AOPA's letter to CBS

from link:
http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsite...4x_letter.html

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January 15, 2004

Andrew Heyward
President, CBS News
524 W 57th St.
New York, NY 10019

Dear Mr. Heyward:

On behalf of more than 400,000 members of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association (AOPA), the world's largest aviation organization, I am writing
you to express our utter shock and dismay regarding the story about general
aviation that ran on your evening news on January 14, 2004. It is
disgraceful that "the news organization of Edward R. Murrow" would produce
? and aggressively promote in a tabloid headline form ? a segment on the
prestigious CBS Evening News that was so obviously slanted, incomplete,
factually erroneous and salaciously inflammatory.

Your irresponsible reporting techniques included:

Failure to mention a wide range of security initiatives ? developed by AOPA
and other organizations in concert with the FAA and Homeland Security ?
that are now in practice across the country. Completely contrary to your
report, much has changed since 9/11.

Failure to use a credible "expert" for your interview. Peter Goetz has no
credentials in GA security. He is currently a PR consultant with grief
counseling experience at NTSB. Other on-camera "experts" were a Realtor and
an airport manager for a highly unique airport.

The total absence of any evidence that general aviation should be
considered a security threat. To suggest otherwise is to be blind to an
enormous body of facts that could never produce the sensationalistic sham
that you deign to call a news story.

On the basis of the voluminous emails and calls we have received today I
can confirm that your reporter, Bob Orr, has badly tarnished his reputation
in the aviation community. Had he ? or anyone ? from CBS simply called we
could have provided the information that the story was completely lacking.

For example:

The Eagle's Nest residential airpark, while not unique, is far from typical
of most public-use airports. These exclusive communities are mostly
privately owned, private-use airports where the community is even more
closely knit than the general aviation community at large.
The lack of fencing at facilities like Eagle's Nest is more than offset by
the fact that the residents lock their planes next to their cars in
enclosed hangars that are attached to their homes.

The 5,400 public-use general aviation airports in this country have
security measures appropriate to their situation. Many are fenced with
controlled access; others rely less on physical security procedures than on
pilot vigilance, using guidelines such as AOPA's Airport Watch program. The
TSA has acknowledged that "one size does not fit all" when it comes to
security at general aviation airports and will be releasing a "best
practices" guide based on recommendations from the general aviation
industry that will help airports adopt appropriate security measures based
on their individual circumstances.

The typical general aviation aircraft, when fully loaded, weighs less than
an empty Honda Civic and carries about the same amount of fuel as a large
SUV. By comparison, an airliner like the ones used on September 11, 2001,
can weigh as much as 180 Civics and carry nearly 24 thousand gallons of
fuel. In stark contrast, a general aviation aircraft has limited ability to
cause damage as evidenced by the unfortunate incident in Tampa. It was an
extremely rare act by a lone individual that, while horrifying to imagine
much less see, caused relatively minor damage.

Since 9/11 we are all living in a world marked by a heightened state of
fear. Many organizations and members like ours have worked hard to address
opportunities to keep those events from being repeated. By planting deep
seeds of fear that are totally without merit, your report did a major
disservice not only to our members, but to the general public as well. We
are outraged and you should be ashamed.

At AOPA we will continue to work on behalf of our members. We hope at CBS
you will work half as hard to inform your viewers of the facts and leave
sensational journalism in the grocery store racks where it belongs. In the
interim, we stand ready to provide you with the facts that your report
completely ignored.

Sincerely,



Phil Boyer
President


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--
Peter












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fuel. In stark contrast, a general aviation aircraft has limited ability to
cause damage as evidenced by the unfortunate incident in Tampa. It was an
extremely rare act by a lone individual that, while horrifying to imagine
much less see, caused relatively minor damage.

Does anyone know the final results of the investigation of the twin
that flew into the tall bulding a few years ago? I believe
the pilot was flying from Switzerland to Italy, was on approach
then flew into the 20th story or so. I'm guessing this was in 2002.
It made the news and then completely disappeared. Of course the NTSB
has nothing on it.

thanks
Gerald Sylvester

"Gerald Sylvester" wrote in message
link.net...


fuel. In stark contrast, a general aviation aircraft has limited ability
to
cause damage as evidenced by the unfortunate incident in Tampa. It was
an
extremely rare act by a lone individual that, while horrifying to
imagine
much less see, caused relatively minor damage.

Does anyone know the final results of the investigation of the twin
that flew into the tall bulding a few years ago? I believe
the pilot was flying from Switzerland to Italy, was on approach
then flew into the 20th story or so. I'm guessing this was in 2002.
It made the news and then completely disappeared. Of course the NTSB
has nothing on it.

thanks
Gerald Sylvester


I do not know what the final investigation found but this incident has stuck
in my mind as a good example of the terrorism potential of GA.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1937976.stm

To me it seems plausible that if this plane was fully loaded with fuel and
explosives, and hit the building at high speed in a dive so that the energy
was directed downward instead of out the other side of the building, then
the building would have been destroyed. As it was it still did significant
damage.

Earl G

I do not know what the final investigation found but this incident has stuck
in my mind as a good example of the terrorism potential of GA.

To me it seems plausible that if this plane was fully loaded with fuel and
explosives, and hit the building at high speed in a dive so that the energy
was directed downward instead of out the other side of the building, then
the building would have been destroyed.

But to buy a $1 million dollar plane for that is not cost effective for
a terrorist. If someone hijacked a fuel truck, you can do even more
damage for the cost of a gun.

Gerald

But to buy a $1 million dollar plane for that is not cost effective for
a terrorist.

True, but Mohammed Atta didn't buy the aircraft he flew into the Trade
Center tower.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email:

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com

Earl,

I do not know what the final investigation found but this incident has stuck
in my mind as a good example of the terrorism potential of GA.


How? There was practically no damage to the building - a couple of rooms
ruined, that's all. Do you really think 50 gallons of fuel would have changed
that? Utter BS.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)