Monthly Archives: June 2012

As per usual..court hearings never seem to happen when they should.

There was supposed to be a hearing in my case (Mach One vs me) on Tuesday July 3rd. For some reason the plaintiffs attorney requested a postponement..yesterday. So it’s been moved to August 23rd. Let the waiting continue….

Mr. Lapenda called me today. Yeah, that Mr. Lapenda. The one who hasn’t even been mentioned here in almost a year. He requested that I take down a copyrighted picture of him. Done. It’s too bad that he is another piece of collateral damage in this whole saga. Along with a LOT of other people. But I reported the facts, so it is what it is. Just more proof that getting involved with someone who is doing stuff that isn’t legal or moral only leads to headache.

It was a cordial conversation that came out of the blue.

If you’d like to see a copy of the Minutes from the Probation Violation hearing you can find it here. (it may take a minute to load, large file)

I do not yet have the transcript of the hearing but I did want to clear up one error I saw on the LA Times article. Riggs will not do 6 months if he doesn’t finish the community labor. He will do a day for a day. In other words, how ever many does of community labor he doesn’t do, he will spend in jail. I believe the confusion arises because it’s my understanding the judge gave him a choice yesterday…do an additional 20 days community labor cleaning the Santa Monica Pier..or go directly to jail for 6 months. He obviously picked the community labor.

He was also released on his own recognizance and I would guess that’s because there is already a $20,000 bond posted (as per the minutes).

He apparently came up with proof of 13 days. So he has 67 left. It just galls me. He has had well over a year (almost 2) to do the 60 days and has not done so. Unfortunately because the 20 are an “additional” charge the judge has no choice but to give him time to do it. I was told (although it’s unconfirmed) that you can only do this particular community labor on the weekends. So to do 67 days..at 8 days a month (4 weekends) it would take almost 8 1/2 months to do it if you went every single weekend. I guess giving him 14 months allows for lousy weather, and an occasional weekend off.

It really is crazy that this case was filed in May of 2009 and is STILL ongoing. I mean seriously..how much of the states money can this guy waste? I think that’s why the judge just said do it by this date..period. They’ve got to be sick of dealing with him.

Probation revoked for pilot who buzzed Santa Monica Pier

A local pilot who was convicted of recklessly operating an aircraft for buzzing Santa Monica Pier has been found in violation of his probation and ordered to perform 20 more days of beach cleanup or be sent to jail.

A Los Angeles Superior Court commissioner revoked David G. Riggs’ probation Monday because he failed to complete the 60 days of community service that was imposed in June 2010 as part of a broader sentence. At that time, Riggs also received a fine of $900, three years’ probation and 60 days in jail, of which he served a day due to overcrowding in Los Angeles County Jail.

The court on Monday ordered Riggs to perform the required beach cleanup by Sept. 27, 2013 or he would be jailed for six months. He will not be eligible for good time, work time or an early release that would reduce the sentence.

Riggs was convicted in June 2010 of recklessly operating an aircraft, a rarely used provision of the California Public Utilities Code. Prosecutors accused him of making low-level passes over Santa Monica Beach and the Santa Monica Pier on Nov. 6, 2008, flying an Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros, a military jet trainer that was popular in the Soviet bloc during the Cold War.

Federal authorities are now investigating Riggs in connection with the fatal crash of another L-39 Albatros that killed the pilot and a passenger on May 18 in Boulder City, Nev.

The Federal Aviation Administration is looking into whether Riggs and the pilot who was killed had illegally sold rides to the public the day of the accident. Authorities said Riggs, carrying a passenger in his own L-39, was flying next to the ill-fated plane shortly before it crashed in the desert.

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There are a couple of details here that I need to confirm as the information I was given was “slightly” different. I’ll verify and update as soon as I can.

Aero-News

Kathryn News

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A call to the LAX court confirmed that David Riggs was found to be in violation of his probation for failure to complete his community labor of 60 days that he was given for the Santa Monica Pier incident in 2008. As a result, his probation has been revoked and he was given an additional 20 days of community labor to make a total of 80 days. He was given until September 27, 2013 to complete all 80 days. Should he not complete the 80 days community labor he will go back to jail. I do not, at this time, know if he’s made any attempt to pay the $6000 in fines and court costs.

More information to come.

As per usual, he has shown absolute and total disregard for the legal system and a complete unwillingness to take responsibility for his reckless and dangerous actions.

Monday. June 25, 2012. 8:30am LAX Courthouse Dept 147

This is a probation violation hearing, not a status hearing.

Yes. Dave Riggs still on probation and apparently still violating that probation for his sentence for buzzing the Santa Monica Pier in 2008.

Does anyone else find it slightly disturbing that Incredible Adventures is still advertising Hollywood Top Gun flights?

Setting aside the already macabre fact that they are using pictures of the Wild Child, a plane that was destroyed and killed 2 people several years ago, to advertise. Wouldn’t a company that had some class remove those ads at least until the investigation was over?

They never bothered to update this page either. It falsely states “When they aren’t busy making movies in Hollywood, two of IA’s Hollywood Top Gun pilots can be found racing airplanes around the world. The air races debuted in China during 2010 and featured some of the most dynamic flying ever seen. Pilots compete wingtip to wingtip and perform daring aerobatics along a specially designed course. Think “Formula 1″ in the sky.”.

The second pilot was Craig Schulze (the jet pilot who flew for hire, passengers, very shortly after getting his L-39 rating..a time when he should have, in many people’s opinion, been getting some actual experience flying a jet, not flying paying passengers). They don’t race around the world and didn’t even get to do the Camarillo Air Race. Not only that, but Craig didn’t go to China, it wasn’t a race and it wasn’t a competition. It was a choreographed flight.

They have also not, to our knowledge, even publicly acknowledged the fact that two people died while on one of their “Incredible Adventures”. Most companies would have at least issued a press release expressing their condolences to the families of the victims and I don’t know..maybe even making some perfunctory statement regarding what sort of investigation they were doing in the face of the accident or what they would do to ensure the safety of passengers in the future (the fact the flights are illegal not withstanding).

I guess that’s how you can keep your company honest? Just don’t say anything.

I see it as low class. But that’s just my opinion.

Nomination Hearing Scheduled By The Senate Commerce Committee June 21

A look at the calendar for the Senate Commerce Committee has a notation that will be of interest to just about everyone in the aviation community. On June 21, acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta will sit before the committee in the first part of the process that could lead to his permanent appointment to the post.Huerta was named acting administrator following the resignation of Randy Babbitt, who had been accused of driving under the influence. Those charges were later dropped. President Obama appointed Huerta to complete Babbitt’s five-year term, and then have a full five-year term of his own.

With all of the action happening in regards to this I feel it is the perfect time to ask our government why they are not holding THEIR employees accountable. Perhaps you would like to join me.

Below is the letter I am sending to Senator Barbara Boxer in California. If you would like to also ask your representative why these things (as well as others) are going unchecked, please take the opportunity to find the representative in your area and contact them. Or contact Senator Boxer as these actions in particular took place in her state and should very much be of concern to her.

Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
Members: Members:
Cantwell, Maria (WA), Chairman
Inouye, Daniel K. (HI)
Boxer, Barbara (CA)
Nelson, Bill (FL)
Lautenberg, Frank R. (NJ)
Klobuchar, Amy (MN)
Udall, Tom (NM)
Warner, Mark R. (VA)
Begich, Mark (AK)
Rockefeller, John D. (WV), Ex Officio
Thune, John (SD), Ranking Member
DeMint, Jim (SC)
Wicker, Roger F. (MS)
Isakson, Johnny (GA)
Blunt, Roy (MO)
Boozman, John (AR)
Toomey, Patrick J. (PA)
Heller, Dean (NV)
Hutchison, Kay Bailey (TX), Ex Officio

The Honorable Barbara Boxer:

As an active member of the aviation community in Southern California I am writing to you in order to request that your office open an investigation of the Western Pacific Region of the FAA and more specifically the Van Nuys Flight Standards District Office.

As a member of the Subcommittee of Aviation Operations Safety and Security, it is vital that those charged with maintaining the highest level of professionalism and aviation-related safety be questioned as to why, in the face of years of irrefutable and overwhelming evidence, the Van Nuys FSDO has not stopped David G. Riggs, a reckless, renegade pilot from flying, illegal, paid flights in his L-39 Albatross which is a Soviet designed, military fighter jet trainer that falls under the “Experimental/Exhibition” Category. FAA Regulations specifically state that an aircraft in this category cannot be used for paid flights with the exception of training under a special “Letter of Deviation.” This same pilot, who also happens to be a convicted felon, had his pilot certificate revoked and was tried and sentenced to 60 days in jail for buzzing the Santa Monica pier in the same L-39 fighter jet trainer in 2008.

Many concerned citizens have reported Mr. Riggs’ illegal flights to the Van Nuys FSDO over the past several years. Even faced with documented proof, as there are even videos on YouTube, no action has ever been taken.

My website, http://aviationcriminal.com, in an effort to educate and warn the public has documented the criminal activities of David G. Riggs including his illegal commercial flights.

Two former FAA inspectors also tried to investigate these flights as well as the maintenance on the plane in question and were told to stand down by their superiors. One was terminated prior to the end of his probation period and the other, a long time employee of the FAA, had the case he was working up against David Glen Riggs taken away from him and then was forced into early retirement.

On May 18, 2012 during one of these paid flights in Boulder City Nevada the L-39 that was flying in formation with David G. Riggs in another L-39 Albatross crashed on takeoff, resulting in the death of both the pilot, Doug Gilliss, as well as paying passenger, Richard A. Winslow from Palm Desert, California.

In the preliminary report from the NTSB it was reported that this was a paid flight with eight passengers scheduled to fly that day. The flights were arranged by David G. Riggs’ company Mach One Aviation which is registered in Nevada but operated out of a California office at the Santa Monica Airport and Incredible Adventures which is a company in Florida.

While it will be months before an actual cause of the crash is determined and released, the facts are that the flight was a paid flight with a passenger who is now deceased, who never should have been in that plane in the first place. And had the Van Nuys FSDO worked to enforce the regulations when they were informed of these rides, paying passenger Winslow never would have been.

During the course of my reporting, David G. Riggs called in at least one confirmed false report to the Van Nuys FSDO regarding another pilot familiar with Mr. Riggs and his illicit aviation activities. It is believed this was in retaliation for my website and for having successfully sued Mr. Riggs for fraud and defamation.

While the Van Nuys FSDO was quick to follow up and investigate what began as an “anonymous” report to the FAA hotline, they have done nothing to investigate, or stop, the illegal L-39 flights that have been reported numerous times, from numerous people.

With hearings beginning to approve the assignment of a new head of the FAA, now is the ideal time to look into how this organization, which is supposed to oversee the safety of our skies, seems to consistently ignore the tough cases and only go after those that will have an easy, and quick resolution.

This is only one of, what I am sure are numerous instances of the FAA ignoring a serious safety risk while following up on what are relatively minor (and often anonymous) unsubstantiated reports. This is not the way the FAA should operate.

Why are serious infractions in flight, that can and do result in death, being given a blind eye while someone else can make an anonymous report of a pilot with NO previous infractions flying with “kidney stones” and the FSDO is quick to jump and threaten to take that pilot’s certificate? In addition, when it was shown that the report was done with malicious intent, again, nothing was done to hold the pilot, again, David G. Riggs, responsible for his actions. This did nothing more than give the rogue pilot permission to continue using the FAA, and taxpayer dollars, as a weapon of harassment and intimidation.

General Aviation in this country fights enough battles just to stay viable. When the people in aviation are asking for assistance to stop a criminal and prevent a tragedy and are being denied that assistance by the very people who are drawing a paycheck for exactly that purpose, something in the system is, quite simply, broken.

I thank you for your time and more importantly your attention to what is a very serious concern not only for those of us who are members of the aviation community on a daily basis, but also those who are citizens that have already fallen prey to these unsafe actions and will do so in the future if the people in question are not held accountable.

With Kindest Regards,

The site seems to be going up and down today. The webhost is working on it. Not sure if it’s a server issue or if the site is (again) under attack. Please check back if you find you have trouble. As always, we will be back. In the meantime you can always check Dave Riggs Criminal as they seem to be pretty quick to pick up my posts.

Thanks.

UPDATE 6:30pm PST: the site should be better now, there was an attack on the server but it is being controlled now.

Airbourne

Once again, Jim Campbell at Aero-News is reporting what no one else seems to want to say. His report relating to this case is at 18 minutes.

Palm Desert Patch

Feds say the jet that killed a Palm Desert man in a crash last month should never have been used for commercial uses.
By Eddie Trent Email the author June 14, 2012

The Czech-built L-39 jet that crashed in the Nevada desert last month, killing Richard Winslow of Palm Desert was still considered “experimental” by the Federal Aviation Administration, and not authorized for paying passengers.

The FAA also says both pilots flying the jets had been reprimanded previously for violations.

More from the Las Vegas Review-Journal here.

I’m seeing two articles on AvWeb that leave me a bit flummoxed.

The first is here

It states:

Two pilots who had previously had their certificates revoked are related to the fatal crash of an L-39 jet on May 18 near Boulder City airport, NV, the FAA said Wednesday. Douglas Edward Gilliss, was killed along with his passenger in the crash. Investigators now say Gilliss had previously had his certificate temporarily revoked for falsifying the check ride of a pilot involved in the fatal 2009 crash of an L-29. On his own fatal flight, Gilliss flew an L-39 alongside another piloted by David Glen Riggs, who, as AVweb reported Monday, has also once had his certificate temporarily revoked. The FAA is also pursuing evidence of possible violations during the Boulder City crash.

Riggs lost his certificate for one year after buzzing California’s Santa Monica pier in 2009. Investigators are also following up on reports that the fatal flight was flown while breaking more regulations. The FAA is trying to determine whether Riggs and Gilliss were illegally flying passengers for hire in the experimental aircraft, according an anonymous source “close to the investigation” cited by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The NTSB has already released a report that said the passenger who was killed was part of a group of eight people who were taking flight tours in the jets. Both Gilliss and Riggs held appropriate ratings at the time of the Boulder City crash. FAA regulations generally prohibit the pilots from charging for flights on the L-39s. The FAA is currently considering changes to rules that could make such flights legal in the future, or ban them altogether. AVweb has covered that story, here.

It’s the last sentence that gets me. “The FAA is currently considering changes to rules that could make such flights legal in the future, or ban them altogether”

The article they refer to about that is here.

IT says:

According to the Collings Foundation, you can see their historic aircraft at airshows largely because of specific exemptions granted by the FAA, but that could soon change for them and similar organizations and your chance to comment ends June 18. In March of 2011, the FAA put a moratorium on issuing the exemptions and they are currently under review, so your voice matters. Hunter Chaney, director of marketing for Collings, told AVweb Thursday that it’s now unclear whether the FAA will issue new exemptions for newly restored aircraft or even reissue current exemptions. That, says Chaney, could cripple the ability for organizations like Collings to bring their historic aircraft to airshows and share them with the public. Click here for more details and to hear our conversation with Chaney.

The exemptions in question allow operators of historic aircraft to recover some of their costs of operation by offering the public the chance to purchase rides on the aircraft. Chaney told AVweb Thursday that the revenue pays to bring the aircraft to the airshows. Without it, Chaney said, that sort of operation could stop. The FAA has opened the issue for discussion and is accepting comments. To learn more and contribute your thoughts, click here.

Can someone tell me if L-39s actually fall under this whole warbird thing? It’s my understanding that a “historic aircraft” would have to be a LOT older than these L-39s and the original regs said they had to be american made (but I think there was a revision written later to change that).

Unless I’m completely wrong (which is possible)…the fight the Collings Foundation is talking about would have NOTHING to do with L-39s. That doesn’t mean that the actions of someone like Riggs couldn’t cause problems for them anyway. Especially now.

I’d really like to understand this but I don’t know enough about the warbird flights to be confident in my thoughts.

Also, the flights these guys are talking about doing are WAY different than what Riggs and Incredible Adventures did.

Las Vegas Review Journal.

Part of the article:

“FAA regulations prohibit charging for rides on experimental aircraft such as L39s except, under certain circumstances, if the purpose of the operation is flight instruction,” Gregor wrote, responding to an email query from the Review-Journal.

A source close to the fatal crash investigation said the FAA was trying to determine whether David Glen Riggs, the Southern California pilot whose L-39 Albatros didn’t crash, was illegally selling rides to the public on the trainer jet. Authorities have said Riggs was piloting his Cold War-era, Soviet-Bloc trainer jet next to the one that crashed.

Riggs’ civilian airmen certificates were revoked for a year after he buzzed the Santa Monica, Calif., pier in 2008, Gregor said.

Attempts to reach Riggs by telephone were unsuccessful Wednesday. Two numbers listed for his previous addresses in Santa Monica and Universal City, Calif., had been disconnected

Also see:

KRNV – My News 4

KLAS – 8 News Now

Fox Reno

KTVN – 2

KTVU – San Francisco

Riggs leaving South Africa on his way to Hong Kong. He didn’t make the return trip as he was busted for traveling on a false passport. The picture was taken by De Wet Potgieter who later wrote Contraband: South Africa and the International Trade in Ivory and Rhino Horn. The day of their departure for Hong Kong the cops arranged for De Wet to sit in a vehicle on the tarmac with tinted windows taking pictures of them leaving. The book is going to be republished in 2012 and is an interesting case study of the out of hand smuggling that was going on in the 80s. It also details extensively the part that Dave Riggs attempted, and failed to have in that trade. I thank Mr. Potgieter for sharing.

This picture is the rhino horns provided by the cops for the sting operation and the money came from Riggs to pay for the contraband. To the right sat the former commander of the Endangered Species Protection Unit, Colonel Pieter Lategan.

We have discussed at length the crash of Wild Child. Two pilots dead. Killed while following direction from Dave Riggs (when they had actually been told not to fly until a safety briefing was held according to at least one person). He directed them alright. Straight into a mountain.

A website that recently popped up and has apparently made a copy of THIS site Dave Riggs Criminal posted the video that was submitted to the NTSB for the investigation.

The first two deaths that can be directly connected to Riggs. And this was while making a movie. Ya know..like those ones he claimed to make for Incredible Adventures customers. Okay, not really..this was actually for a real movie, but you can see why I have a problem with this I assume.

I’d also like to state emphatically…that site is NOT mine. I have nothing to do with it..but I don’t have a problem with it either.

What do you think the mother of a 12 year old boy with cancer would think if her son got a Wish from the Make A Wish Foundation …. and was put in a plane with Dave Riggs. A multi-convicted felon who we now know allegedly conspired to murder two people? Incredible Adventures did a good thing I suppose (although it sounds like the flight was paid for so I guess they didn’t donate it) but wow did they show bad judgement with using Riggs …

Boy with cancer flies jet

It’s an absolutely amazing story, until you realize who he’s in the plane with.

Since the plane registered to Nazarene Aviation Fellowship (N139CK) which is the L-39 Riggs flies, is based at Van Nuys, and since that is where the flight in question originated from, it seems it is the Van Nuys FSDO that would handle the investigation into Dave Riggs, Mach One, Incredible Adventures, and the paid flights.

One has to wonder if that’s a good idea. Van Nuys has known for YEARS what Riggs has been doing. Is there any reason to trust that they will actually do a proper investigation, and more importantly will they actually do anything about it?

If it were me, I think I’d want anyone but Van Nuys handling it. Or maybe anyone but any office in the Western Pacific Region.

Fingers Point at Inexplicable FAA Inaction in L-39 Accident

Fingers Point At Inexplicable FAA Inaction In Fatal L-39 Accident
‘Unlawful Operation’ of L-39 By Mach 1 Aviation and Incredible Adventures Results in Two Deaths
News and Analysis by Jim Campbell, ANN Editor-In-Chief
Over the course of several YEARS, ANN has chronicled the actions of a pilot with an extensive criminal record by the name of David G Riggs. Riggs, already having done prison time in the US and abroad for a number of infractions, has been the subject of a number of stories in which his actions have been found to be both unsafe, illegal, and of potential peril to those in the air and on the ground.

Principally known as the pilot of an L-39 that terrorized a Santa Monica pier via a high-speed, low-altitude buzz job that scared hundreds and posed a serious danger to the lives of those nearby, David Riggs ultimately had his tickets pulled for a year and a criminal conviction and penalties entered against him (for which he has yet to complete his sentence). Since then, with his tickets restored, Riggs has continued a stunning litany of dangerous activities and efforts that have caused many to report him to the FAA and other Federal agencies, while the activities continued, inexplicably, unabated and unchallenged.

For the Santa Monica Pier stunt, Riggs was criminally charged and eventually sentenced by a California Superior Court to 60 days in jail, 36 months probation, and a $900 fine in connection with the incident. He was also ordered to perform 60 days community labor cleaning up Santa Monica Beach. It was not the only legal/criminal altercation for Riggs — who has a long history, documented in a number of press reports, of his legal altercations… one of which got him incarcerated in a foreign prison for a year. He has created great enmity among a significant portion of the aviation community… at least one of whom has gone so far as to dedicate a web site to his alleged transgressions (www.aviationcriminal.com).

Riggs, as you may recall, was also the guiding hand behind an effort to bring a convoluted and reportedly unsafe air racing program to the Camarillo Air Show, last August. The race plan was never approved by the FAA, was found to be improperly prepared, as well as poorly researched, and many of the claims made by the race organizers (principally, Riggs) were found to be without foundation or verification. Despite some surprising name-calling and questionable statements by the Air Show organizers and Riggs, the race was not flown… and to this day Riggs and the show staff continue to try to point their fingers at the FAA. The record shows, however; that the FAA bent over backwards to give this race proposal (Ultimate Air Race Challenge — UARC), every chance to meet the regs and that they, without doubt, failed to do so.

Over the course of several years, ANN has been made aware of numerous online video productions in which Riggs was documented conducting what appeared to be commercial operations in an L-39 Albatros single engine jet trainer and conducting operations that appeared, at first impression, to be outside the regs as well as occasionally showing what appeared to be unsafe actions and operations. ANN reported this evidence and our concerns to the FAA on numerous occasions, and over several years, and is aware of several other pilots and concerned citizens (even FAA personnel), who did likewise. At no time has ANN ever received any evidence to support the possibility of a waiver or other alternate means of compliance that might make these allegedly illegal operations allowable under the FARs.

Riggs openly advertised commercial rides in the L-39 via a number of corporate entities, and another well-known adventure travel company, “Incredible Adventures,” featured Riggs on its site and promoted him as an expert pilot while offering rides-for-hire in his aircraft. Advertised as a “Hollywood Top Gun” adventure, IA appeared to be selling the rides as a film-making adventure in which a person who purchases the $3000-$5000 L-39 jet packages would be able to feature themselves in their own “movie.” Incredible Adventures promotes the rides by hyping, “You’re not just the star of this short film. You share screenwriting credits. Each flight is designed to match your taste for adrenaline. Each script prepared to meet your expectations. You determine what maneuvers you’d like to perform and whether you’ll make low passes through the canyons or fly low over the ocean.”

Conversation with Incredible Adventures Boss, Jane Reifert in 2011, found her to be quite defensive about the program and short on details as to the flights’ legality. Claiming that IA had a put together a special program with the FAA, she claimed the flights were legal, that the details were the secret “intellectual property” of Incredible Adventures, and that she saw no problem working with a pilot like Riggs, despite his history of violations, criminal behavior and convoluted but well-documented history of dangerous and illicit behaviors. Further; she told ANN’s Jim Campbell that many of the reports of Riggs’ criminal past were nothing more than bad press and the result of stories “people made up” to hurt Riggs. Thereafter; Reifert tried to change the tone of the conversation to accuse other people in the commercial space travel industry of all manner of unsavory activities, while asserting that Incredible Adventures was a paragon, in comparison.

Last month, on May 18th, a two-ship flight of L-39s attempted a take-off from the Boulder City, NV, Airport. One ship was flown by Doug Gillis, an accomplished L-39 pilot… the other by David Riggs. Both had passengers on board. Gillis’s L-39 went down shortly after takeoff with the loss of Douglas E. Gilliss, 65, of Solana Beach, a USAF Vet, and his passenger, Richard A. Winslow, 65, of Palm Desert, CA. According to the NTSB Prelim, “A group of eight people had paid for a flight package. The flight was to be 45 minutes long, and at the end of the flight each passenger would be provided a film of their flight. The majority of the group was interviewed, and they stated that they were driven by bus from their hotel to BVU. Once they arrived at BVU, they made their way into BFE FBO (fixed based operator) and were told by someone at BFE that the two airplanes were en route from VNY. While they waited for the airplanes to arrive, the group discussed the order in which they would fly since only one passenger could occupy one seat in each airplane. After the airplanes arrived, the group reported seeing two people exit each airplane. The group talked to the pilots and took pictures of themselves with the airplanes. They moved inside BFE to a conference room where they received a briefing of what to expect. Members of the group indicated that there would be four flights; two flights would occur before lunch, the airplanes would be refueled, and then they would have the final two flights. The passengers did not observe any mechanical problems during the first two flights. The accident flight occurred on the third flight of the day after the lunch break.”

The report also stated that, “Mach 1 Aviation and Incredible Adventures operated the flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.” According to a number of people associated or directly involved with the FAA, they have no knowledge of how these operations could have been legally conducted under part 91… and no one recalled any waivers or other permissions that would have allowed for same. Further; at least two former FAA staffers claim direct knowledge of previous illegal operations involving Riggs, and both indicated that they had expended serious effort to get the FAA to look aggressively at Riggs’ operations and stop them, “…in the name of aviation safety.”

The two FAA personnel (among others) tell a troubling story that contradicts what the FAA is ‘spinning’ to the public at large.

Former FAA Inspector, Kevin Sullivan, states that, “It is interesting how certain individuals within the FAA literally get away with murder, fraud, lying to congress, granting preferred access to their high office to certain privileged attorneys and individuals for compensation, protecting the guilty, taking bribes, interfering with criminal investigations, preventing law enforcement from getting straight answers and otherwise allowing and therefore encouraging mayhem in the safety conscious aviation community.

It has not been said here before, but consider this: The FAA, under a knowingly made false pretense, initiated the firing of the only FAA Aviation Safety Inspector that provided the evidence from a thorough investigation that led to the only successful certificate enforcement action that resulted in the emergency revocation of Mr. Riggs pilot certificates, which, by the way, was upheld by the full NTSB Judge panel and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals!

I know what happened, because I was there and experienced it first hand. I personally know the individuals within the FAA that were responsible and they, likewise know who they are, and who I am. While it is illegal for them to use their public positions of authority to do so, they are actively engaged in retribution against me directly by interfering with my ability to support my family through my activities in the aviation community. I consider those individuals liars, cowards and traitors to the oaths of office they took to protect the communities they serve and that pay their salaries.

If any of you wish to contact me directly, I will return the communication. I am no longer afraid of you or concerned about your collective opinion of me. I am also not naive about your capability to do harm to me, my family, business contacts and friends. This is the age of the internet, communication at the speed of light and full disclosure. The public demands and has a right to know who you are and what you are doing.

David G Riggs

I say this because I do not want to see another member of the public suffer death, loss or other results from this idiot’s uncontrolled, unchecked criminal activities. Remember, these individuals have known about Rigg’s giving rides for hire in his Experimental Exhibition aircraft since 2004, and chosen to do nothing to protect the public! There is ample documented evidence that exists to backup all of these statements in the possession of Aviation Criminal.com, the LA Times, the FAA and other individuals. I have personally seen it. Those who know me, know what this means.”

Another Inspector, George Erdel, who retired from the FAA after an unsuccessful attempt to fire him, as well, tells a similar story. Erdel has stated publicly that, “I personally made a hot line complaint to Washington FAA Administrators Hot line in May of 2009 concerning Mr Riggs and his miscreant activities and illegal operations after the enforcement case against the airworthiness certificate of his aircraft was closed with NO ACTION at the instruction of the Western Pacific Regional Counsel’s instruction to the manager of San Diego FSDO. Following my complaint there was a big meeting to discuss this matter and at that meeting I stated openly and confidently that if Mr. Riggs was not throttled and forced into compliance that he would continue to operate in illegal operations that are unsafe and that more people would die. One of his other aircraft operations resulted in death when the L-39 named Wild Child crashed in the desert several years back. How many more people will have to die before Mr. Riggs is treated accordingly?”

ANN must note that Erdel has reported that he was sued by Riggs for a reported $50++ million dollars… a matter made known to the FAA right away… and having a chilling effect on the FAA Legal office… even though, ultimately, Erdel reports that he was never served with the suit itself and the matter went nowhere. Erdel believes that this legal assault, a favored tool of Riggs, was an attempt to intimidate the FAA intro dropping any actions against him.

Aero-News & Analysis: OK… we have to admit it… this story sickens us. We have lost count of the times that we have referred considerable evidence of questionable activities and reports about Riggs (and some of his cronies) to the FAA for fear of harm to other pilots and the public. After decades of doing the “tough” stories, and either being told we were over-reacting or just plain wrong by the FAA, as well as some of the aviation associations or others; we are stunned to see that even after having been proven right each and every time we’ve taken on causes like this, that no one else is willing to step up and protect the well-being of aviators and the public against hazards like those noted above.

It is particularly maddening to watch the FAA make innocent airmen jump through hoops, time and time again, after “anonymous” or unverifiable reports were made about matters that had little bearing on the overall safety of the aviation system while virtually ignoring demonstrable hazards like Riggs and others engaged in demonstrably questionable activities. We have been told that the FAA enforcement system has so degenerated that inspectors will jump on a “quick kill” that has little merit or evidence to support it (similar to the incredible details that I documented years ago in the FAA v Hoover case, via my book “Air Of Injustice”), rather than undertake a time-consuming or difficult investigation that involves “real work.” Just as difficult to swallow are the details, similar to those we have heard (again) time and time again, where FAA Inspectors who do undertake difficult or unpopular cases suddenly find their jobs in danger.

There is little doubt in our minds that the May 18th accident was avoidable had the FAA heeded any one of dozens of reported warnings about the potential for unlawful and potentially hazardous operations like that which allegedly occurred in Boulder City, NV. Further; we have no idea how many so-called ‘training flights’ Riggs conducted (a number of which appear to have occurred before he had reportedly earned a Commercial ticket and we have no knowledge, as yet, of his ever earning a CFI) and how many innocent people many have been hazarded, as a result.

And mind you, this may not be the only fatalities that Riggs may have had some culpability in… several years ago, in a so-called movie operation involving another L-39 (better known as Wild Child), Riggs was allegedly directing the pilots of that aircraft through a series of maneuvers that ultimately led to the aircraft impacting terrain with fatal results… as well as some other highly questionable activities. Had the FAA ‘done its job’ several years ago, the question at the top of our minds is whether or not Winslow and Gillis might be alive today. And of course, that doesn’t even include all the scams (several involving airplanes) and alleged cons he has pulled in the interim. David Riggs, from the evidence we’ve seen and in my personal opinion, represents a serious danger to the aviation industry and the public at large.

By the way; ANN has also alerted a number of luminaries among the aviation associations to this issue and few have shown any inclination to get involved. I have personally detailed this matter to AOPA’s Craig Fuller, face to face, as well as a number of other alphabet groups… so the FAA is not the only ones not doing their utmost to protect their constituency.

And yet… there are heroes in all this… Kristy Graham’s “Aviation Criminal” site has been tireless in trying to make sure that this matter does not get swept under the rug, even though Riggs is attempting to sue her, out-of-state, for $25K, claiming that her efforts caused him to lose money on the UARC/Camarillo Air Show Air Race debacle (even though the FAA’s own published statements say otherwise), and her friend Randy Shatz has been the target of numerous (and often anonymous) false complaints to the FAA Hotline, one now known to have come directly from David Riggs. The LA Times’ Dan Weikel has done a good job of covering a difficult and circuitous story for his readership, while several FAA personnel (principally former inspectors Sullivan and Erdel) have bucked the system to try and get the FAA to do its job. Sullivan was reportedly fired, in part, for his actions in attempting to bring Riggs to justice. Kudos must also be extended to ICAS for refusing to allow Riggs to join and use the ICAS name to attempt to legitimize himself, as well as a number of combat jet pilots who refused to fly with one of Riggs’ cohorts during the annual airshow over Wittman Field (and to the EAA staff that supported them in their decision to do so).

In the meantime, despite a number of bizarre threats, and at least one extortion attempt (reported to local PD), ANN will continue to report this story and not be dissuaded from doing what good journalism is supposed to do… tell important, factually supported, stories to the people that most need to hear them. We do not expect this story to end here… and as a matter of fact, the details that are coming to light, on an almost daily basis, continue to tell a startling story of an FAA that doesn’t work, an aviation system under constant attack by crooks (and not just David Riggs), of the cowardice of the rank and file ‘alphabet groups’ who are supposedly out there to protect our industry, and an aviation justice system that has become truly disfunctional and is a danger to the flying public. More to follow…

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.aviationcriminal.com, www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20120518X70641&key=1

Incredible Adventures – July 14, 2011

Incredible Adventures has been in business since 1993. As a company, we are known worldwide for our honesty, integrity and professionalism. We strongly resent the speculation we are doing anything illegal. We are not “skirting the law” or “violating regulations”. The FAA is fully aware of our activities.

Incredible Adventures – August 25, 2011

In 1993, Incredible Adventures became the first company in the world to offer civilians the chance to break the sound barrier in a MiG-29 over Moscow. Now, nearly 18 years later, we not only offer MiG flights in Russia, but flying programs in more than 30 other aircraft too. We have worked hard to earn an excellent reputation within the aviation community. We’ve earned that reputation by following all the rules.

The continued speculation that we are involved in an illegal activity amounts to malicious defamation. Please stop now.

Incredible Adventures – October 19, 2011

Incredible Adventures contracts with FAA certified pilots to fly FAA certified aircraft according to FAA regulations. Every single one of our pilots has been evaluated by an FAA examiner and found to be competent. Prospective clients can verify pilot credentials and confirm aircraft airworthiness certificates, free of charge, on the FAA’s easy-to-use website. The complete regulations governing the operation of aircraft in the experimental/exhibition category can also be found on the FAA’s website. In America, the FAA decides who is qualified to fly aircraft and under what conditions, not anonymous bloggers. There’s the logic.

****

I’m only going to comment on one line.

Incredible Adventures contracts with FAA certified pilots to fly FAA certified aircraft according to FAA regulations. Every single one of our pilots has been evaluated by an FAA examiner and found to be competent

You “contracted” with a pilot who did not, until recently, have a commercial pilot rating. You “contracted” with a pilot who had, most likely, less than 100 hours in an L-39 to fly passengers for hire. You are NOT flying FAA certified aircraft. Hence the reason L-39s are called “EXPERIMENTAL EXHIBITION” aircraft.

I’m going to hope (and assume) that “Concerned Citizen” will not mind that I copy and paste this comment they left. I get asked a LOT why I’m doing this. What is my interest? Why do I care since I’m not a pilot. This is the absolute best answer I ever could have come up with and it is absolutely dead on. It is too bad that it took a “non-pilot” to get it. To decide that enough was enough and that the damage being done was irrevocable and unforgiveable. It’s too bad that the aviation community as a whole was bullied into not being able or willing to do it. Even now, it seems that many would prefer to just keep their mouths closed and let someone else do the dirty work. That’s okay. But an incredibly important point is made here and one that I’ve tried to make for over a year now. If the aviation community thinks they are the only ones interested in what is happening in the skies they are wrong. But the others who are interested aren’t looking to make things better for aviation, they are looking to find a way to make it harder and harder so that they “general public” will be kept safe. In a country that is quickly becoming a “nanny state” if we don’t police our own, they WILL do it for us, but not in the way that we would prefer. I don’t have to be a pilot to love and respect all of those who are. I don’t have to be a pilot to want the sky I fly in to be as safe as can be expected. I don’t have to be a pilot to want my friends who are to be able to continue to enjoy what they love (while continuing to share a seat with me). And it’s also important to know that it’s not just the aviation community who has been affected by these actions and this 20+ year history of behavior. In that sense, it’s not all about you.

*****

Perhaps I can tell you why there is a website like this on Riggs, but first I have to state I am in no way associated with this website. I found it reading an accident report in which Riggs was involved in the death of two other pilots and only came into it for a little backstory but the deeper I read the more concerned I became.

“To anyone” if you are really a pilot and continue to grow both mentally and as a pilot there will be a day you’ll have a true understanding of what I am about to say and not have to need to question “why” as you have done above. Aviation is a smaller community than most people think and something of a stand alone island in it’s needs and vested interest in that it alone nearly exclusively uses the body of earth 100′ above ground level world wide. Aviation itself is also inherently risky to anyone involved in it and to a lesser degree everyone not involved. There is zero potential for a cruise ship wreck to occur in Denver CO. Airplanes have become almost the most single devastating weapon of war, weapons of terrorism, projections of power. Airplanes are coveted by enthusiast, used as modern yachts by the rich, carriages of relief to the devastated. In other words there is no real definition of what an airplane does for humanity or a real definitive word “aviation”.

Except to anyone not involved with aviation. To them aviation is one single lump to be dealt with collectively. This includes individuals, the media, and most importantly law makers. Every one of them ready to spread draconian measures upon something they don’t understand or have ever tried to understand. Yet “aviation” is so complex even those involved cannot have an in depth insider knowledge to every aspect….

So right away aviation is posed with a problem: perception from exterior groups.

It’s a known problem that is addressed daily but often ineffectively. EAA, Young Eagles, Pilots and Paws, Antique Aircraft Association, Aircraft Spotter Group, Civil Air Patrol, AOPA, etc… It is very important to transmit the ideas, needs, importance of having a self sustaining aviation community within the community because all this good will is so easily destroyed.

Destroyed by selfish or irresponsible people like Riggs who rape everyone else in the aviation communities doing things dangerously and publicly where the non-informed non-aviation groups demand more laws and restrictions. The truth is Riggs has broken plenty of laws. We just need them enforced by the FAA. So, to get to the point of this website. Any true profession attempts to stop renegades and self regulate so that external groups don’t become the regulatory force. That includes Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers, Politicians. When they identify someone who is going to bring bad perception into the profession they actively work to distance and “dis-bar” them. Riggs is a hazard to everyone but the dead bodies lay on the front porch of what is collectively called aviation. For whatever reason the FAA has not done their job to stop him even though it is public record they have repeatedly been made aware of his actions.

In the absence of FAA enforcement it is now becoming a word of mouth campaign that Riggs is a rouge operator that needs to be booted from the aviation community before he harms it further.

I’ve given you a long answer. I will end it with a few examples I hope you do a little research on.

In the early 1970′s Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor in California was crashed into by a guy like Riggs. It had far reaching implications to this day within the aviation community.

In the late 1940′s a highly modified P-51 on a race course crashed into a house killing a mother and her child. This ended the Cleveland Air Races forever.

A rouge B-52 pilot practicing for an airshow killed his entire crew in Washington State. There is video of the event and heavy documentation of pilots reporting his prior dangerous disregard for safety. If he had been stopped several families would still have Fathers.

Last year at Reno a highly modified P-51 crashed into the grandstands killing and wounding many. It is still being determined how this will impact aviation.

So one day you’re going to understand the stakes are to high for Riggs to go unignored. Riggs is destroying something built by others, enjoyed by others, paid for by others, and he just doesn’t care. It’s got to be stopped.

My Fox LA.

Times Standard.

San Francisco Chronicle.

Daily Republic.

Kathryn Aviation News.

KSWT News.

San Diego Channel 6.

Av Web.

Bakersfield now.

Pilot who buzzed Santa Monica Pier under investigation

By Dan Weikel, Los Angeles Times
June 9, 2012
Federal authorities are investigating whether a local pilot who lost his flight privileges for buzzing the Santa Monica Pier in 2008 illegally sold rides to the public in his Soviet-era military jet.

The investigation of David G. Riggs stems from an accident in Nevada on May 18 in which a Czech-built L-39 Albatros crashed in the desert, killing a veteran pilot and a passenger who had purchased a ride.

Authorities said Riggs was flying with a passenger in his own Aero Vodochody L-39 next to the ill-fated plane shortly before it crashed.

Both high-performance aircraft had flown that day from Van Nuys Airport to the Boulder City Municipal Airport, where eight people who had bought flights were set to take turns riding in the two-seat planes. The jet trainers were popular in the Soviet bloc during the Cold War.

Government regulations forbid carrying passengers for hire in such aircraft unless the owners have permission from the Federal Aviation Administration. The planes can be used for flight training and making feature films or television shows under certain conditions.

If federal regulations were violated, Riggs could face a suspension or another revocation of his pilot’s license. He lost his flight privileges for a year after he made several passes in his L-39 over the Santa Monica Pier on Nov. 8, 2008.

FAA officials said he streaked along the beach at extremely low altitude and then pulled up abruptly when he reached the pier, endangering people who stood below. His pilot license was reinstated after the penalty period expired.

The Boulder City crash is being investigated by the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board, which issued a preliminary accident report this week. It contains details about the crash but does not make conclusions about the cause.

“The FAA is very actively investigating this accident and the circumstances behind the aircraft operations,” Ian Gregor, an administration spokesman, said Friday.

George Erdell, a retired FAA inspector who handled the Santa Monica case, said the FAA’s Van Nuys office has had complaints for years that Riggs was operating his jet contrary to limitations of his experimental airworthiness certificate, but has done nothing until now.

Gregor defended the agency, saying the FAA aggressively investigates complaints when it receives credible allegations that someone is violating federal aviation regulations.

Killed in the Boulder City crash were Richard A. Winslow, 65, of Palm Desert and Douglas E. Gilliss, 65, of Solana Beach, a former Air Force captain and air transport pilot with years of experience flying vintage military jets.

Gilliss lost his flight certificates in connection with the crash of another Soviet-era military jet during an aerial display in Tehachapi on July 4, 2009. The city’s airport director and a former Air Force test pilot were killed.

The FAA alleged that Gilliss, who was a flight examiner at the time, falsely stated in a pilot’s log that he had checked out the ability of the airport manager to fly the jet before the crash.

Commentary:

There is a YEARS worth of complaints here. And yes, I’m just a blogger and I had no real credibility IN THE BEGINNING. But I think I’ve proven that I know of what I speak. And I KNOW for FACT they read this site…more than a few of their offices have visited. Everything posted here can be independently verified for truth. If you care enough to do it, which, if it’s your JOB you should. And Aero-News has asked MULTIPLE times about these flights. Kevin Sullivan and George Erdel were investigating him for it back during the Santa Monica investigation. I believe the LA Times mentioned in an article that is was thought to be illegal.

Kevin Sullivan told us that when he did his investigation it was found that Riggs had NO Letters of Deviation, NO Waivers, NO exemptions. Not even a movie book.

So NONE of this (including the NUMEROUS YouTube videos) is credible?

But an anonymous call reporting a pilot has kidney stones is?

Really.

Between 1985 & 1987 – opened Mokan Productions and then set up a company in Nashville called National Studio Supply that sold fictitious video equipment to Mokan Productions.
1987 – Mokan Productions deal fell apart and resulted in a 29 count indictment
1987- Riggs takes $1 million dollars (part cash part wire transfers) and goes to the Cayman Islands after allegedly destroying 8 trash bags worth of paperwork from Mokan.

1988 – Settles in South Africa under the name “Dave Rogers”
1988 – Gets arrested in Hong Kong with a suitcase full of horns and ivory and charged for using a false Australian passport under the name “Michael Joseph East”
Spends a year in jail in Hong Kong.
A year to the day of being jailed he is extradited back to the United States.

January 1990 – arraigned on 28 counts of bank fraud and one count of passport fraud. Sentenced to 10 years at Leavenworth and got credit for his prison time in Hong Kong.

1993 – released from prison he heads to Atlanta. Goes to work for a video post-production company named Video Post. Fired when the owner finds out about his criminal history.

1994 – settled lawsuits and applied for parole transfer, moved to Tampa

1997 – articles appear in the Tampa Bay Business Journal detailing the suppliers, vendors and partners that he has managed to con during his 3 years in Tampa while running Digital Majik Post Productions, Inc.

2006 – V1 Cut Productions and Panopoly Pictures begins work on Succubus: Hell Bent. This is the only movie he was involved in that ever got completed.
2006 – Two pilots killed while following flight direction by Riggs while filming scenes for Succubus: Hell-Bent

2007 – Attempts to work on movies such as “Fast Glass” (which ends up not getting completed and spends years tied up in lawsuits when Riggs gets sued for fraud by the investors)
2007 – Ends up with Terry Fregley’s L-39 (one of the pilots who died in the 2006 plane crash).

2008 – “Kerosene Cowboys” (also never completed) production partnership is put together with a group of Russian investors. This movie also was never completed and resulted in lawsuits against Riggs alleging fraud.
2008 – Buzzes the Santa Monica Pier and Beach in the L-39. Charged by the city of Santa Monica with a section of the state public utilities code designed to protect life and property from careless and reckless pilots.

2009 – NTSB trial for the Santa Monica Pier incident – Riggs pilot’s certificate revoked.

2010 – Riggs tried and found guilty in the criminal trial for the Santa Monica Beach episode. Sentenced to 60 days in jail, 60 days community service (designated to be done cleaning the beach in Santa Monica) and fines and court costs. He immediately appealed.

2006 or thereabouts through NOW – videos on YouTube show he was doing flights for hire in the L-39 (both Wild Child and the one he got from Fregley) for Incredible-Adventures even though he only had a private pilot’s certificate, NOT a commercial ticket nor is he a CFI. He did get a commercial ticket in 2010 but is still not a CFI.

2010 – Files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy personally and on behalf of Afterburner Films, Inc., Kerosene Cowboys, Inc. and Mach I Aviation, Inc. Those filings stayed all the pending trials against Riggs that were scheduled for that summer pending the outcome of the bankruptcies.

2010 – Goes to China to fly in two Air Shows with 2 other pilots. Ends up cheating the promoter of the shows (according to the promoter), holds a one of a kind hot air balloon hostage for no other reason than “because he could”, allegedly attempts to steal the plane belonging to one of the pilots who went to China, and ends up with yet another lawsuit filed against him for contractual fraud.

2011 – Attempts to start the Ultimate Air Race Championship in partnership with Frederico Lapenda. That falls flat even though months are spent falsely advertising it.
2011 – In April he advertises a ride in the “Wild Child” for a auction as a fundraiser in a school in Santa Monica. This is an auction for a flight in a plane that was destroyed several years before, killing 2 pilots who were following Dave Riggs’ directions while filming for a movie. (That’s called fraud for those keeping score).
2011 – In August the appeal hearing for the Santa Monica incident was held. The appellate courts tentative ruling upheld the original conviction and jail sentence. The final written ruling is pending as of September 2, 2011.
2011 – In October the appellate court affirms the original conviction. Even during this time videos and blogs appear detailing Riggs continuing to fly people for hire in the L-39 against all known FAA regulations.
2011 – November 16th, Riggs is sent to LA County Jail on a probation violation for not completing the requirements of his sentence for the Santa Monica incident his fines were also raised from around $940 to almost $6k

2012 – May 18 a pilot and passenger both die when the L-39 they are in crashes in Boulder City Nevada. NTSB report states it was a paid flight put together by Mach One Aviation and Incredible Adventures. Dave Riggs is in the 2nd plane that day.

One of the posts I did previously needs to be repeated at this time. Mach One, Mach 1, Mach I…similar but oh so different. I know people are finding this site via google searches. I want to STRESS..the Mach 1 listed in the Las Vegas Sun article (or anywhere else including the NTSB report) is NOT the Mach 1 Aviation owned by Jason Price that runs out of Van Nuys airport. Below is a copy and paste of the original article that appeared here in May 2011.

Collateral Damage

Whenever there is a war there is collateral damage. The military expects, and accepts it. The cost of doing business. Collateral damage is defined as: “Unintentional or incidental injury or damage to persons or objects that would not be lawful military targets in the circumstances ruling at the time. Such damage is not unlawful so long as it is not excessive in light of the overall military advantage anticipated from the attack.”

One of the defining factors is intent. If they didn’t INTEND to harm then it’s not unlawful. It’s that instance of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But this isn’t war. And collateral damage should always be unlawful. Sadly, like much of what we’ve discussed here the law doesn’t seem to be able or willing to do anything about it.

One of those who has been a victim of Riggs’ actions who has NOTHING to do with him is Jason Price. You may recall him being mentioned briefly in a prior post. Jason is the owner of the California registered company Mach 1 Aviation, Inc. Keep in mind that Dave Riggs has Mach One Aviation (in California) and Mach 1 Aviation (in Nevada). Jason opened and began running a flight school at Van Nuys airport in 2007. Jason had no idea about Riggs, his history and actions or the existance of Mach One in California or Mach 1 in Nevada. He just thought it was great the name was available and began working on advancing his career.

Since that time his company has been served with numerous lawsuits in error over confusion of the name (as we’ve seen Dave uses them very randomly and interchanges the “One” and “1″ pretty much however he chooses). They’ve all been cleared up but not without time, effort and expense on Mr. Price’s part. He’s been contacted by numerous FBOs in regards to jet fuel that was never paid for, again by Riggs. Since Mr. Price only uses Av Fuel there really is no question as to what has happened. At one point Millionair Burbank contacted him trying to recoup $30,000 from Riggs. Another company, Jeppesen, actually had a judgment served against Mach 1 Aviation. This is a company that Mr. Price has several accounts (in good standing) with. But that one little trick to the name screws everything up. He has managed to get things cleared with Jeppesen, but getting the judgment removed from his corporate credit is a whole different issue. If anyone has ever tried to get a bad report off their credit I’m sure they can sympathize with what a nightmare that can be.

I’m sure that when Mr. Price was served with the lawsuit (at home no less) he figured it was just an innocent mistake and wouldn’t be something that would happen again. So he chose to continue building his brand under the name Mach 1 Aviation. Five years later there is nothing slowing down and the lawsuits and creditors just keep on coming.

Because Riggs was using the name prior to Mr. Price incorporating he has no legal recourse. He did contact Riggs and asked him to stop using the name. I imagine it would have helped if Riggs would have just stuck with Mach ONE to avoid confusion but of course, being him, he refused.

He is not just collateral damage. He is an honest man with a wife and son who has done everything correctly but is forced to pay for the criminal and unethical actions of a man he doesn’t even know. This is not someone who got involved in a business deal that went bad. This is someone who through absolutely NO fault of his own got drawn into the drama and poison that David G. Riggs brings with him everywhere he goes.

How much longer will we as members of the aviation and entertainment communities continue to allow this man to go along with no consequences to his actions? How long will people continue to give him the means and ways to continue on destroying everything in his path?

For information on the pending lawsuit against AviationCriminal.com please see this post.

It appears that the judge in Nevada may possibly decide to give jurisdiction to the state of Nevada even though I have not stepped foot there, marketed there, or directly aimed anything there.

Because of the fact that everything associated with the Camarillo Air Show, and every ONE associated with the Camarillo Air Show is in California this is going to make a defense very difficult.

Any assistance those of you who support this site might like to contribute would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks much!

If you have questions or would like to donate in way other than paypal please feel free to contact me at freyas.favored@gmail.com

Commentary.

So. The NTSB Preliminary Report is out. We now know that it was, as suspected, a paid flight. We also know it was done by Mach 1 Aviation and Incredible Adventures. For those new here, please remember that Mach 1 Aviation is the same company that is currently suing the webmaster of this site in Nevada.

There were 8 passengers that day. Six more than we were aware of, but we had heard there was a whole crew. There were also apparently 2 others that flew in from Van Nuys with Riggs and Gillis as the passengers said they saw two people exit each plane upon arrival.

The accident was during the 3rd flight of the day, after lunch and re-fueling. No mention if the passengers saw the pilots do any sort of pre-flight check. The passengers said they took note of no mechanical problems during the first two flights. Unless they were pilots familiar with these planes or an engine was on fire, or something actually fell off the plane, how would “passengers” know anyway?

The passenger in the lead airplane stated that he “figured out how to put his own seatbelt/safety harness on”. Really? You took a passenger in a military jet for aerobatic flights and didn’t SHOW HIM HOW TO DO THAT? The passenger stated that his pilot received a clearance for takeoff. How did he do that in an uncontrolled airport? He may have stated his intentions, but it’s my understanding there is no tower there. This isn’t hugely important except it shows that these were not pilots (or at least this passenger wasn’t) who would be familiar with taking off from an airport with no controllers.

Then we get the previously reported “canopy” call. If they didn’t hook the harnesses for the passengers, did they also not verify the security of the canopy? As someone mentioned in a previous comment, L-39s should have a light that lets you know if a canopy is not secure.

I’m sure there will be much more to this investigation but for now all I can say is this literally gives me nightmares. I have been begging for over a year for an explanation of why these flights were allowed to continue. I have said multiple times that I was afraid someone would die. And now, here we are.

So far, the only official statement from the FAA comes to us through Jim Campbell at Aero-News who stated “the FAA is very very very closely involved with the investigation of the accident and the circumstances surrounding it.” Let’s hope so.

It’s a sad statement on a government agency when people who normally want nothing to do with them (i.e. pilots who follow the rules and citizens) are begging them to do something about a really bad situation and being ignored.

And let’s not forget the pilot in the lead plane and CEO of Mach 1 Aviation is still on probation for the Santa Monica stunt.

The media sites are beginning to post the story of the preliminary report. Oddly The Las Vegas Sun is the only one that seems to have caught on (so far) to the regulations that make FLIGHT FOR SALE against regulations. Can’t say that surprises me. It takes some actual research to find these things out if you aren’t involved in aviation and it seems few journalists actually do research anymore.

I have many thoughts on this report. I’ll share later.

http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20120518X70641&key=1

NTSB Identification: WPR12FA216
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 18, 2012 in Boulder City, NV
Aircraft: AERO VODOCHODY L-39, registration: N39WT
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On May 18, 2012, about 1300 Pacific daylight time, an experimental exhibition Aero Vodochody L-39, N39WT, impacted desert terrain about 1/2 mile from the Boulder City Municipal Airport (BVU), Boulder City, Nevada. Mach 1 Aviation and Incredible Adventures operated the flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The airline transport pilot and one passenger were fatally injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wing assembly. The accident airplane, along with another L-39 (N139CK), departed Van Nuys Airport (VNY), Van Nuys, California, about 0730 on the morning of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was destined for Boulder City.

A group of eight people had paid for a flight package. The flight was to be 45 minutes long, and at the end of the flight each passenger would be provided a film of their flight. The majority of the group was interviewed, and they stated that they were driven by bus from their hotel to BVU. Once they arrived at BVU, they made their way into BFE FBO (fixed based operator) and were told by someone at BFE that the two airplanes were en route from VNY. While they waited for the airplanes to arrive, the group discussed the order in which they would fly since only one passenger could occupy one seat in each airplane. After the airplanes arrived, the group reported seeing two people exit each airplane. The group talked to the pilots and took pictures of themselves with the airplanes. They moved inside BFE to a conference room where they received a briefing of what to expect. Members of the group indicated that there would be four flights; two flights would occur before lunch, the airplanes would be refueled, and then they would have the final two flights. The passengers did not observe any mechanical problems during the first two flights. The accident flight occurred on the third flight of the day after the lunch break.

The passenger in the lead airplane for the accident flight stated that that he and the other passenger got into their respective airplanes, he did not watch the other passenger get ready for their flight. He stated that he figured out how to put his own seatbelt/safety harness on, and was instructed about the canopy usage. After the canopies were closed, he was able to hear the pilot of his airplane and the pilot of the other airplane. The passenger stated that his pilot received a clearance for takeoff and was notified that a flight of Apache helicopters were inbound for landing. The pilots taxied the airplanes to the runway and came to a stop. The lead airplane was on the left side of the runway and the accident airplane was on the right side of the runway. There was a discussion about the crosswind and if there were any issues on takeoff, his airplane would make a left turn, and the accident airplane would make a “harder left [turn].” To the passenger the takeoff was normal. He recalled looking at the altimeter and noting that about 400 feet above the ground, his pilot instructed the other pilot to stay in formation. The passenger stated that his airplane was in a climbing left turn and he heard the other pilot say mayday three times and “canopy.” He looked out of his window and saw the accident airplane in a right turn, then saw it flatten out followed by a puff of dirt. He recalled seeing the accident airplane go underneath one set of power lines. The passenger stated that there were no further communications from the pilot of the accident airplane. One of the helicopters approaching BVU during the airplanes takeoff saw the crash and landed near the accident site to render assistance. The pilot of the lead airplane circled over the accident site and gave the helicopter’s crew instructions on how to open the canopies and turn off the engine.

The pilot in the lead airplane stated that the takeoff was normal. The climb out was normal until he heard a “canopy” call coming from the pilot of the other airplane.

The accident site was approximately 1/2 mile northwest of the airport in flat desert terrain. The airplane came to rest intact between two sets of power lines next to an access road. The first identified point of impact (FIPC) was a flat area adjacent to a berm alongside the road; an impression of the airplane fuselage and wings were observed in the dirt at the FIPC. The debris field from the FIPC to the main wreckage was about 480 feet long. Undercarriage and a gear door were found about 100 feet from the main wreckage. The airplane rotated slightly to the west next to the access road. A 25-pound ballast was found on the other side of the access road. Investigators noted a 4-foot-deep by 20-feet-wide crater just behind the engine.
Index for May2012 | Index of months

Are you KIDDING me?

Having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration, David Riggs, pilot, embarked on a career path which has proven to be a great deal more exciting than just balancing business and ledgers. Dave Riggs has been a Stunt Pilot for 25 solid years, creating records in Aviation Speed and flying the most powerful jet fighter aircraft known to man. Not one to blink with hesitation at facing the dangers of stunt flying, David Riggs has even established Mach One Aviation, Inc., a film production and flight training institution that has served the needs of movie, film and flight professionals in Van Nuys, California. With Dave Riggs as CEO, Mach One Aviation has produced the most astounding aerial sequences and scenes for many Hollywood giants: Universal Studios (The Bourne Identity); Universal Pictures (King Kong); Warner Brothers (Lethal Weapon 4); MGM Studios (the James Bond franchise); Fox Studios (Titanic). In addition, David Riggs’ company has also produced stunning aerial shots for Iron Man, Jarhead, etc., and various TV shows on MTV, CNN, ABC and many others. Moreover, as a proficient CEO/flying professional of Mach One, Dave Riggs has led the team of pilot instructors giving upset jet, FAST formation and aerobatic training to various flying professionals in the area. David Riggs ably shows trainees what stunt flying is all about and how to stay on top of the game during aerial emergencies. As an instructor pilot, Dave Riggs takes the greatest care to give genuine aerobatic experience to trainees and allowing them to get impressive attitude recovery in an upset jet. They say that those who can, do while those who can’t, teach, but David Riggs has shown that he can be a great pilot and instructor at his own training company.

Now he’s done aerial sequences for 5 different studios (sneaky how they did that, make it look like he did those movies unless you really pay attention to how it’s written). He has a Bachelor’s degree, was that before or after Leavenworth? Or maybe during. I suppose it’s possible he did correspondence classes. AND now he’s an “instructor pilot”. Since when? Dave Riggs is NOT and never HAS BEEN a CFI!

Disgusting. But not surprising.

What say you FAA? No problem with a guy publicly proclaiming that he is an instructor..when he ISN’T?

How do you put together a smuggling operation? Well if you’re Dave Riggs this is how.

Brian Davies was the man working undercover with the police to expose the smuggling ring and basically became Riggs’ right hand man. The plan was that a gang of 5, hand picked by Davies, would create a distraction in the nearby black township of Montrose to distract the police from Town Hill on the night of the raid. To do so, they would throw petrol bombs and hand grenades. Davies was then supposed to grab the secretary and the woman in charge of the Natal Parks Board (NPB) storeroom keys the week before Easter 1989. He was supposed to get the keys, kill them and dump the bodies. They would then be free to enter the storeroom and steal the rhino horns.

The truly tragic part of this is that a senior official had unwittingly given information to Riggs during a conversation at NPB headquarters. Telling him where the storeroom was and who had the keys.

The plans for the assassination of the Natal Parks Board members and theft of the rhino horn was made public in an article by De Wet Potgeiter in and article in the Sunday Times on May 14, 1989 under the headline “Fall of the Rhino Cowboy”.

After the plan was revealed the NPB Director, Dr. George Hughes and another official road shotgun on a truck carrying the rhino horn and ivory and moving it to a new, fortified secret vault. They were the only two who knew where it was and only Dr. Hughes had the key.

One has to wonder what would have happened if Riggs had hooked up with someone besides Brian Davies. Mr. Davies was a former Rhodesian soldier and explosives expert. He wanted the smuggling shut down. He spoke to Rupert Lorimer who was one of the most dedicated fighters for nature conservancy in South Africa and he put Mr. Davies in touch with the police who asked him to go undercover and help with the investigation. Had he been as unscrupulous as Riggs, multiple people could be dead now.

Do any of you truly believe that someone who could put together a plan like this will change?

(Info from Contraband: South Africa and the International Trade in Ivory and Rhino Horn. De Wet Potgeiter author. Published by Queillerie Publishers Ltd 1995

In the middle of reading the book mentioned previously. There is some truly interesting information here. Besides the fact that, in my opinion, there isn’t much worse than a human willing to deal in the trade of something like ivory or horns that are garnered by the absolute decimation of herds of wild animals, Riggs can always up the ante.

For example, I did not know, until now, that not only was we wanted by the US for the wire fraud (and other) charges that he was on the run from in the first place, but he was ALSO wanted by Interpol for smuggling electronics into the Soviet Union. He was also the mastermind behind a plot to kill three people to get the rhino horn that he wanted to smuggle to Hong Kong. While he might disagree, he actually got lucky. Hong Kong was NOT supposed to arrest him. An agreement had been made to let him pass through customs unaccosted so that he could finish that deal, return to South Africa, and eventually get taken down for the smuggling plan. Unfortunately, a different department within the Hong Kong police realized they had a pretty major fugitive in their midst and decided to arrest him on the passport charges. Had that not happened, he’d probably still be sitting in prison in South Africa.

When he was finally extradited back to the US and interviewed by the FBI the book states:

“From Riggs’ apparently cooperative attitude at that stage, it was clear that he was fighting for survival and wouldn’t hesitate to “shop” anyone else in order to save his own skin.”

In addition is the trail of destruction he left behind in the lives of many women. It’s already been covered what he’s done to Kathryn Peaslee here in Los Angeles. Sadly, she’s not alone in this. When he left the US to escape prosecution for the Mokan crimes he left behind a wife or girlfriend. He then hooked up with another woman in Australia who has never been identified by name. She was said to be a “Kylie Minogue” lookalike. (Sidenote: Years later Riggs informed several people that he at one time dated the actual Kylie Minogue). There is a picture of her in the book. He left her distraught and near a nervous breakdown when he fled Australia just a few short months before he met a woman named Brenda in Durban. It was Brenda’s clothes that Riggs used to wrap the Rhino horns in when taking them into Hong Kong. Without her knowledge. She also had no knowledge of ANY of his criminal activities and was devastated when she found out even though by that time she had already left him after an apparently very ugly and possibly violent argument during a trip they took together. When Riggs was arrested in Hong Kong, he still had the nerve to send a message to her asking her to turn a cabinet key over to a man named Rob Deane (another man who was under surveillance and who had kept contraband rhino horn belonging to Riggs in his house). The contents of the filing cabinet are to this day, unknown, but it was understood that it had to be some truly incriminating items. Now keep in mind that she knew NOTHING of his activities, the police and the author of the book believe this completely. Then read this letter he sent her from Lai Chi Kok Men’s Reception Center in Hong Kong.

Darling Brenda, I don’t know how much you have been told, if anything, so I will fill you in. On 28 January I was arrested at HK airport for travelling on a “falsely obtained” passport. I was boarding a flight for Johannesburg at the time. The airport police turned me over to Interpol and I was held without charges for 48 hours, then charged with the above offence. I have been repeatedly questioned about various things including who B. Gatfield was (e.g. hotel bookings) and who the bearded man was I was seen with. I have refused despite all of their tactics to divulge any details.

Note: B. Gatfield is Brenda and the bearded man was Brian Davey, the undercover officer who had been traveling with Riggs. The police knew who both of them were, but even though she knew nothing of his activities, notice how he easily made an innocent woman feel she could be in trouble with “Interpol” but he was being the good guy and protecting her.

The US authorities have come up with about a dozen bullshit stories to use to extradite me and I have hired a law firm to assist me fighting extradition. I have been unable to communicate with you safely so I asked a friend to try call you after my arrest, but only Denzil (believed to be a family member of Brenda or flatmate) was home. I have every reason to believe the US will be successful in forcing me to return to the States and we both know what my fate will be there! She knew nothing! She still thought his name was Dave Rogers! I guess it doesn’t really matter because that day I left you at HK airport I lost every reason I had for living anyway – I suppose I am ready to face whatever fate will demand of me. My lawyer has been in touch with Rob (Deane) and Rob asks if you will post him the filing cabinet key – PLEASE COMPLY. passive aggressive much? I don’t know what happened between us, but I do know that for the first time in my life I felt true happiness and found someone who I would have given up anything for – even now I am putting up with endless interrogations and protecting you from involvement as I promised I would. As I am “putting my affairs in order” I must tell you that if you ever get contacted by an American lawyer named Mr. Lee, he will be carrying out my wishes as I had amended my will about two months ago to include you and your family.

I hope this doesn’t happen, but the prospects don’t look good. Most of all I must tell you that I forgive you for the things you did to hurt me and I hope you will find it in your heart to some day understand and forgive me as well. I will always treasure those beautiful feelings you wrote to me about and I will relive those weeks we had together in my mind forever. I want you to know I only wanted what was best for you and since you wanted me out of your life, I suppose what has happened to me is best. Rest assured I have in no way involved you in this and won’t, you may be sure. I have been in the prison hospital, so I managed to swipe this aerogram. I love you. I know you’ll never be sorry, but I’ll always have feelings for you any way. All my love. Good luck!

Dave

Suddenly she’s done something wrong and poor Dave is paying the price. ugh. Many of you know, I am female. I won’t even begin to tell you how disgusted and gross reading this drivel made me feel just from that perspective. Let alone from the perspective of knowing this guy is still out running around playing the same games.

Brenda did respond. She told him she never wanted to hear from him again.

More to follow.

While we continue to wait for the Preliminary NTSB report on the Boulder City crash that killed both pilot Doug Gilliss and passenger Richard A. Winslow (really guys…2 weeks now?) I give you this little treasure.

Previously I mentioned that when Riggs went to prison in Hong Kong (for traveling on a fake passport) he was traveling there in some sort of plan to steal Rhino horn in South Africa to sell to people in Hong Kong. All we had at the time was an article from the Atlanta Business Chronicles that outlined some of it.

But now..I have this book. Contraband: South Africa and the International Trade in Ivory and Rhino Horn.

I received it today so I’ve only had a chance to glance through it but let me tell you. Dave Riggs is one of the main stars. This book was published in 1995 by an investigative journalist named De W. Potgieter. It is currently out of print although the author told me he is currently working on a new edition to be published hopefully in late 2012. It’s not easy to get your hands on a copy, but I will be sitting down tonight to start reading it and I’ll be back with a full report.

I firmly believe that someone who would conspire with “godfather-like Chinese figures and their smuggling networks” to sell Rhino horn and apparently with corrupt law officers is not a person who would suddenly become a law abiding citizen. And the activities of Riggs since that time seem to support that belief.

I’ll share soon.