The Mid-Summer Update…

Several new events that have something to do with LASP and much to do with GA flying in the country.

1)  Pistole is confirmed as the new TSA Chief — ’bout time somebody got that job!  He is mostly cop and no pilot, the alphabet soup guys at least think he’s trainable and can learn.  From his statements and answers at various confirmation things he seems to understand he doesn’t know anything about aviation, at least us little GA guys.  So, at least, maybe, he won’t be sniping at us but we will have be vigilant about knee jerk reactions.  Most of the hour or so last hearing was political rhetoric and he speaks well.

Besides, you apparently don’t have to pass through airport screening to put explosives in an SUV and park in Times Square, looks like those of us preaching that have been right all along.

2) Senator Rockefeller (D-WV) is still a moron when it comes to GA.  But then so is the rest of the committee (I expected better from Kay Bailey).  Somehow Rockefeller seems to think part of the TSA’s job is to “make people less angry”?  Huh?

A great deal of the rhetoric, note that word applies a lot, was about unionization of TSA screeners.  The rest was bent toward technology, tech is going to save us all.  Even the HUMINT issue will be solved by technology.  At least Pisotle is a cop and should be able to figure that one out.

The Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee also found the time to roast him over the 8+ Billion budget and why it was bloating so fast — like he had something to do with it over at the FBI…

And toward the end (about 85 minutes into the webcast) Rockefeller, again, brought up GA and how terrible the lines were at IAD for airline passengers — but you could walk over the Signature and just wander out on the ramp with no ID check, no screening, etc.  Funny, you can’t do that at any other FBO on an airport served by Part 121 carriers.  At RDU you have to escorted to your aircraft, each and every time.  And, since according to Senator Rockefeller, most flights in the country’s airspace are non-airline jets, who don’t participate in security, “are you ready to take that on?”

Pistole gave a very politically correct answer, to which Rockefeller, in hopes of the last word, asked:

“You will not, years from now, have failed to address that [that GA receives "no" screening] and failed to change the behavior of GA — it’s unfair…”

And this guy is from a state that declared February “General Aviation Month”.  We should be very afraid of this guy, he is a moron with power — the most dangerous kind.  You guys in WV need to vote.

3) “The Barefoot Bandit”.  OK, every once in a while this kid would show up in the AOPA ezine news thing I got and I’d wonder why the sheriff out there in the Pacific Northwest hadn’t throw this kid in jail.  Now it’s getting serious.  He has a cult following in Rolling Stones Magazine (I won’t provide the link).  And he scares the hell out of the TSA.

This kid lives in a van down by the river and steals airplanes for kicks and notoriety, he’s been doing for a couple of years.  Think of what a trained terrorist can do….

C’mon people, this ain’t hard.  Lock your hangar, lock your airplane, don’t leave the keys hanging on a hook by the door.  If you want to get exotic, buy a prop-lock or a Denver side lock for one of the main gear.  Don’t make it easy, you’re giving them an excuse.  And keep your eyes open, see any raggedity looking 19 year olds snooping around the airport, call the cops.  Let’s get this punk behind bars where he belongs.

Of course, now they think he’s in the Bahamas in a stolen airplane he crashed off the beach…

4)  Speaking of knee jerk reactions, I guess since we don’t use 121.5 ELTs anymore the FCC just decided to make them ILLEGAL.  I think we found an agency run worse than the DHS?  Some idiot sitting in his cubicle that can’t recognize an airplane on sight decided that since we don’t use the frequency any more (I guess “voice” was some other guy’s problem) I’ll just declare it illegal to use, transmit, have one of these boxes.

As you probably read in the alphabet soups’ emails, they’re working on it.  Apparently knee’s only jerk out, not back and it’s taking some time to slow this one down.  Try the GA caucus on this one just for the exercise.