Post by (AQ) on Mar 31, 2019 17:12:38 GMT
I am by no means an expert but I have been around airports, airplanes & pilots for 30 some odd years and have watched the sport fade, the pilots hanging out at airports wane, the loaner cars disappear from airports due to costs, all while learning a bit about what is required and not, and how protective/aware pilots & airport staff are of their fellow pilots & planes.
I am only offering my limited knowledge & opinions based on my time around pilots who really enjoyed the sport of flying. I was trying to clarify the 'requirements' re licenses, tower communications, as well as offering opinion re 'just jumping in a plane & flying away', which isn't anything like jumping in a car and driving off.
Whether JJD knew the basics of flying or was considered an accomplished pilot (licensed or not) I have no way of knowing; whether flying to the sites you list was probable, I also cannot say, I have no detailed knowledge of JJD or the case.
There are, it seems, others here who, like me, have been around the flying hobby and/or who fly who have offered some good info also that is well worth noting. It's each individuals choice re factoring personal experience(s) with theories.
I’m putting forth a theory. If I were on a jury and this was presented to me, would I convict on this info, no. Would it cause me to want to look into it further, yes.
So this is my theory and I appreciate people playing devil’s advocate because it makes me think of the flaws in the theory and to see if there is a solution to them or not.
By the way, there were loaner cars at the airport? Can you tell me how that worked? Was there a someone in charge to check out the car? Was there a fee? Was it some sort of club where your insurance and Driver’s license were on file and you just signed into a log if nobody was around? Were the cars locked when nobody was around? This is a tantalizing little tidbit you just mentioned.