Assuming I am dumb enough to use a small plane instead of a much cheaper
and more readily available U-Haul truck, I guess I would be too dumb
to use
a small airport without all the rules described here.
Richard is just lucky there wasn't another Richard Wilkens on the no-
fly list
or he probably would never have gotten back to his plane. (Reminds me of
the toddler who was not allowed on a flight because "his name" was on
the
no fly list!! .... Is this a great country or what!.
Dan C
On Feb 26, 2009, at 11:30 AM, heavensounds wrote:
A sad example of the clueless waste of resources by bureaucrats in
the Federal government.
Both the Oklahoma city bombing and the first World Trade Center
bombing were done by vans / small trucks, yet you don't
see the Federal government regulating van and truck access to
cities and population centers. They choose to tighten security
rules for small airplanes. A person seeking to hurt our country has
far easier ways to do it, than using small airplanes.
Don't expect to find common sense solutions in Federal government
agencies. It's hopeless.
Perhaps we could find some aviation-friendly senators and
representatives willing to take on the issue?
Eliacim
----- Original Message -----
From: Richard Wilkens
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 9:48 AM
Subject: [ercoupe-flyin] There Ought to be a Law
Just to let you know.
I keep my Coupe at a county airport which like most in the area has
commercial service. Yesterday, I went down to get a new photo ID to
allow me to enter the Air Operations Area, AOA, (flight line to
me). They picked up enough information and authorizations from to me
to check with the FBI and the Social Security Administration to show
that I am who I say I am. They are going do a Security Threat
Assessment (STA) on me. There is a new Security Directive (SD) out
that requires the new ID and the STA, but at a public meeting on
Monday by the TSA, when requested to supply a copy of the SD, their
answer was -- NO -- for National Security reasons. So I assume
every body who flies in and out of airports with commercial service
is going to be required to follow a SD that they can't read and don't
know what it says. By the way, it is up to a $10,000 fine for not
following the SD.
Once I get my new ID, I can go onto the flight line -- sorry the AOA,
but they want me to report anyone without an ID -- can I get fined if
don't report someone? If I fly into an airport with commercial
service (every county airport around here), my ID is no good. By the
SD, remember the one I can't see, I can't leave my aircraft without
being escorted by someone with a local ID. The worst part is someday
I will have an accident if I have to wait for an escort -- with a
four hour plane and a two hour bladder, I see trouble over the hill.
If any airport really tries to follow these rules, it will about kill
the air show and the fly-in business at airports of any size.
There ought to be a law.
Richard
NC99904
MTJ
