Tue, Apr 26, 2011
Calls Renewed Following Fatal Accident Over The Weekend
Pilots and city officials once again find themselves defending
Rocky Mountain Airpark in Elbert County, CO. The Airpark operator
and a passenger were fatally injured Saturday when the Carbon Cub
they were flying went down.
Carbon Cub File Photo
Pete Vinton, who was the operator of the fly-in community
outside Denver, was the pilot in command of the Carbon Cub when the
accident occurred. One neighbor told Colorado television station
KKTV that the residents of the community were "big boys with toys"
who present a danger to those living in the area. Another said
pilots performed "acrobatics" such as "hammerheads" and low-level
passes.
Pilots tell a different story about Vinton and the Airpark. One,
a friend of Vinton's, said those who were complaining are "not
familiar with aviation." He said Vitnon was always "sensitive"
about noise abatement, and worked hard to respect homeowners in the
nearby area. An Elbert County Commissioner said that the
airport was there "long before housing sprang up around it," and
that Vinton worked hard to restrict flights into and out of the
Airpark.
The accident is one of several over the past few years,
according to the station, but was the first fatality. Vinton had
told the station back in 2006 following a non-fatal accident that
the pilot had followed proper procedure in putting an airplane down
in a open field. "Obviously, they don't want to head for any houses
or anything," he said at that time.
More News
How To Get A Story On Aero-TV News/Feature Programming How do I submit a story idea or lead to Aero-TV? If you would like to submit a story idea or lead, please contact Jim Campbel>[...]
Aero Linx: International Association of Professional Gyroplane Training (IAPGT) We are an Association of people who fly, build or regulate Gyroplanes, who have a dream of a single >[...]
NORDO (No Radio) Aircraft that cannot or do not communicate by radio when radio communication is required are referred to as “NORDO.”>[...]
Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS) The operation of a UAS beyond the visual capability of the flight crew members (i.e., remote pilot in command [RPIC], the person manipulating th>[...]
Aero Linx: Malibu M-Class Owners and Pilots Association (MMOPA) The Piper M-Class Owners & Pilots Association (PMOPA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the interest>[...]