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ChileRelleno

Goldcoast Skydivers under attack!

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There were a couple of reporters from (I believe to be ) local newspapers.
They talked to Mike & Leanne, some of the DZ staff and skydivers.
They seemed to take a liking to Ben C.,a instructor,Master rigger and our S&TA, who as a Senior Chief with the USCG was in uniform
(these were female reporters, we know how the ladies love men in uniform;))...
But I digress...
The press was there and we were talking, and they were listening.

ChileRelleno-Rodriguez Bro#414
Hellfish#511,MuffBro#3532,AnvilBro#9, D24868

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Actually, what happens is that once your enter controlled airspace you are to talk to the controllers all the way. They have to give you clearence to jump and while they might find an opening with no traffic for you, you might have had to circle at altitude for 30 minutes waiting on them to do so. As it stands now you have to give notice before droping and when the last jumper has landed. If you are in uncontrolled airspace you are hoping that everyone is listening (lots of weekend pilots don't). Some times you can talk to a regional center that will be nice enough to route heavy traffic away from jumpers. (Only if they have time, it is a VERY low priority)

I can ask my bro who is ATC for the FAR refrences if you want.



If it is so busy that ATC cannot fit you in then too bad for you. However, if ATC systematically gives some VFR traffic priority over other VFR traffic, they can be called to task. IFR traffic always has the right of way, but they are not usually the problem. ATS is a large bureaucracy and one you don't want to go to war with. That doesn't mean you have to accept their whims either.

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Additionally, the airport has a tower. The person, I was talking with, made the comment that skydiving is always excluded from tower controlled airports. Does anybody know different?



Untrue. Skydive Santa Rosa in California is on a tower controlled airport.


No rule says they can't be, but tower airports are often so busy that DZ's look elsewhere. Afgter all there are thousands of airports.....
----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

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There were a couple of reporters from (I believe to be ) local newspapers.
They talked to Mike & Leanne, some of the DZ staff and skydivers.



Here are some links to two articles concerning this dispute.

http://www.gulflive.com/news/mississippipress/index.ssf?/base/news/110812054570381.xml

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/local/10871532.htm

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In the Sun Herald article, they quote Jackson County Airport Authority President Clinton Matthews as saying:

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Matthews said a sign barring skydivers from the airport would be posted until Feb. 22.



So does this mean no skydiving from Moss Point until this is resolved? >:(

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Just curious Mike. Who's affidavit were you trying to submit & for what purpose? Was the person who signed the affidavit at the hearing with you?

Personally, I think the judge shafted you. I've seen many cases where a party appears pro se & most judges cut them some slack unless it's an error that would cause the judge to be overturned on appeal.

Good luck & I hope you're open for the Toadsucker Boogie.


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Chuck,

It was me who was supposed to submit the affidavit and I was there. The judge did shaft us because she realized it was going to be an all day trial and must have had other things to do. As soon as she dismissed the case within 10 minutes the lights were out in the courtroom.

We are going to prevail so do not worry. I appreciate your support though. We hired a lawyer and that will help us with the preliminary stuff.

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G'day Mike,
Atleast the newspaper articles are fair... If not favorable atleast sympathetic?

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Matthews said a sign barring skydivers from the airport would be posted until Feb. 22.



Do you know if the JCAA has tryed locked us out as of yet, will they sic the police on us if we try to show up at the airport to jump? Can they legally deny use of the airport as well as the facilities?>:(
Does cutting us off for even a little while constitute a "Airport Access" issue?

I still really think you should give those PH#'s to jumpers for them to call, send'em out to the rworg newsgroup, the local hotels, restraunts and bars. after all the JCAA is trying to take business away from them. while we're at everyone needs to call the local and/or state dept of tourism.

A1 move on the attorney Mike, pay for your own so you don't pay for theirs:P:S!

I've so many questions and thoughts, but you've already some highly intelligent and dedicated people fighting with/for you that I'll just stop with all my questions for now and let y'all get at'em....

ChileRelleno-Rodriguez Bro#414
Hellfish#511,MuffBro#3532,AnvilBro#9, D24868

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I hope a lot of people are there early on Saturday. Even if they were successful in the eviction, they can not just ban a group of aviators from the airport. It is a public access airport. We could go out there, jump and use the pilots lounge to hang out and there is nothing they can do about it. It is publicly funded. That would be like a public park placing signs that stated, "No doctors allowed."

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As long as we don't disrupt other pilots, we cannot be denied access to the lounge. The FAA considers skydivers pilots, so we have a right to the lounge. If they lock the doors, I say we pack on on the front lawn and hang out in the pilot's lounge between jumps. I would love to see them try to kick us out if we are complying by the rules.
.....................................................................
PMS#28, Pelogrande Rodriguez#1074
My Pink M

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Please email all of the following your thoughts. Please make sure they are well-thought through, no curse words, professional, and helpful to the cause. Also note that the airport is called Trent Lott International Airport, so it is important to contact Trent's democratc counterparts as well as his Republican buddies. They need to know what is going on. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! We can do this together!!!!


Senator Thad Cochran (R- MS) 202-224-5054 phone, 202-224-9450 fax http://cochran.senate.gov/contact.htm

Senator Trent Lott (R- MS) 202-224-6253 phone, 202-224-2262 fax, http://lott.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Email

Representative Roger F. Wicker (R - 01) 202-225-4306phone, 202-225-3549 fax, http://www.house.gov/wicker/Message.htm

Representative Bennie G. Thompson (D - 02) 202-225-5876 phone, 202-225-5898 fax, http://benniethompson.house.gov/HoR/MS02/Contact+Bennie/Contact+Bennie.htm

Representative Charles W. (Chip) Pickering (R - 03) 202-225-5031 phone, 202-225-5797 fax, http://www.house.gov/pickering/Form.htm

Representative Gene Taylor (D - 04) 202-225-5772 phone, 202-225-7074 fax, http://www.house.gov/genetaylor/zipauth.htm
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PMS#28, Pelogrande Rodriguez#1074
My Pink M

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great idea laurel, but lets let mike fight for us for now. if they end up kicking him out and bulldozing the building, there's nothing legally stopping us from paying for a plane and jumping at trent lott. years ago, the drop zone consisted of a tarp to pack on at the edge of the tarmac. when it would rain, we grabbed armloads of gear and heading for the lounge. we also used the bathrooms the our tax dollars paid for. it doesn't take too many shitting skydivers before the airport can see the benefits of allowing us to have our own place. they must have foprgotten what it was like to have us in their face.
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If the building is gone it will drastically affect our business. We can harass the airport by jumping out there but we will not be able to run the type of business we do now, especially in regards to students and tandems. If we don't have tandems, we don't have an Otter. That building would cost a lot to replace even if they decided later to let us have a building again. We need to try to do something now before it is to late for the building. Writing our reps is our best option right now outside of what Mike is doing to fight the airport.

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we also used the bathrooms the our tax dollars paid for. it doesn't take too many shitting skydivers before the airport can see the benefits of allowing us to have our own place.



I propose we put Chile in charge of this project. Whatever he was eating last weekend was working great.:P;):)

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we also used the bathrooms the our tax dollars paid for. it doesn't take too many shitting skydivers before the airport can see the benefits of allowing us to have our own place.



I propose we put Chile in charge of this project. Whatever he was eating last weekend was working great.:P;):)



I highly agree with this comment, Chile was tearing it up this past weekend in the plane. It was pretty bad man.
Anvile Brother #59

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Great Idea Laurel, I am offshore so that is right up my ally, I also would like to add that it would not hurt for us local skydivers to set up some kind of fund to help Mike with the cost that is going to be incurred with what he is trying to do. Everyone knows that Mike has allways poured money back into our Dropzone and that's why we have such a nice place. If anyone else has any ideas on how to set something up to assist with all the cost that Mike is going to incur, Lets hear em, I am willing to pitch in.
There are a lot of people that has visited our D/Z and I am sure there are a lot of folks that would be willing to try and help.
Still here after all these years

Clayton

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Hey Clayton, sounds like you're the idea guy...how about a bake sale? My houseboy could whip up a few cookies and we could hang out at Wal-Mart one weekend...no, wait, we're not supposed to be anywhere but the DZ on weekends. Come on Laurel, you're the idea girl:$

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I had an idea a couple months ago to help raise money for (insert cause here). People who pay for packjobs( minus people who have to pay for packjobs because of back to back loads ) can pack their own at least once each day they jump and take the 6 bucks they would have spent and donate it. I know most would probably rather just get the packjob and donate whatever.

Just thought I would throw that out there.
Anvile Brother #59

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