I'm beside myself

[guns68]

I went out to the airport (an unsecured airstrip) this afternoon. I had a boy scout troop coming out and I wanted to make sure everything was good to go with my aircraft. when I got out there I noticed that someone had moved the prop, messed with the engine cowling (one of the diaper pins was missing, I did find it on the ground over by the left tire) and to my unbeliving eyes, they had walked on the fuselage! It looked like they may have gotten up on the boot cowl and then left foot prints almost to the tail! Thank goodness they did not bust though the fabric or bend anything. Need less to say I am livid! Made a police report and the officer said they would step up patrols at the airport, but still. I'll probably do the better part of an annual before I go flying, just to be sure.

[senior]

Re: I'm beside myself

SOAB....I'd be livid to
Hope everythings good!

[1938BF50]

Re: I'm beside myself

If and when they find the kid(s) offer to take them flying instead of prosecuting....you could change a life forever. Kids do stupid stuff(I know I did).

[Carl E. Carson]

Re: I'm beside myself

That is really a tough thing to have happen.

A few years ago I had two kids messing with my Taylorcraft and a buddy's Aeronca Champ. Fortunately an airport neighbor, also a pilot, saw them by the planes, went over and talked to them and they even gave him their names. They were inside both planes, took the fire extinguisher out of mine and sprayed it on the fuselage and on the ground. All this happened about dusk. I called the family of the one who sprayed the extinuisher, reported what had happened and told them they needed to meet me and the Champ owner at the planes at 8:00 the next morning.

Mom and son showed up, dad was traveling. We reviewed what happened, the boy was jr. high age, was very sorry about it, mom was shocked that he and his friend would do such a thing, both made apologies several times. I gave both of them a stern lecture about this type of "messing around" and possible offenses. (I'm a retired school principal so I know how to do that.) Then I told mom to go home as the boy was mine the rest of the day. I told her we were going to talk some more, wash and in general clean up the plane, he needed to replace my extinguisher, and when the work was done we were going flying and I would bring him home later. It was a good time to talk to him about aviation, the principles of flight, respect for private property, trespassing issues, etc. I later received a letter from the family thanking me for what I did and assuring me that it would never happen again.

This was at a grass strip, an open hangar next to a newer housing development, fortunately no damage was done to either plane. This was about six years ago and there has never been another incident. Hopefully it was a lesson learned for the boys and their families.

Carl

[freightpilot27]

Re: I'm beside myself

Back in the '70s my father owned a Luscombe 8A he had spent 4 years restoring with my grandfather. About a month after they completed the restoration, my father and I arrived at the airplane tied down outside and found someone had smeared dog poop all over the interior and panel. I mean, every square inch was covered.
He never found who did it.

I would NOT have the patience to spend time with the culprit and teach them about respect like there parents obviously didnt do. I would have prosecuted, if i hadnt rung there necks and buried them under the tie downs first.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: I'm beside myself

Now we know why the ground is so lumpy around the tie down area!
Hank

Most common thing for a parent to say in this situation.
WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!!!!

Most common response.
I WASN'T thinking.

Kids have to be TAUGHT to think. Ring the parents necks, then introduce the kids to aviation. Good on you Carl. Not sure if I would have had the patience either.