Here is the Top Gear episode that was shot at the Inyokern airport. The close up tail shot of the orange and white airplane (around 3:15) is mine, you can see the number N951CC. I love the video, but am not happy the airport allowed this shoot at Inyokern. They didn't show him doing donuts around the tied-down airplanes, but he sure did. I went to the airport meeting today and gave my 2 cents that owners don't pay to tie their airplane down to have it put at risk. Check out how much dirt he throws up, now would you want your paint job taking that punishment? The owners weren't even told this shoot was going to happen to give them a chance to move their planes out of the way! There was practically not safety either, nobody was making sure somebody wasn't around all the blind intersections he was flying across. What was done is done, but hopefully the airport board will not permit this type of activity again at the airport.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Awesome video, but it's rediculous that they didn't give tenants notice - did they even tell you the airport was closed?
ReplyDeleteHa, they didn't close the airport! They didn't even have people blocking off the areas he was driving to prevent people from being on "the course". I was the second person to comment at the airport board meeting and they went into a closed session so hopefully they decided to not do this type of filming at the airport again. I don't think there ended up being any "close calls", but there were plenty of times when the potential for a close call was very high. I'll try to post a video I shot from my camera showing how we just walked up to the filming. I wanted to make sure my airplane was safe.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone who has posted. I watched the Top Gear episode with my wife and we were both amazed that the airport would allow this. If they did this at our airport we would be furious. Amazing video, but totally incompatible with airport operations. I won't land on your roads, so you don't drive on my airport....
ReplyDeleteGeeze lighten up! The airport pushed the Dust Devils off the oldest continuously operating dragstrip in the USA, hiding behind the FAA, but they let every big car company film commercials there. Notice 10/28 was re-paved pretty much for the film activity. Block has a radio, and the video was heavily produced - just look at all the camera angles. Professionals don't fool around-they don't want to lose their sponsors on a bad publicity gig.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is you were well covered and didn't know it. Years ago I inquired about doing some aero coast-down testing on my Formula Continental on 10/28 and Nancy Bass wanted me to purchase a $1M umbrella policy with the airport specifically listed as the beneficiary.
Y'all fly over my house with nothing more than insurance.......
I was there, you weren't. There was no safety, I was 8 feet away with my baby when he came flying around the corner. I personally ran out in front of a pickup that was just about to drive right out onto the course. When I bitched at the crew about their lack of safety, they said there is nothing they can do once he starts his run. I assume that's BS, but they didn't do a damn thing to stop that truck. Your $1M insurance would cover the airport, not my aircraft, how does that help me? They put the airplanes at risk without even telling the owners, shame on the airport. When filming on 10/28, the cars are a long ways from the airplanes, not the case with Ken.
ReplyDeleteWhen the drag races were operating on the taxiway, most of those were illegal since they were not NOTAM'd. You have no sympathy from me for pulling that crap, I almost crashed into a set of cars illegally drag racing at night in Minnesota. I know you were set up a lot better and probably thought you were operating legally; it was probably the airport's fault for not getting the NOTAM out. Airplanes and cars don't mix, go to the race track.
I guess I just need to taxi up to a carshow and do an engine run-up right in front of the show cars and blast you with dirt and tell you to chill out. Doesn't sound right does it? Neither is what the airport let Ken do.
I get why the sight of Ken driving the way he does might be unsettling for some... especially if it's close to home. I don't however, think that it warrants shutting down such filming at this air-strip. Aircraft owners should be notified, and a proper (large) insurance deposit should be made.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I cant help but point out that small air-stips aren't doing very well financially all over the country (many have closed). If you really like to land/park/store your plane at Inyo, you should be eager to put on a smiling face for Ken, DC Shoes, and Monster Energy. They are pumping dollars (huge amounts of money) into your precious airport in a time when dollars are scarce.
JRB, be happy that you got to see one of the most popular viral videos ever made right there in person. Very few Americans will ever see a world class WRC, X-Games, and American Rally Championship driver... you got to see him and his team doing some very skillful and amazing driving. Where's your sense of fun and adventure?
... to those who are racing inclined, watching Ken is like watching Chuck Yeager's test flights.
ReplyDeleteI was there as well. I was the Captain on the airliner briefly shown in the video. I do not recall seeing any NOTAM on the activity going on. I just remember walking to the aircraft and all of a sudden seeing this crazy guy doing donuts and burning rubber while going between rows of privately owned aircraft, then drifting in through the hangar doors and out again. I was wondering where security was.
ReplyDeleteI know this is a late, late, LATE response to this thread but I'd really like to chime in...
ReplyDeleteI agree on notifying airplane owners, submitting NOTAMS and all that for possible usage of IYK for filming purposes... totally agree. But, I feel that future planning for filming industry customers should be afforded the opportunity to patronize the IWV area without pushback. Let me digress... I agree on notifying airplane owners and submitting NOTAMS so incoming pilots and aircraft tenants know what's going on to ensure no "close call" situations could ever happen... but don't you think that not allowing filming is a little too harsh?
Shutting out prospective businesses and money being poured into the local Inyokern and Ridgecrest economies is a little too much. Tourism is sparce... road travellers are sparce... the more IWV businesses attract money to the local economy, life will be a little better with the way our National Economy is looking.
So with FORD, VOLVO and other entities utilizing 10/28 and the ramp area should be a welcoming facet. Don't we have TSA providing airport security still? Hell, being that my job takes me all over the states and overseas, it's a breath of fresh air to see "Five Fingers" in the background...
Just my two cents...
I'm not suggesting they shut filming down, I'm just suggesting they operate the airport properly and safely. This is a bit dated now and I haven't seen anything like this at the airport since then so I don't want to continue to gripe about something that may have been resolved and not happen again.
ReplyDeleteI agree the video is exciting to watch and appreciate the money the film industry brings in. However, I don't believe the airport brought in as much money as people imagine in THIS case, and certainly wasn't worth the risk. When they NOTAM and shutdown 10/28 for filming, that is a totally different situation.
Interesting video for a safe ride you can hire our cab named as Detroit airport taxi .
ReplyDelete