Narrative:

On the dates oct/fri-sat-sun/92, this reporter participated in a series of formation flts consisting of up to 7 aircraft of the single seat, single engine, experimental type. One flight included a twin small transport photo ship. These flts were all carried out in a professional manner, thoroughly briefed and flown in accordance with all known FARS. The flts were in conjunction with a private invitational formation flying symposium. At about noon on the oct/sun/92, while all aircraft were parked awaiting refueling prior to the next mission, an adult male appeared at the flight line and announced he 'was taking down tail numbers in order to write them up for terrorizing children and old people.' this gent declined to identify himself or comment further upon his actions. He then departed. Naturally, this event cast somewhat of a pall upon an otherwise enjoyable event. No member of the various flts flown could recall any event which may have been in violation of any policy, local procedure, or far. It could be that the sight of multiple aircraft in close formation is disturbing to some people not familiar with this aspect of GA or military aviation. The only solution that comes to mind might possibly be education of the public through local radio or tv public information or local human interest interview features -- although given the obvious prejudicial bias of some of the uninformed citizens, I would be reluctant to draw undesired attention to such activity. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: a callback ascertained that the FAA has not taken any action against the reporter or any of the other pilots. The 'officious intermeddler' or itinerant observer never has idented himself to the reporter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN OBSERVER THREATENED TO 'WRITE UP' THE RPTR AND HIS FLT OF 7 ACFT FOR SOME UNSTATED VIOLATION.

Narrative: ON THE DATES OCT/FRI-SAT-SUN/92, THIS RPTR PARTICIPATED IN A SERIES OF FORMATION FLTS CONSISTING OF UP TO 7 ACFT OF THE SINGLE SEAT, SINGLE ENG, EXPERIMENTAL TYPE. ONE FLT INCLUDED A TWIN SMT PHOTO SHIP. THESE FLTS WERE ALL CARRIED OUT IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER, THOROUGHLY BRIEFED AND FLOWN IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL KNOWN FARS. THE FLTS WERE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A PRIVATE INVITATIONAL FORMATION FLYING SYMPOSIUM. AT ABOUT NOON ON THE OCT/SUN/92, WHILE ALL ACFT WERE PARKED AWAITING REFUELING PRIOR TO THE NEXT MISSION, AN ADULT MALE APPEARED AT THE FLT LINE AND ANNOUNCED HE 'WAS TAKING DOWN TAIL NUMBERS IN ORDER TO WRITE THEM UP FOR TERRORIZING CHILDREN AND OLD PEOPLE.' THIS GENT DECLINED TO IDENT HIMSELF OR COMMENT FURTHER UPON HIS ACTIONS. HE THEN DEPARTED. NATURALLY, THIS EVENT CAST SOMEWHAT OF A PALL UPON AN OTHERWISE ENJOYABLE EVENT. NO MEMBER OF THE VARIOUS FLTS FLOWN COULD RECALL ANY EVENT WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN IN VIOLATION OF ANY POLICY, LCL PROC, OR FAR. IT COULD BE THAT THE SIGHT OF MULTIPLE ACFT IN CLOSE FORMATION IS DISTURBING TO SOME PEOPLE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS ASPECT OF GA OR MIL AVIATION. THE ONLY SOLUTION THAT COMES TO MIND MIGHT POSSIBLY BE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC THROUGH LCL RADIO OR TV PUBLIC INFO OR LCL HUMAN INTEREST INTERVIEW FEATURES -- ALTHOUGH GIVEN THE OBVIOUS PREJUDICIAL BIAS OF SOME OF THE UNINFORMED CITIZENS, I WOULD BE RELUCTANT TO DRAW UNDESIRED ATTN TO SUCH ACTIVITY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: A CALLBACK ASCERTAINED THAT THE FAA HAS NOT TAKEN ANY ACTION AGAINST THE RPTR OR ANY OF THE OTHER PLTS. THE 'OFFICIOUS INTERMEDDLER' OR ITINERANT OBSERVER NEVER HAS IDENTED HIMSELF TO THE RPTR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.