Security: Let's ask ourselves....

[Biscuit]

I understand we do need to take prudent measures to secure our planes, but nobody seems to have pointed out that no U.S. law, regulation, ordanance or whatever could have prevented this as the aircraft was stolen from Canada.

And just for fun, I got this in my email.

A man seeking to join a South Texas Sheriff's Department is being interviewed.

The Sergeant doing the interview says: "Your qualifications all look good, but there is an attitude suitability test that you must take before you can be accepted." Then, sliding a service pistol across the desk, he says: "Take this pistol and go out and shoot six illegal aliens, six meth dealers, six Muslim extremists, and a rabbit."

"Why the rabbit?"

"Great attitude," says the Sergeant. "When can you start?"

[Joe Moilanen]

It seems to me that in the period of time that they followed the 172 that they could have got the tail #, researched who owned it, and discovered that it was indeed stolen and and not being flown by the spouse of a pilot with heart failure.

Speaking of cows, when we had the mad cow epidemic, the government could track a single cow, born in Canada three years ago, right to it's stall in Washington State, track it's calves right to their stalls, but they can't find 11 million ilegal aliens?????? Maybe we should give them each a cow....

Joe

I think we could argue symatics on this issue until the cows come home.......

The chicken or the egg, the loaded gun, keys in your car, do you lock your house, if you do then they will just break a window etc etc.

It is the perception to the general public that will always count when the politicians start making new rules........ so as pilots if we don't take a proactive approach..........it will become a MANDATE.......I don't think Wisconsin has enough cheeze to go along with whining then

Save the battle for something else...safty should have no compromise.

W.

[flat country pilot]

I didn't suggest shooting him down.
I could ask the question this way, How far do we let this go?

How many more times does the US let this happen before GA is shut down?

If a plane comes in from Mexico and is headed for a densly populated city, how far do you let it go if its just lost? By the time this 172 flew from Canada to Missouri, our military knew what was going on. They let it run out of fuel and once again our guys on the front line made the right decision.

I didn't suggest shooting it down, but putting an end to this now at the beginning would end this baloney. Making it a felony and putting him in prison gives the next wacko a reason to be a hero in his own mind.

Two observations:
GA and small planes are not the problem and taking them out of circulation with locks is not the anser. The wacko PIC is the problem.

The UAVs stationed at the Grandforks Airbase must be almost useless hardware.

Bill

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

BL and Joe those where two great posts. I'm still laughing.

Bill, your question "how far do we go" is the age old question. One of our countries core values is you are innocent to proven guilty. out of fear are we to now disregard that basic premios and shot down every arrant airplane that crosses our boarder. I hope not.

So how far do we go? I think unless there is clear evidence the aircraft means harm AND a shoot down is clearly the lesser of two evils we let the plane fly to what ever conclusion it takes. Yes I know that might mean harm to innocent people. It is the price we all pay for freedom we enjoy.

[cfzxo]

Few years back during the bad old cold war days that kid that flew through the mighty Russki Security wall and landed at Red Square in Moscow started it all. he had more luck than the airliner that they shot down on their east coast.

Bill

[PilotMikeTX]

Why did they let him come so far into this country?
Why didn't they shoot him down?

Because it wasn't a threat. We don't shoot the people walking or driving across the border illegally, why should we shoot someone flying across? Hell, we didn't even shoot down MiGs when they flew into our airspace with Soviet defectors at the controls. What if you became hypoxic or disoriented and flew across a border or into a TFR? I can imagine your family's outrage at the government. If that's how it should be, hope they're comfortable with a closed casket funeral.

If we've learned one thing about the jihadist, it's that they are smart, cunning and extremely patient. Stealing a 120mph airplane in broad daylight and penetrating the ADIZ without a flight plan doesn't demonstrate any of those traits.

[blueldr]

It's kind of like gun control, isnt it. The only people who would turn in their guns are the law abibing ones, which gives those bent on crime an absurd edge.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

If we've learned one thing about the jihadist, it's that they are smart, cunning and extremely patient. Stealing a 120mph airplane in broad daylight and penetrating the ADIZ without a flight plan doesn't demonstrate any of those traits.

Nor would the damage and death a small aircraft could bring be as spectacular as the 911 attack and they know it. In fact it could actually work against them. Right know they seem to enjoy a major part of terrorism, which is fear, when it comes to airplanes. If events would prove to the masses the little airplanes are not the large scale threat they might seem, fear surrounding little airplanes, the terrorist largest tool, would subside.

[pojawis]

and take your key with you when you go inside the FBO to pay for the fuel

I reckon that means I'll have to actually shut the aircraft down when I go into the FBO rather than let it warm up awhile...

[GAHorn]

There was no "nerve" struck with me when I initiated this thread. But I must admit I am surprised at the general attitude that I am reading in these follow-up responses.
They remind me of an ostrich with his head in the sand.

If you keep on doing what you've been doing .... you'll keep on getting what you've been getting.

Clearly, the public perception of little airplanes is not going to be changed by those of us who continue to ridicule increased security measures of small airplanes and hoping that our inaction will "educate" the public about the small danger posed by small airplanes.

Mark my words. Because of our inaction and our failure to make visible efforts to secure small planes.... We will ultitmately be saddled with new regulations and laws which will make criminal the failure to secure our small airplanes. The onus of security and the penalies for ignoring this matter will be placed on US...not the fool who steals them. And OUR insurance costs will skyrocket as the result. Those of you who are not insured will find yourselves finally subjected to mandatory insurance and mandated security systems. So go ahead. Keep your heads buried..... and when the time comes... it will be YOU who caused the loss of our privileges. Or take seriously the perceived dangers of your unsecured airplanes. IMO.

[Robert Eilers]

I am afraid the reality is everything George warns us will happen if we don't make visible efforts to secure small planes is going to happen anyway. The only thing that might save us is a budget reduction requirement imposed on TSA to reduce the cost of government. The thought that we can some how mitigate this jugernaut headed our way is fanciful.

[jon s blocker]

Leave your keys in your car, have it stolen and wrecked, and see who is liable. And knowing that, see how many people feel sorry for you after it happens! Jon

[pojawis]

And then once the thief got the piss shocked out of them they would likely be mad enough to vandalize

And, in my state, it would be grounds for the thief to sue me for something on the order of what I believe is called creating an "attractive nuisance". It's the same law that allows the neighbors kid climbing over my 20' chain link fence that is marked with "No Trespassing" signs to successfully sue me after he falls and breaks his leg on my trampoline.

After I found out about this, I had to take all the claymores out of my woods.

I'm all for sensible, proactive security. Otherwise, when I left the airport, I'd just unbolt the prop and take it with me.