Bird plane runs afoul of federal regulators

[Synicus Maximus]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Ten young whooping cranes and the bird-like plane they think is their mother had flown more than halfway to their winter home in Florida when federal regulators stepped in.

Now the birds and the plane are grounded in Alabama while the Federal Aviation Administration investigates whether the journey violates regulations because the pilot was being paid by a conservation group to lead the cranes on their first migration instead of working for free.


http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_WHOOPING_CRANES_GROUNDED?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-01-07-03-24-15

[Fumesucker]

1. If it was someone being paid to lead a bunch of hunters to the cranes..

It would be no problem..

Ready, fire, aim..

[Major Nikon]

6. It would still be a problem

If you want to get paid as a pilot, the pilot and the aircraft have to be certified under rules that allow for it. The rules are very strict and are applied to all pilots equally.

[tawadi]

2. Oh for fucks sake. Let the damn birds migrate.

[eppur_se_muova]

3. No free enterprise for thee, only for me. nt

[leveymg]

4. Looks like the remake of "Fly Away Home" won't have such a happy ending

An underappreciated classic, and one of my family's favorite flicks:

[HopeHoops]

8. That's one of the best movies ever - especially since it actually happened.

I'm sure there were some artistic liberties taken, but the story is true.

[RC]

5. I think maybe the FAA could do a better job by working for free

What does being paid vs doing it for free have to do with anything?

[Major Nikon]

7. Because those rules were written in blood

They came from days when unqualified pilots were being paid to fly aircraft unsuited for the job with predictable results. Even with those rules in effect, earning a living as a commercial pilot is still quite dangerous. Imagine how much more so it would be without them.

[RC]

9. flying for free is somehow safer?

[Major Nikon]

10. Yes, generally

Flying for free means you're not carrying paying passengers, and it means you're not doing things like crop dusting, pipeline patrol at 200' off the ground, flying banners, etc.