Any Golfers On MooneySpace ?

[MooneyMitch]

Neighbor Raises Flagpole On Short Final

By Geoff Rapoport

Relations between pilots at Columbia County Airport and the neighboring Meadowsgreen Golf Course in Ghent, New York have been strained since a pilot reported a golfer taking aim and striking an aircraft in flight with a golf ball ten years ago. Earlier this spring, the owner of the golf course, Carmen Nero, escalated the conflict by putting up a flagpole on short final for Runway 21. “It was Earth Day and I put up a flag and planted some flowers,” Nero told the local newspaper. “A person can put an American flag up. I pay property taxes.” The flagpole is estimated to be 20 to 25 feet high, located 200 feet from the start of runway pavement and 360 feet from the start of the displaced threshold, according to Daniel Spitzer, a local pilot. Although the patriotic protest almost rises enough to meet a 4-degree glide slope from the threshold, it may not run afoul of FAA regulations on airport obstacles. The county had been in talks with Nero to buy a portion of the golf course—or acquire it through eminent domain—but that acquisition was to be made with FAA airport improvement program funds. The FAA determined that because Columbia County Airport didn’t have regular jet traffic (at least 500 operations per year) the enlarged safety area was not required, scuttling the sale. Instead, the airport’s threshold was displaced to provide a 300-foot safety area. While not doubting Nero’s patriotism, Mahlon Richards, founder of Richmor Aviation, the local FBO and flight school at Columbia County, doesn’t think celebration of Earth Day or property taxation is the reason for the pole. Richards told AVweb that he believes the prospect of selling land to the county was at least part of the reason Nero bought the golf course in the first place, and was disappointed when the sale didn’t go through. This latest stunt may be an effort to force the county to buy some of the golf course land to protect the runway approach area or otherwise compensate Nero for keeping the area safe for low-flying aircraft. Updated: AVweb spoke with Nero, who says the flagpole is a protest against the county's decision to rezone some of the land owned by Nero in a way that prevents him from developing it.

[gsengle]

I think an A10 needs to make a low approach before he kills someone.


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[Mark89114]

I would never support doing anything on purpose but if it was accidently hit by a tractor all would be OK.

 

[Browncbr1]

a novel, but dangerous, idea for forcing an issue...   I guess I would rather it be a flag pole than a tee box where drunk golfers can tee off into planes on final.

[Danb]

AH's  make golfer and pilots look bad, even worse when your both a golfer and pilot.  

[aviatoreb]

Huh - does the same logic allow me to use a flag and flag pole to attack a bus load of nuns with the pointy end of the stick but to declare that its all ok because we all love the flag?

[peevee]

Be a shame if someone accidentally spilled some Ortho ground clear granules out of their airplane on the grass.

[kerry]

If someone gets hurt or killed I think Nero would be liable.  It reminds me of a deadly event that happened in the Vegas desert years ago.  A property owner was tired of kids riding their dirt bikes on his private property.  To deter the dirt bike problem the property owner installed a wire strung between to poles at about 4 feet high.  A kid was kill and nearly decapitated.  Needless to say, the property owner went to jail for manslaughter.

[MyNameIsNobody]

Was he there first or the airport?  That goes a long way to how I feel about this.  It is his private property.  Those that say ^%$& the law, as Alan said, are scumbags.  Of course, when a pilot hits it there will be lawyers involved then as well.

I don't like the guy, but if it is his property and he is not breaking any laws by erecting a flag...Change the law or appease him.

Hope the guy that strung up a wire and killed a child has a day of reckoning beyond the law some day.  Similar, but very different scenarios.

[MyNameIsNobody]

Played 18 last night.  Finished up at twilight.  Beautiful.  I talked with multiple deer through the back nine as we crossed paths.  Their coats are beautiful right now.  A snapping turtle watched me miss a putt on 13.  A Waco was puttering above doing take-offs and landings from a nearby grass field in Amana.  Humans and wildlife were co-existing and it was a beautiful thing.  Boys were fishing in the pond below the clubhouse.  I could hear rock music being played at a nearby RV campground.  Nice night for doing what you enjoy doing with Mother Nature serving up a beauty of a sunset for all to enjoy.

[peevee]

10 hours ago, Hyett6420 said:

No that hurts the grass amd the wildlife, what little there is of it on a golf course, so thats not fair.  Jist cut the damn thing donw, or better yet, just burn the flag in protest, you are allowed to do that under your first amendment arent you?

That's... Uh, that's the point.

[peevee]

23 minutes ago, Hyett6420 said:

But that hurts the grass and insects etc and they haven't done anything wrong.  So we need to destroy the flag pole without hurting the wildlife.  

Yep im a tree hugger (of sorts)

You'd be doing the environment a favor by killing that turf that requires so much water and letting natural vegetation move in.

[MyNameIsNobody]

So much tree hugging ignorance.  So little time...

For a bunch that burn leaded carbon primarily for pleasure I say: Talk to the hand.

[MyNameIsNobody]

On 6/10/2017 at 1:56 AM, Hyett6420 said:

De walt battery powered grinder, midnight, job done.  Cam up, black up.  Easy.  

May Karma come and smite the.  May your pristine paint be marred by someone that, for whatever reason, just doesn't care for aviation and you are the target.  May they "cam up, black up" and git 'r done.

May he who suggests breaking laws and damaging others property have their philosophy on usurping the law smack them squarely between the eyes.

BAM!

[MyNameIsNobody]

I think the majority of humans are herd mentality cowards.  People scream about pumping a little gas from a hose at a pump but say ZERO when it comes to damaging others property.

Selective morals/ethics/values.  Being silent when you know something is wrong...selectively.

What a load of crap.

Being righteous doesn't necessarily make you right.

[MyNameIsNobody]

I bet some of you are awesome neighbors...