. Charging someone with
murder for flying without a license is pure vindictiveness -- punishment
for
daring to defy governmental authority. It is not any more dangerous to fly
without a license than with one. You should only be charged for murder if
reckless behavior led to a death. I have no problem with charging him with
murder if he was drunk.

So if someone who had never been to medical school posed as a surgeon
and operated on your wife or child and killed them, you'd be OK if they
weren't charged with murder? After all, a medical license is just a
piece of paper from the government.


He should be charged for murder if he made mistakes in procedure that would
not be expected of a licensed surgeon. He should not be charged with murder
simply because he did not have a license. He should be charged with murder
because of actual reckless behavior, not for simple non-compliance with a
government regulation.

Then why have licenses at all?

Matt Whiting writes:

Then why have licenses at all?

Two reasons come to mind: (1) they can serve to restrict employment in
a given field (all too common, unfortunately); and (2) they can serve
as a cheap but very inferior substitute for individual competency
testing.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

Matt Whiting wrote:
Then why have licenses at all?

Rhetorical question, I know...

Because they're an indicator that an individual has been trained for a
task to a known standard of competancy. I know of a local guy that
*did* take flying lessons at one point but never got his license, who
got busted not too long ago for flying a King Air 200 for a charter
company. Unbelievable that this could slip between the cracks.

"Christopher Campbell" wrote in message
e.com...
On Thu, 21 Dec 2006 13:51:55 -0800, Matt Whiting wrote
(in article ):

Christopher Campbell wrote:

I think there is something wrong with charging a guy with murder because
he
did not have a piece of paper from the government. Charging someone with
murder for flying without a license is pure vindictiveness -- punishment
for
daring to defy governmental authority. It is not any more dangerous to
fly
without a license than with one. You should only be charged for murder
if
reckless behavior led to a death. I have no problem with charging him
with
murder if he was drunk.

So if someone who had never been to medical school posed as a surgeon
and operated on your wife or child and killed them, you'd be OK if they
weren't charged with murder? After all, a medical license is just a
piece of paper from the government.

He should be charged for murder if he made mistakes in procedure that
would
not be expected of a licensed surgeon. He should not be charged with
murder
simply because he did not have a license. He should be charged with murder
because of actual reckless behavior, not for simple non-compliance with a
government regulation.



The lack of a license is prima fascia evidence that he does not have the
skills. It would then shift the burden of proof to him to prove that he did.
This would count for brain surgery or flying.

Gig 601XL Builder writes:

The lack of a license is prima fascia evidence that he does not have the
skills.

No. The possession of a license is prima facie evidence that he has
the skills, but the converse is not true. Many people may have the
skills but choose not to get the license. There are far fewer people
who do not have the skills and yet manage to get the license.

It would then shift the burden of proof to him to prove that he did.

Having an accident can be pretty good evidence that he lacked skill.
Not having an accident can be pretty good evidence that he had skill.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.