One of our own stole a real jet!

[Guest Mapper]

Hi everyone-Just picked this up over at another aviation message board. Has anyone else seen this on the news? This guy stole a citation jet and flew is buddies up to Atlanta. What does this have to do with FS2004, you ask? Didn't he make a citation for MSFS? There are reports he was an active controller on VATSIM too. Once again, some one embarrasses the simulation community.Link to news media:http://www.wxia.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=70421Link to real world aviation message board about the topic:http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=64120Mike

[Orlaam 306]

Well, it's not like he wasn't a pilot. It appears he was rated for plenty of flight experience and his father's a pilot at a major airline. If that's the case, then the sim has little or nothing to do with it IMO. This sim won't allow someone to get into a Citation and fly, let alone land.

[Guest Mapper]

I agree. However, that is not really the point. The problem is that in the public's eye, he is linked to the simulation community. Flight Simulator is like the Civil Air Patrol. Both have great reasons for there existence, but from time to time, they attract some strange people.

[Guest bobsk8]

He held a commercial license. Was that issued by FS9????? I understand one of the 911 terrorists was in a bar in Florida, drinking beer a couple of nights before he flew a plane into the Twin Towers. I guess beer must be responsible for 911 , so we should ban people from drinking beer... ..........................

[Guest Mapper]

Who said anything about banning MSFS? No one here mentioned that. We all know that would be ridiculous. I'm simply pointing out that it is a shame to see a community member pull such a stupid stunt. Did he really think he'd get away with it?

[Guest davidvoogd]

I wonder if we will all be labelled security threats now :-lol

[Guest Kilstorm McBride]

>Who said anything about banning MSFS? No one here mentioned>that. We all know that would be ridiculous. I remember when a few of us felt when MS postponed the relase date of FS2002 due to such events that there was a chance it might not be released. Sounds ridiculous but at the time not so much.Kilstorm

[byork 2,258]

He held a real commercial license (which doesn't necessarily mean much)... however, he was from what I heard typed on a lear jet or something which explains how he was able to fly the thing.He must have been drunk or high when he did this... I can't imagine why anyone would just throw their career away like that...Bryan

[E 0]

>pointing out that it is a shame to see a community member pull>such a stupid stunt.I heard he was a hard core member of the pac-man community as well, which of course, outweighs any FS affiliations, as the pac-man commmunity is well known to harbor subversives and people trying to get away with a quick jaunt elsewhere. *grin*

[AWACS 12]

>I heard he was a hard core member of the pac-man community as well, >which of course, outweighs any FS affiliations, as the pac-man >commmunity is well known to harbor subversives and people trying to >get away with a quick jaunt elsewhere. *grin*Lol!Jeff

[G7USL 117]

We are all individuals, aren't we?God forbid that morons would assume that wer'e not sheep?Dave T. .........On the lovely warm Devon Riviera and active 'FlightSim User's Group' member at http://www.flightsimgrpuk.free-online.co.uk/

[Guest]

>Who said anything about banning MSFS? No one here mentioned>that. We all know that would be ridiculous. Yet after 9/11 it was suggested more than once in both the mainstream press and by several political pressure groups that that's exactly what should happen.Everyone knows videogames cause people to become violent psychopaths...

[kerosene31 349]

Do we actually know that this guy was a flightsimmer? It could just be a coincidence with the name? Or does someone know this person personally? I mean, it is a big world, and that name is not uncommon. Do a google search on your own name and see how many others have it also. I have an unusual last name and not a hugely common first, yet I have come across two different people with the exact same name as me.

[John_Cillis 2,406]

"Once again, some one embarrasses the simulation community."How? How were his actions tied to creating an old FS98 Citation (if he indeed was the author) or being a member of Vatsim? I would suspect that a number of pilots may have owned MSFS at some point in their lives. An even greater number own computers. Even more watched "Wings" on the discovery channel. Does every joyriding pilot who owns a computer and surfs airliners.net or watches "Wings" present an afront to aviation hobbyists?The only way our community is embarrassed by these events is if we consider these people "our own" and/or become defensive about their actions. The minute these people stray from the norms that society--whether it be general society or our own little community--they are on their own and acting in their own interests and no more represent us than "Son of Sam".I don't give a hoot what any community member does in terms of how it reflects on "me" or my friends here. That attitude just feeds the media fenzy that develops over these events. If someone from Phoenix commits some terrible deed, should I worry what people think about residents of my city? Should I come to the "Phoenix residents" forums with that in mind, and discuss the event?It's an interesting story, that's for sure-John

[AWACS 12]

>How were his actions tied to creating an old FS98 CitationThat guy must really like Citations.Jeff