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Rather than engage in unfounded speculation about the candidates, let's
compare their flying histories. This might tell us what they know about
General Aviation and how they might treat us.
Going to the FAA database, I did a search for Mr. Bush:
"Total Names found for GEORGE BUSH that lives in the state of TEXAS is 0"
Not encouraging. We know at one time he was a pilot, but he isn't now.
Oh,
that's right, he failed to take a medical exam to keep his flying
status...too busy working on a political campaign or something.
What about John Kerry? An inquiry on the same FAA database reveals:
JOHN FORBES KERRY
Street 19 LOUISBURG SQ
City BOSTON State MASSACHUSETTS
County SUFFOLK Zip Code 02108-1202
Country UNITED STATES
Medical Class : Second
Medical Date: 12/2003
HOLDER SHALL POSSESS GLASSES FOR NEAR & INTERMEDIATE VISION.
DOI : 04/02/1986
Certificate: COMMERCIAL PILOT
Rating(s):
COMMERCIAL PILOT
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE SEA
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
PRIVATE PRIVILEGES
GLIDER AERO TOW
Pretty impressive! Current 2nd class medical certificate, and look at his
ratings! This guy is one of us, folks.
To top it off, here's excerpts from a letter AOPA wrote to Kerry:
"On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of pilots who rely on predictable
access to airspace for their flight activities, I want to personally thank
you for your common-sense approach to security in not requesting airspace
restrictions for your campaign travels," AOPA President Phil Boyer wrote
in
an August 2 letter to Kerry.
"Any time pilots get together, the subject of the flight restrictions is a
regular topic of frustration," Boyer said, "especially for those in
politically high-profile states that have been the sites of numerous
Presidential visits.
"They question why they, as pilots, are being considered a threat, arguing
that these large restricted areas are not necessary and do not enhance
security," Boyer said in the letter to Kerry.
Ground-based security measures are the most effective way to ensure the
safety of candidates, their staff, and citizens, AOPA said.
The last-minute TFRs can also create a trap for innocent pilots. That's
because the FAA cannot always provide TFR notams far enough in advance to
be
included in pilots' planning, leading pilots to inadvertently violate
airspace restrictions.
"As a pilot, you must realize what a major disruption these 'pop-up'
flight
restrictions cause for air commerce," Boyer told Kerry. "This has been
especially true in the case of bus tours where the airspace restrictions
travel along the route of the tour, requiring pilots to carry not only an
aeronautical chart, but also a road map!"
Last July, AOPA urged members to let the White House know how TFRs affect
their ability to use their aircraft for personal and business
transportation. Despite an outpouring of response, the Secret Service
continues to demand large and complex TFRs for President Bush's travel.
(See
"Enough is enough!" and "White House hears from AOPA members on
Presidential
TFRs.") The week of the Democratic National Convention alone (which itself
brought a 60-nm-diameter TFR around Boston) saw 20 TFRs for President Bush
and Vice President Cheney. The TFRs caused major disruptions to air
traffic.
"We all understand that the terrorist threat is real. We must take
appropriate security measures to protect our leaders and our democratic
process," said Boyer. "But we should also remember the words of Benjamin
Franklin; 'They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.'"
Well said, Phil.
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