Dave H
EAA # 688568
--- In Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com, "Bill C" <bczygan@...> wrote:
>
> I went back and read the EAA story. It's reprinted here. A few things about how the EAA handled this story make me mad. The EAA basically rephrased stories printed by others. In their hurry to get stories into print, and with limited resources, they don't seem to investigate. By doing this they amplify errors, falsehoods and incomplete reporting done by others, and spread this to a wider audience. In addition, the story stays the same on their website, with no corrections or retractions noted. They owe their members, and the wider aviation community the fiduciary duty to get it right the first time, and to show a record of changes and retractions when they happen. And in a deeper sense, they have a duty to defend pilots in the public forum, to educate the public, and to condemn other parties who make errors, as the Park Service did in this case. In jumping at the chance for a quick sensational story, they may have gotten eyeballs on the web page, but they have disappointed me in the things they didn't do.
> The web allows the space to fully discuss a story, something that print didn't allow. It's too bad that they don't use this advantage, but instead rewrite short sensational stories with hot button phrases and words like "Pilot Buzzes Lady Liberty", and "they weren't terrorism videos,"
> They condemned him with: "came within 150 feet of the Statue of liberty", "As with most airspace violations", "After his up-close look at the US landmark", "Maggio's familiarity with the airspace was antiquated".
>
> As it turns out, the only person who made a mistake that day was the Park Service employee.
>
> The EAA needs to look long and hard in the mirror. They need to ask themselves who they serve, and then each time a story materializes, They need to ask themselves "how do I best serve my members, pilots and aircraft owners, and the aviation community"? Sometimes waiting, not rushing to judgment, and for heavens sakes, not passing on bad reporting, is the best course. A later, less attention grabbing story would have been "Park Service Errs by Calling Cops on Pilot". It would have given the EAA a chance to wait for all the real facts to be found out, and then to respond with real educational information for pilots, the public and other agencies. It could have made us all more aware of the rules in the Hudson/NY area, and simply by refreshing us on those rules, impress on the general public, the professionalism of the EAA and its members.
> Their job is to foster a public view of pilots as responsible people with appropriate training and good judgment and skills. In this case, they missed their opportunity. I'm waiting to see if they can do better next time.
>
> Bill Czygan
> EAA Member No. 1006273
>
> Bill
>
> Here's the EAA story:
>
> Pilot Buzzes Lady Liberty in a Trike
> Monsoon trike
> File photo
>
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