Son: I’m Late for My Tennis Class. Father: Don’t Worry, Hop on My Plane!

By Alex in Auto & Transportation, Baby & Kids, Crime & Law on Mar 9, 2008 at 12:51 am

Problem: your son is late for his tennis lesson, and the roads are so congested that you can’t possibly make it on time in a car.

Normal Dad Solution: Call and tell them you’ll be late or just reschedule the lesson.

Really Dedicated Dad Solution: Fly and land your airplane in a golf course next to the tennis club!

Guess which one Robert Kadera, 65, of Lake Villa, Illinois choose:

Police received worried calls about a plane circling twice, then touching down at the Crane’s Landing golf course at the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort. Officials thought they might have a crash, with victims to attend to.

Instead, they found Robert Kadera, 65, and his 14-year-old son trudging through the snow, Prince racket and a bag of tennis balls in hand. They had parked on the 7th fairway, just 20 feet south of the retaining wall for Illinois Highway 22.

"We’re all pretty dumbfounded," Lincolnshire Police Chief Randy Melvin said Monday. "I don’t have any idea what the guy was thinking. ….. He was going to park his plane across the street like nobody would notice."

Lisa Black and Emily S. Achenbaum of Chicago Tribune report: Link (Photo: David Trotman-Wilkins / Tribune)

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Baerana
Mar 9th, 2008 at 1:25 am
what’s jumping out at me is the man had the kid when he was 50 – I wonder if his desire to spoil the kid – or at least do anything possible to ensure the kid makes the tennis team – has anything to do with him having the kid so late in life. (an “I’m gonna do it right this time” attitude? or maybe just making up for lost time?)
Baerana
Mar 9th, 2008 at 1:27 am
the poll attached to this story shows 80% of readers think the father’s actions were wrong – that supme. I mean, what’s the point of owning a plane if you can’t use it for your kids, or land it on a golf course once in awhile?
stacyj
Mar 9th, 2008 at 3:11 am
I have to agree with those 80%, the sense of entitlement this suggests is really off-putting. “Why should I have to plan ahead or deal with traffic like the common masses when I can afford my own plane?” Feh =P I hope the FAA -does- revoke his license, let him have to schlep around on the ground with the rest of us …
BikerRay
Mar 9th, 2008 at 6:02 am
What’s the big deal? It’s a ski plane landing on snow. When I flew an ultralight we landed on various farms all the time. Never on a golf course, but wouldn’t have hesitated.
Dave
Mar 9th, 2008 at 10:40 am
The funny thing about this is that so many people are eager for the flying car concept to become reality.

I’m with BikerRay; I don’t see what’s so concerning about this. The guy used what he had at hand to get where he needed to be. He probably should’ve at least got permission to land at the golf course, but I’d say no harm, no foul.
Jerse
Mar 9th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
It would have been totally badass if the kid parachuted down to tennis practice…
Selvo
Mar 9th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
HAHAHAHAHAH. This dad is my hero.
VonSkippy
Mar 9th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Time to get that Third Class Medical revoked. No pilot in his right mind (i.e. the “Mental Status” part of the 3C ticket) would do that.
bellgong
Mar 9th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
A good Dad.
Kevin
Mar 10th, 2008 at 8:53 am
Since it’s in Illinois and winter I assume there were no golfers in he area (something the pilot could easily see from the air). So you have a ski plane landing on a long empty fairway with no danger to the public or property. I think people are upset not because it’s dangereous, but because it’s different.
zoomzoom
Mar 10th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
@Kevin:
“no danger to the public or property”? I have to think there was actually a lot of danger involved. Anyone landing on a golf course is likely to be flying very low over residential or business districts, with precious little time to make corrections if something goes wrong.
c-dub
Mar 10th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
People shouldn’t land their planes on golf courses for the same reason people shouldn’t golf on runways.
marcos
Jul 30th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
i like tennis i play to tennis every day but but dad mr chairman globo tv mr roberto irineu marinho this men dont likes me because i m son rejeict me every day

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