Surprise, Feds making it up as they go along!

So some somewhere got his panties in a bunch.  even more entertainingly the feds are claiming they have the right and authority to ban it and regulate it.

There are so many things I can comment about that piece. Such as “lets run to the airport and tell some pilots people are shooting skyward.” Tell me, what the hell is trap and skeet shooting, there’s a reason they use shotguns in the sport not rifles.

Moving forward we have the feds claiming their aircraft and creates a safety hazard while then having the following Charlie Foxtrot:

But the question here is not why the FAA considers hand-sized drones to be aircraft, regardless of their size or the altitude at which they’re operated.  But why it can’t decide that an 1100 pound passenger-carrying Flying Hovercraft that looks like an aircraft – wings and all – and can fly at speeds of 70 miles per hour (and more) and at altitudes of 20 feet to more than 50 feet in the air, over water or land, is also an aircraft.  These flying machines, called WIG craft or wing in ground effect craft, fly on the air cushion created by aerodynamic lift due to the ground effect between the craft and the surface, the same as occurs between any aircraft and the ground on landing.  

Not to mention the complete destruction of the hobbyist activity of RC aircraft by reclassifying everything as a drone. Know why the FAA is now going that route to attack the activity? Because they keep losing their arguments on why they have the power.

So here’s a set of rhetorical questions:

  • If our elected officials are not held accountable to the same laws and regulations they create over us, why should anyone comply or care?
  • If regulatory agencies are constantly modifying and changing the rules to grow their power, why should anyone comply or care about them any more?
  • If regulatory agencies are using their power to stop activities which harm no one but the people in charge disagree with for political reasons, why should anyone comply or care?

America is a Republic, and what we’re seeing is the destruction of law through bureaucratic fiat. Me thinks I need to build a couple just for lunch time destruction during Boomershoot. Hey if it’s my own personal property, !@#$ off! There isn’t any commercial aspect involved.

Barron why do you want to shoot at drones?
Because !@#$ YOU!!! That’s WHY!

**Seriously I had no interest in doing such a thing until I saw they’re trying to stop it. Now it’s like owning a 100 round drum magazine that freezes after firing 10 rounds. I need one just because you said I can’t have one!

Hat tip “The short lady with the grey hair” (Otherwise known as my mom.)

Puritan: Someone that is afraid someone, somewhere is having fun.

Blogging Might Be Irratic

You see I had to hop on one of these yesterday morning.

Thankfully the travel time was only 3.5 hours to our wonderful destination.  Yes, we were hauling ass and here’s the proof.

It is nice to not have to waste a whole day traveling, too bad the return trip isn’t going to be as nice.  Here’s the gallery of pictures from the flight, including the sunset at our destination as we arrived.

Luckily there’s some fellow bloggers in the area, one of whom I got to share company with last night for dinner.  Tonight I’m going to try and get together with another, assuming the meeting doesn’t run long.

Annoyingly the hotel I’m at doesn’t provide free Wi-Fi and wants a chunk of change for a mere 2 Mbits.  I have a better idea, “Smart Phone activate!”  Oh, is that a Wi-Fi access point my computer now sees.  I don’t need the fastest stuff in the world, but I would like decent reliable internet if I’m occupying your establishment.

I’ll blog when I can and I’m trying to get stuff scheduled up, but at the same time I’m going to be busy.  Check the people over on the side bar if you need a fix and I’m not providing.

So That’s What It Looks Like…

From the right front seat of an EA-6B.  As this route is out of the PNW, WA to be exact, I’m reasonably sure my dad probably saw it first hand.