Everyone should take these words with a high degree of concern:
“The FBI launched an investigation and Rep. Michael McCaul, a Republican from Austin on the Homeland Security Committee, said the panel will take up the issue of how to better protect buildings from attacks with planes.”
This was written in the news media as a result of the Austin incident on 2.18.10. Knee-jerk politician don’t seem to realize that small airplanes make terrible weapons when they meet more denser material (i.e. steel, concrete, wood, anything denser than styrofoam!).
Some in our government are looking for any small excuse to limit our use/further regulate our ability to use GA aircraft.
Exactly what I knew was coming. Only aviation can attract as much interest from idiot politicians who think they can fix everything. How do they think they could have stopped this guy from flying his own airplane? NEWSFLASH…you can’t save the world from everybody. There will always be some nutjob out there who will find a way.
Unfortunately, too many people in the USA (and other countries) seem to think that the government can protect them from everything. Why else do you think the same idiots (on both sides of the aisle) still keep getting reelected?
I’m more afraid of a tractor trailer rig (i.e. “semi”), which can way tons more than a typical light aircraft, hitting a building on purpose than an aircraft hitting a building.
There are how many millions of flights a year by general aviation? And the idiots in charge want to put more restrictions on it because of one incident? That’s absurd (and “absurd” is pronounced “idiots in government”).
As President Reagan said: Government is not a solution to the problem; it is the problem.
I think any such restrictions should also consider Ryder style trucks and other ground vehicles then . They can, and have, unleashed much more havoc than any fully loaded Piper product can. There comes a point where !@$!@$ happens. You walk through a mall with the possibilty some screw ball will start spraying the crowds with a machine gun. There’s gonna be jagoffs who snap and do stupid things.
Haven’t you noticed lately though, almost every aviation accident that makes headlines, Congress acts on.
US Airways hitting birds, Congress directs the FAA to fix the problem. I guess we will kill all the birds.
Colgan pilots stalling and crashing, must be because they had less than 10000 flight hours.
Crazy guy who happens to be a pilot, and happens to own an airplane, crashes into a building. Guess we should ban all pilots.
I am so sick of these politicians using every little accident to for their own gain. Accidents happen…nuts happen…thats life. Just like the sudden push to ban driving and cell phones. Ok, lets ban cell phones, Big Macs, makeup, and everything else in the world that could distract a driver. Better yet, lets just get rid of the driver, since the problem has always been the nut behind the wheel!
