primitives discuss pilot not being allowed to sit in airplane

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002144813

Oh my.

I wish my fellow Nebraskan Chief Big Lachrymose Papoose would hurry up and give the people of Bellevue, Nebraska, his campaign platform; what he's going to do about lowering taxes, downsizing government, getting rid of bureaucratic over-regulation, reining in the public-sector unions, ending cronyism and corruption in government, &c., &c., &c.

But no, we get this.

Omaha Steve (31,009 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

WWII pilot not allowed to sit in plane

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2012/01/09/WWII-pilot-not-allowed-to-sit-in-plane/UPI-57331326138686/#ixzz1izqEcbDs

STOKE-ON-TRENT, England, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- A 91-year-old World War II pilot was banned from sitting in a restored Spitfire fighter plane at a museum in Stoke-on-Trent, England.

Museum officials cited health and safety risks when they told Eric Carter he could not climb in the cockpit of the Spitfire at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, The Sun reported.

"You couldn't make it up. I used to fly those things every day fighting the Germans -- now that really was a health and safety concern!" Carter said. "To think that I couldn't sit in a stationary Spitfire in case I got hurt. I just wish the Luftwaffe had been so caring. The people at the museum had their reasons, but I had to laugh."

GALLERY: New photos from WWII-era America: http://www.upi.com/News_Photos/Features/New-photos-from-WWII-era-America/5514/?sg

FULL story at link.

jberryhill (21,194 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

1. I may be going out on a limb here...

...but I'll bet he was a bit more spry and less prone to falling injury when he was flying them in WWII.

Posteritatis (12,799 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

2. "I just wish the Luftwaffe had been so caring." Hee.

JVS (59,189 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

3. Since when do museums let anyone climb into their aircraft?

ManiacJoe (3,460 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

9. Never mind that it was an incomplete aircraft.

Must be a slow news day.

muriel_volestrangler (56,875 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

5. For some reason, they've used radioactive paint inside the cockpit

Last night a spokesman for Stoke-on-Trent City council, who represent the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, said: “I do not think this is any sort of health and safety scandal.

“The cockpit had recently been painted with paint containing radium which is a radioactive and there is no proper seat in the Spitfire itself at the moment so I am told the people on the day thought it best he did not sit in the plane for those reasons because of his age.

“Although they did say if he had told them further in advance he would like to sit in the Spitfire they said they may have been able to get a ladder so he could look inside.”

http://www.sundaymercury.net/news/midlands-news/2012/01/08/worcestershire-war-veteran-who-fought-with-nazi-pilots-refused-entry-into-spitfire-cockpit-66331-30078260/2/

MilesColtrane (18,611 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

6. Have him sign a waiver and they'd let him do a pommel horse routine on...

it, complete with dismount.

Where's a contract lawyer when you really need one?

applegrove (50,883 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

7. A local plane collector in my neck of the woods bought a Spitfire. He called a friend of my dad's

to get inside information on how to fly it since the friend flew them in WWII. He then offered my dad's friend a chance to fly the bloody thing. My dad's friend was in his 90s. Of course he said no. He has since passed away. My gosh those men were brave.

Maybe Omaha Steve's going to campaign to allow former pilots to mess around with all the antique aircraft at that museum in Bellevue; I dunno.  But I wish he'd hurry up and unveil his platform.

[Paul Heinzman]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002144813

JVS (59,189 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

3. Since when do museums let anyone climb into their aircraft?

This man isn't "anyone," he's a 91 year old war hero who, in my book, can sit wherever he damn well pleases.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Radium paint?  What, were they afraid it was going to possibly cause him cancer in 30 years?  The 'not having a seat in it at the time' part makes a lot more sense, though. 

[Skul]

The reference to "radium paint" was made by a spokesman of the city council.
That idiot doesn't know squat.
I suspect the paint was zinc-chromate primer.
Perhaps after the bird has a proper seat in which to sit in, the gentleman will then be allowed entry.

[DefiantSix]

It actually makes sense to me, from the perspective that I can't see anybody wanting the liability involved in letting a 91-year old man clamber up on the wing of a damned Spitfire like he did when he was 20.  I don't care if he flew the things in the war.  I don't care if he (thinks he) is health as a horse and hung twice as large.  I'm not going to be real happy shelling out megabucks to the old guy's next of kin because he jumped up on that wing just like he was a 20-year old leftenant again, and slid right back off, breaking his fool neck.  And insurance company isn't going to thank me if I put them on the spot instead.

Far as I'm concerned, the old guy can purchase the plane from the collection and do what he wants with it, or he can admire it from afar, like the rest of the general public.

[DLR Pyro]

The reference to "radium paint" was made by a spokesman of the city council.
That idiot doesn't know squat.
I suspect the paint was zinc-chromate primer.
Perhaps after the bird has a proper seat in which to sit in, the gentleman will then be allowed entry.

radium is used in the paint on the dials and gauges in the cockpit to make them glow in the dark.  I remember when replacing gauges on the B-52 I used to crew on there was always a radiation warning tag on the shipping box the gauge was packed in.  Very minute traces of radiation, but still required to inform anyone who handles it that it is radioactive.

[Karin]

The paper is reporting on the story, because there's a lot of ridiculous Elf & Safety stuff going on in GB.  Every one of them deserves to have a light shined on it.  That said, I don't think that museum pieces should be crawled around on, by anyone.  Old stuff is fragile.  So are old people. 

[67 Rover]

radium is used in the paint on the dials and gauges in the cockpit to make them glow in the dark.  I remember when replacing gauges on the B-52 I used to crew on there was always a radiation warning tag on the shipping box the gauge was packed in.  Very minute traces of radiation, but still required to inform anyone who handles it that it is radioactive.

My 1943 Omega 30t2sc has Radium on the hands and numerals. It barely glows now but I have seen some that were not kept wound and the watch would show brown spots where the hands image was burned into the face of the dial. No radiation warning tag included! 

[Skul]

radium is used in the paint on the dials and gauges in the cockpit to make them glow in the dark.  I remember when replacing gauges on the B-52 I used to crew on there was always a radiation warning tag on the shipping box the gauge was packed in.  Very minute traces of radiation, but still required to inform anyone who handles it that it is radioactive.

Very true.
Now days, tritium is used as the emitter, instead of radium.
The article stated that the cockpit had been painted, not the dial hands or hash marks.
In other words, the city council spokesman was blowing smoke and looking for any excuse.