12.10.2012

Cleared for landing?

A photo sent in by a reader in Germany shows a homemade airport control tower at the Flugtag Air Show in Antersberg, Germany.

While we admire their ingenuity and the handiwork involved in recreating this viewing platform – it is quite obvious how dangerous and potentially fatal it could be if things went wrong. And after all there are purpose built platforms readily available.

Using a forklift in this manner clearly is not what this machine was designed for. To make it worse the four metre long homemade platform – which it has to be said looks very well made – has not been tied down to the forks. If something was to go wrong then the three people on top would undoubtedly be seriously injured – especially if the forklift went over with them. Then there are the two spectators taking advantage of the shade under the platform who would probably suffer grievous injuries if all that landed on them.
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A homemade airport control tower at the Flugtag Air Show

It’s not all bad practice however as you will notice the ladder has been strapped down for ease of access and the three spectators have even gone as far to erected two large parasols to protect themselves from the harmful UV rays!
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A closer look

The chances of a serious incident are probably quite low, but it still qualifies for our Death Wish series I’m afraid.