Gosh i love the Media!! :D

They must have fixed it, since I didn't see a reference to cropduster anywhere. (I'm very happy the headline/article didn't say anyone was killed or injured badly, though.)

terry
 
The line "The Cessna 150 airplane sustained minimal damage" used to say "The crop duster airplane sustained minimal damage."
 
Ken Ibold said:
The line "The Cessna 150 airplane sustained minimal damage" used to say "The crop duster airplane sustained minimal damage."
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I sent the editor an email complaining that they should check facts before they post a story. He emailed me back and appologized and said he fixed it.
 
ausrere said:
I sent the editor an email complaining that they should check facts before they post a story. He emailed me back and appologized and said he fixed it.
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Way to go, Lisa! Someone ought to offer to take the reporter and/or editor for a tour around a GA airport, offer a little education on private planes, makes and models, and then give 'em a demo ride.
 
gkainz said:
Way to go, Lisa! Someone ought to offer to take the reporter and/or editor for a tour around a GA airport, offer a little education on private planes, makes and models, and then give 'em a demo ride.
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I try to do that when I relocate or when the local paper changes the airport/aviation authority beat reporter. Usually the reporter is receptive. Particularly illuminating is the simulated engine-out glide to a field.
 
Ken Ibold said:
I try to do that when I relocate or when the local paper changes the airport/aviation authority beat reporter. Usually the reporter is receptive. Particularly illuminating is the simulated engine-out glide to a field.
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My fear would be having my words twisted against me by the reporter. I'd hate to be the indirect cause of more public hysteria.

How do you make sure that doesn't happen? (I have friends that work for the Albuquerque Journal, so I'd really like to know).
 
SkyHog said:
My fear would be having my words twisted against me by the reporter. I'd hate to be the indirect cause of more public hysteria.

How do you make sure that doesn't happen? (I have friends that work for the Albuquerque Journal, so I'd really like to know).
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Reporters typically have a mission when they leave the comfort of their cubicles: feed the copy monster. The first step is to nip that in the bud. Give the reporter a call and say you'd like to offer them help understanding general aviation. Do not tie it to any news event (at first) and do not offer a flight. Meet in a neutral spot. I usually pick a coffee shop near the airport. Talk about FBOs, flight schools, airport tenants, anything that allows you common ground. Once you become the reporter's "friend" you are no longer the reporter's "target." Then casually say, "My airplane is right over there. Would you like to take a short flight and see how it works?" 10 times out of 10 you'll get "Sure!" (Remember that most reporters are young and impressionable.)

I typically drive them to the airport, explaining the type of airplane they are about to fly in and how it is similar and different from all the other ones. Speak in broad terms and don't get too technical. I sometimes call for a briefing on my cell phone from the car (with them present) so they can see there is method to the madness. Since I started this I've been based at a towered field, and I make sure to fly to a nearby uncontrolled field so they can see it's not pandemonium. Do a few landings so they are comfortable. Then I fly to a practice area, MAKE SURE THE AIRPLANE IS TRIMMED PERFECTLY, and turn the yoke over to them. Some straight and level, some turns. Then I take it back and do a simulated engine out. Invariably a light goes off in their head and they then realize the airplane WANTS to fly, not crash.

If they're really into it, I sometimes do some steep turns or chandelles or something. Then back to the airport. In any case, leave 'em wanting more. Then I give all three phone numbers to them and encourage them to call if they have any questions, even if it's just for background or if they don't understand the importance of something. I also say that if there's a crash and they're not sure what they're writing I'll be glad to help.

Having Aviation Safety in my background may help my credibility somewhat, but I think this is something any pilot could pull off.
 
Just so you all know..

They Used Cropduster on the 1800 evening news ... i laughed yet again..
 
smigaldi said:
Did DHS check the 'cropduster' for anthrax yet???
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Had not thought of that connection before you mentioned it ... I forgot that "crop duster" = "anthrax" = "terrorist attack" = "DEADLY SMALL AIRPLANES" in the headlines :mad:
 
Darrell111 said:
Just so you all know..

They Used Cropduster on the 1800 evening news ... i laughed yet again..
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yeah.. his email said that they corrected it "after" the 6 o'clock news in the broadcast version. I'm in Austin, so I didn't see it at 10 to see if it was corrected or not. I was pleasantly surprised that he emailed me back in less than 20 minutes though. I immediately checked the web story and it was corrected as he promised. That was about 2100 last night.
 
ausrere said:
yeah.. his email said that they corrected it "after" the 6 o'clock news in the broadcast version. I'm in Austin, so I didn't see it at 10 to see if it was corrected or not. I was pleasantly surprised that he emailed me back in less than 20 minutes though. I immediately checked the web story and it was corrected as he promised. That was about 2100 last night.
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Seriously though.. good looking out. I would have never thought to do that. I think they should consult actual pilots about this kind of stuff before they go telling millions of poeple wrong info.
 
Ken Ibold said:
Give the reporter a call and say you'd like to offer them help understanding general aviation.
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Ken,

That advice is golden! Saved to the desktop. Now to go find a reporter...

Actually, the little local weekly paper is quite aviation-friendly. They show pics of Young Eagles flights about once a month, and they get aerial photos of major construction projects and such. The big dailies, however...

How do you find out who does the aviation beat?
 
flyingcheesehead said:
How do you find out who does the aviation beat?
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Depends on the size of the paper. For a medium city's daily, typically there will be a govt reporter type working on the city desk who covers the airport authority or whatever governing agency the airport has. You can just call the city editor and ask. If the paper has a reasonable business section and the airport is in town, there will probably be a different reporter who covers the business side of the airport. In that case, call the business editor and ask, or just watch the paper and look for bylines.

Note that these people will NOT be the ones who will report on airplane crashes. That will be the folks on the cops beat, and if it's after hours or on a holiday or weekend it will be THE most junior reporter on the staff. So what you want to do is get in good with the beat reporters and they will talk about how cool it was to fly around, and then your name will get out. You can also suggest to the city govt type (or to the city editor) that you can help shed insight when there is a plane crash, if that's the sort of thing you want to get involved in.
 
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