Pennsylvania To Require 2 Locks On GA Aircraft Under Threat Of Criminal Penalties

[Larry Dighera]

Remember when former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum (R) proposed
that the National Weather Service remove the information it provides
on its web site, so that Pennsylvania based Accuweather could provide
it at a fee?* Well, here's another illogical imposition on GA
proposed by that state:


http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2008/080306pa.html
AOPA seeks member support to oppose two-lock rule
By AOPA ePublishing staff

There are no laws requiring you to lock up your car, your RV, or,
in many states, your guns. But lawmakers in Pennsylvania want to
require not one, but two, locks for all general aviation aircraft
and create criminal penalties for failing to use them—a move AOPA
strongly opposes.

In a March 5 letter** to the House Transportation Committee, AOPA
reminded lawmakers that the federal government has determined that
GA is not a threat and that GA aircraft are infrequently stolen.

AOPA also has contacted members in key districts, asking them to
urge their state representatives to oppose the measure. AOPA will
testify against the draft bill during a planned March 11 hearing.

“Criminalizing failure to lock your aircraft is an outrageous
overreaction to security concerns,” said AOPA Vice President of
Regional Affairs Greg Pecoraro. “This level of government
intrusion is unacceptable and far exceeds the legitimate needs of
general aviation security.”

AOPA and the federal Transportation Security Administration have
partnered to promote GA security using the “Lock up, Look Out”
message of the Airport Watch program. The program strongly
recommends, but does not mandate, that pilots lock their aircraft.

March 6, 2008



*
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.aviation.piloting/browse_thread/thread/a95336ac86781dfc/1578183d40524510?lnk=st&q=#1578183d40524510


** http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2008/080305pa-letter.html

[BT]

I've got two locks.. the lock on the door and the lock on the ignition (mags
switch).
Two locks does not make a difference, use chains for tie downs, put a pad
lock through them, and any one with the "Master Key" (Bolt cutter) can get
the aircraft.

Locks only keep out honest people.

BT

"Larry Dighera" > wrote in message
...
>
> Remember when former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum (R) proposed
> that the National Weather Service remove the information it provides
> on its web site, so that Pennsylvania based Accuweather could provide
> it at a fee?* Well, here's another illogical imposition on GA
> proposed by that state:
>
>
> http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2008/080306pa.html
> AOPA seeks member support to oppose two-lock rule
> By AOPA ePublishing staff
>
> There are no laws requiring you to lock up your car, your RV, or,
> in many states, your guns. But lawmakers in Pennsylvania want to
> require not one, but two, locks for all general aviation aircraft
> and create criminal penalties for failing to use them-a move AOPA
> strongly opposes.
>
> In a March 5 letter** to the House Transportation Committee, AOPA
> reminded lawmakers that the federal government has determined that
> GA is not a threat and that GA aircraft are infrequently stolen.
>
> AOPA also has contacted members in key districts, asking them to
> urge their state representatives to oppose the measure. AOPA will
> testify against the draft bill during a planned March 11 hearing.
>
> "Criminalizing failure to lock your aircraft is an outrageous
> overreaction to security concerns," said AOPA Vice President of
> Regional Affairs Greg Pecoraro. "This level of government
> intrusion is unacceptable and far exceeds the legitimate needs of
> general aviation security."
>
> AOPA and the federal Transportation Security Administration have
> partnered to promote GA security using the "Lock up, Look Out"
> message of the Airport Watch program. The program strongly
> recommends, but does not mandate, that pilots lock their aircraft.
>
> March 6, 2008
>
>
>
> *
> http://groups.google.com/group/rec.aviation.piloting/browse_thread/thread/a95336ac86781dfc/1578183d40524510?lnk=st&q=#1578183d40524510
>
>
> ** http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2008/080305pa-letter.html

[Larry Dighera]

On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:48:28 -0700, "BT" > wrote
in >:

>I've got two locks.. the lock on the door and the lock on the ignition (mags
>switch).
>Two locks does not make a difference, use chains for tie downs, put a pad
>lock through them, and any one with the "Master Key" (Bolt cutter) can get
>the aircraft.
>
>Locks only keep out honest people.
>
>BT
>

Oh, in Pennsylvania the thieves (or politicians) must not be smart
enough to operate bolt cutters. :-)

[Mark T. Dame]

Larry Dighera wrote:
> On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:48:28 -0700, "BT" > wrote
> in >:
>
>> I've got two locks.. the lock on the door and the lock on the ignition (mags
>> switch).
>> Two locks does not make a difference, use chains for tie downs, put a pad
>> lock through them, and any one with the "Master Key" (Bolt cutter) can get
>> the aircraft.
>>
>> Locks only keep out honest people.
>>
>> BT
>>
>
> Oh, in Pennsylvania the thieves (or politicians) must not be smart
> enough to operate bolt cutters. :-)

That must be why they haven't passed a concealed bolt cutter carry law yet.


-m
--
## Mark T. Dame >
## CP-ASEL-IA, CFI-A, AGI
## <insert tail number here>
## KHAO, KISZ
"Unix gives you just enough rope to hang yourself -- and then a
couple of more feet, just to be sure."
-- Eric Allman

"... We make rope."
-- Rob Gingell on Sun Microsystem's new virtual memory.

[Just go look it up!]

On Wed, 12 Mar 2008 07:11:51 GMT, Larry Dighera >
wrote:

>On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:48:28 -0700, "BT" > wrote
>in >:
>
>>I've got two locks.. the lock on the door and the lock on the ignition (mags
>>switch).
>>Two locks does not make a difference, use chains for tie downs, put a pad
>>lock through them, and any one with the "Master Key" (Bolt cutter) can get
>>the aircraft.
>>
>>Locks only keep out honest people.
>>
>>BT
>>
>
>Oh, in Pennsylvania the thieves (or politicians) must not be smart
>enough to operate bolt cutters. :-)

Is this something to attempt to draw attention away from Specter's
rediculous NFL hearings?

[Stealth Pilot[_2_]]

On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:16:13 GMT, Larry Dighera >
wrote:


> There are no laws requiring you to lock up your car, your RV, or,
> in many states, your guns. But lawmakers in Pennsylvania want to
> require not one, but two, locks for all general aviation aircraft
> and create criminal penalties for failing to use them—a move AOPA
> strongly opposes.
>

before you go silly on this.

get two pieces of alooominum.
bend them into U shapes big/small enough to drape over the rods behind
the knobs for the throttle and mixture.
drill a hole through the tabs that hang down. put an el cheapo
letterbox lock out of home depot through each tab.

you've met the intent of the law and really ****ed off anyone who
wants to steal your aircraft.

in australia we'd get these cheapo made in china lockwood locks in
blister packs of 4 from Bunnings. You'll have to go to the american
clone - home depot.

Stealth (you can drill a hole cant you?) Pilot

[Larry Dighera]

On Thu, 13 Mar 2008 23:07:06 +0900, Stealth Pilot
> wrote:

>On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:16:13 GMT, Larry Dighera >
>wrote:
>
>
>> There are no laws requiring you to lock up your car, your RV, or,
>> in many states, your guns. But lawmakers in Pennsylvania want to
>> require not one, but two, locks for all general aviation aircraft
>> and create criminal penalties for failing to use them—a move AOPA
>> strongly opposes.
>>
>
>before you go silly on this.
>
>get two pieces of alooominum.
>bend them into U shapes big/small enough to drape over the rods behind
>the knobs for the throttle and mixture.
>drill a hole through the tabs that hang down. put an el cheapo
>letterbox lock out of home depot through each tab.
>
>you've met the intent of the law and really ****ed off anyone who
>wants to steal your aircraft.
>
>in australia we'd get these cheapo made in china lockwood locks in
>blister packs of 4 from Bunnings. You'll have to go to the american
>clone - home depot.
>

That's a simple way to comply with the proposed Pennsylvania statute,
but that's not the issue.

The issue is whether it's appropriate for a state to impose their laws
on federally certified aircraft. It would seem to be that the state
of Pennsylvania does not possess jurisdiction over what is used on
government regulated aircraft. Permitting this statute to become law
may set a precedent that will open a flood of inconsistent aviation
laws by individual states. And imposing criminal penalties on pilots
who don't comply with it is even worse.

Aircraft security is a federal matter.

[Peter Dohm]

"Stealth Pilot" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:16:13 GMT, Larry Dighera >
> wrote:
>
>
>> There are no laws requiring you to lock up your car, your RV, or,
>> in many states, your guns. But lawmakers in Pennsylvania want to
>> require not one, but two, locks for all general aviation aircraft
>> and create criminal penalties for failing to use them-a move AOPA
>> strongly opposes.
>>
>
> before you go silly on this.
>
> get two pieces of alooominum.
> bend them into U shapes big/small enough to drape over the rods behind
> the knobs for the throttle and mixture.
> drill a hole through the tabs that hang down. put an el cheapo
> letterbox lock out of home depot through each tab.
>
> you've met the intent of the law and really ****ed off anyone who
> wants to steal your aircraft.
>
> in australia we'd get these cheapo made in china lockwood locks in
> blister packs of 4 from Bunnings. You'll have to go to the american
> clone - home depot.
>
> Stealth (you can drill a hole cant you?) Pilot

We all know of additional ways to attach locks to various types of aircraft,
as well as ways to remove them. Most of us also know of various
entertaining ways to render aircraft unflyable--some of which could be
interpreted so as to cause us liability.

However, I believe that this is simply a bad idea, probably useless, and not
the proper business of the State of Pennsylvania.

Peter