Enough years have passed that I can discuss this one:
Me, on the phone to ZOB Center (pilots know what means!, very busy place, very professional)
"Hello, I'm the guy with the laser show in Akron in 2 nights."
I'm testing the phone number I had to look up as the FAA supplied ones are wrong.
" Laser show, what laser show? Sir I have to inform you I'm recording this. "
" Don't you have a copy of the NOTAM?"
"No Sir, I am not aware of a NOTAM in this....."
"Well the lady at "Great Lakes said she had contacted you..."
"NO, we did not receive...."
Start of 30 minutes of explanations on my part..
Next part, II. Checking the next phone number at KCAK tower, given number wrong, AT&T operator jumps through hoops to get me a real number."
Hello, may I speak to the tower chief please...."
"Laser show, what laser show, we did not see a NOTAM"
"Were you not contacted by Great Lakes?.."
"Um, no"
"Listen we've never had a laser show here before, what do we do? "
(BS, I could give a long list of laserists who have been to Akron)
Much explanation on my part, including the airspace restrictions, comms procedures, 3 possible "POP UP" EMS helo locations etc..
Night of the show, I called in, said tower made a announcement and Akron being Akron on New Years, I suddenly 20 minutes later had 3 aircraft flying right down the safe side of the line in the NOTAM, coming over to see the show and the fireworks. At least I did not have to terminate.
I have wanted to be a pilot since I was 12, I know and have memorized some of the FAA books better then... Oh well.
After spending two months working on getting a NOTAM, working with a idiot who telecommuted at the time, who was only in her office two days a week etc, who did not understand her own "National Airspace System" I decided I would only work FOR OTHERS on outdoor stuff. That has been my policy, with few exceptions for 7 years now. I have helped others with the paperwork, fairly often.
Don't get me started on trying to explain a negative (downwards) angle relative to the horizon to her. I cant help it the target building is in a valley and angles are measured relative to the VISUAL HORIZON!!! We were 179 feet up, centerline on the target was about 60 feet up from the local ground level. I spent a hour averaging the GPS, but the published site co-ords in the NOTAM were 2 miles west,... Turns out she would rather depend on a mouseclick off of some free maps website.
DONT get me started on how she told me my numbers on the zones were wrong, they were checked, prior to submission by another FAA office as a professional courtesy.
I do have to admit, Center and Tower were the ultimate professionals.
I had to ask another Federal agency and another laser company to intervene on my behalf, the later being back channel Girl to Girl social talk so I could get a last minute fax clearing us to run.
EDIT< I suppose that is cowardice on my part, but when you draw 7 mile circles on airports in Class A/B airspace near where I would be able to get paid to do outdoor shows locally, I loose bigtime from geography and there are not many places to terminate on. I'm small, I can't afford to sign a contract for a big outdoor gig and then not be able to deliver.
Steve
Last edited by mixedgas; 09-15-2010 at 11:36.
Qui habet Christos, habet Vitam!
I should have rented the space under my name for advertising.
When I still could have...
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Originally Posted by flecom
Mis Dos Centavos...
don't matter - cause yer term'd... 
....and armed only with his trusty 21 Zorgawatt KTiOPO4...
