More "Security" Follies

My neighbor runs one of the sightseeing helicopter companies in NYC. After
a lot of discussions concerning security for the RNC this week, the TSA made
a ruling that sightseeing helicopter flights over the Hudson were OK, but no
Charter or Corporate flights. The Corporate people were insensed, but the
TSA was calling the shots. Gotta let those delegates see Manhatten.
Sightseeing flights were assigned a special frequency so that there would be
no confusion. Right.

The other morning, on the first day of the restrictions, two sightseeing
flights took off. One was a few minutes out, headed toward the Lady, and a
second had just gotten airborne when two military choppers blew down the
Hudson. THEY were on the wrong frequency, and could not contact the two,
completely legal, sightseeing choppers. Of course they immediately assumed
that these two copters were violators. The one closest to base was forced
to return immediately. The one downriver was then intercepted and escorted
to Morristown, where it and its passengers were held for several hours and,
because it was now outside the inner TFR, had to be completely security
cleared before it could return to its base. All because the "security"
forces couldn't get the procedures right. It's a good thing they didn't
shoot first. Might have killed some Republican delegates.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

I don't have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to love
America

Imagine what would have happened if the tourists in those choppers were
TERRORISTS as opposed to TERRORIZED!



"Bob Chilcoat" wrote in
:

My neighbor runs one of the sightseeing helicopter companies in NYC.
After a lot of discussions concerning security for the RNC this week,
the TSA made a ruling that sightseeing helicopter flights over the
Hudson were OK, but no Charter or Corporate flights. The Corporate
people were insensed, but the TSA was calling the shots. Gotta let
those delegates see Manhatten. Sightseeing flights were assigned a
special frequency so that there would be no confusion. Right.

The other morning, on the first day of the restrictions, two
sightseeing flights took off. One was a few minutes out, headed toward
the Lady, and a second had just gotten airborne when two military
choppers blew down the Hudson. THEY were on the wrong frequency, and
could not contact the two, completely legal, sightseeing choppers. Of
course they immediately assumed that these two copters were violators.
The one closest to base was forced to return immediately. The one
downriver was then intercepted and escorted to Morristown, where it and
its passengers were held for several hours and, because it was now
outside the inner TFR, had to be completely security cleared before it
could return to its base. All because the "security" forces couldn't
get the procedures right. It's a good thing they didn't shoot first.
Might have killed some Republican delegates.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

I don't have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to
love America

Bob Chilcoat wrote:

My neighbor runs one of the sightseeing helicopter companies in NYC.

Where are the newspaper stories?????

- Andrew

"Bob Chilcoat" wrote in message
...
My neighbor runs one of the sightseeing helicopter companies in NYC.
After
a lot of discussions concerning security for the RNC this week, the TSA
made
a ruling that sightseeing helicopter flights over the Hudson were OK, but
no
Charter or Corporate flights. The Corporate people were insensed, but the
TSA was calling the shots. Gotta let those delegates see Manhatten.
Sightseeing flights were assigned a special frequency so that there would
be
no confusion. Right.

The other morning, on the first day of the restrictions, two sightseeing
flights took off. One was a few minutes out, headed toward the Lady, and
a
second had just gotten airborne when two military choppers blew down the
Hudson. THEY were on the wrong frequency, and could not contact the two,
completely legal, sightseeing choppers. Of course they immediately
assumed
that these two copters were violators. The one closest to base was forced
to return immediately. The one downriver was then intercepted and
escorted
to Morristown, where it and its passengers were held for several hours
and,
because it was now outside the inner TFR, had to be completely security
cleared before it could return to its base. All because the "security"
forces couldn't get the procedures right. It's a good thing they didn't
shoot first. Might have killed some Republican delegates.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

I don't have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to love
America


I don't find any of it surprising.

I hope the helicopter operators have been on the phone with AOPA and the
other alphabets to raise a big stink over this. If they haven't, I would
urge you to urge them to do so. This kind of BS should not just be shrugged
off as something we all have to put up with now.

Just like the Kentucky governor's King Air fiasco over DC for Reagan's
funeral, the incidents you describe are perfect examples that show:

1. GA pilots ARE being responsible, doing the right things, and following
all the rules - even when the rules are stupid and unreasonable.
2. It's the "security" apparatus that's screwing up, not us, and these
unnecessary and unneeded restrictions are actually putting lives in danger,
not making anyone one bit safer from any terrorists (personally, I honestly
believe it's just a matter of time until some tragedy is caused as a result
of the restrictions).
3. In spite of our cooperation, GA gets the blame for operational problems
and continues to be burdened with still more and more useless restrictions.

AOPA ought to use this as yet another example of why the flight restricton
madness should be ended. Please try to make sure they know about what
happened.



--
David Herman
N6170T 1965 Cessna 150E
Boeing Field (BFI), Seattle, WA
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Visit the Pacific Northwest Flying Forum:
http://www.pacificnorthwestflying.com


"Bob Chilcoat" wrote in message
...
My neighbor runs one of the sightseeing helicopter companies in NYC.
After
a lot of discussions concerning security for the RNC this week, the TSA
made
a ruling that sightseeing helicopter flights over the Hudson were OK, but
no
Charter or Corporate flights. The Corporate people were insensed, but the
TSA was calling the shots. Gotta let those delegates see Manhatten.
Sightseeing flights were assigned a special frequency so that there would
be
no confusion. Right.

The other morning, on the first day of the restrictions, two sightseeing
flights took off. One was a few minutes out, headed toward the Lady, and
a
second had just gotten airborne when two military choppers blew down the
Hudson. THEY were on the wrong frequency, and could not contact the two,
completely legal, sightseeing choppers. Of course they immediately
assumed
that these two copters were violators. The one closest to base was forced
to return immediately. The one downriver was then intercepted and
escorted
to Morristown, where it and its passengers were held for several hours
and,
because it was now outside the inner TFR, had to be completely security
cleared before it could return to its base. All because the "security"
forces couldn't get the procedures right. It's a good thing they didn't
shoot first. Might have killed some Republican delegates.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

I don't have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to love
America

"David Herman" wrote in message
news:1094245715.777355@yasure... (personally, I honestly
believe it's just a matter of time until some tragedy is caused as a
result
of the restrictions).
You are correct it is only a matter of time, those that will be doing the
killing are aware of that also and really don't give a rats a--. This was
clearly demonstrated by the killing of an american missionary and her infant
even though the folks involved were told this would happen in the very
begining,also the downing of an civil air carrier flight by the Navy even
though the other ships nearby properly identified the A/C and the captain
was warned just before giving the order to fire "possible com air".
None of these folks have ever or will face the bar of justice and when they
kill you they won't this time either.
You are laboring under the impression that this country would not use the
methods of those countrys we despised as youngsters.


"David Herman" wrote in message
news:1094245715.777355@yasure...
I hope the helicopter operators have been on the phone with AOPA and the
other alphabets to raise a big stink over this. If they haven't, I would
urge you to urge them to do so. This kind of BS should not just be
shrugged
off as something we all have to put up with now.

Just like the Kentucky governor's King Air fiasco over DC for Reagan's
funeral, the incidents you describe are perfect examples that show:

1. GA pilots ARE being responsible, doing the right things, and following
all the rules - even when the rules are stupid and unreasonable.
2. It's the "security" apparatus that's screwing up, not us, and these
unnecessary and unneeded restrictions are actually putting lives in
danger,
not making anyone one bit safer from any terrorists (personally, I
honestly
believe it's just a matter of time until some tragedy is caused as a
result
of the restrictions).
3. In spite of our cooperation, GA gets the blame for operational problems
and continues to be burdened with still more and more useless
restrictions.

AOPA ought to use this as yet another example of why the flight restricton
madness should be ended. Please try to make sure they know about what
happened.



--
David Herman
N6170T 1965 Cessna 150E
Boeing Field (BFI), Seattle, WA
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Visit the Pacific Northwest Flying Forum:
http://www.pacificnorthwestflying.com


"Bob Chilcoat" wrote in message
...
My neighbor runs one of the sightseeing helicopter companies in NYC.
After
a lot of discussions concerning security for the RNC this week, the TSA
made
a ruling that sightseeing helicopter flights over the Hudson were OK,
but
no
Charter or Corporate flights. The Corporate people were insensed, but
the
TSA was calling the shots. Gotta let those delegates see Manhatten.
Sightseeing flights were assigned a special frequency so that there
would
be
no confusion. Right.

The other morning, on the first day of the restrictions, two sightseeing
flights took off. One was a few minutes out, headed toward the Lady,
and
a
second had just gotten airborne when two military choppers blew down the
Hudson. THEY were on the wrong frequency, and could not contact the
two,
completely legal, sightseeing choppers. Of course they immediately
assumed
that these two copters were violators. The one closest to base was
forced
to return immediately. The one downriver was then intercepted and
escorted
to Morristown, where it and its passengers were held for several hours
and,
because it was now outside the inner TFR, had to be completely security
cleared before it could return to its base. All because the "security"
forces couldn't get the procedures right. It's a good thing they didn't
shoot first. Might have killed some Republican delegates.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

I don't have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to love
America

Bob Chilcoat wrote:

My neighbor runs one of the sightseeing helicopter companies in NYC. After
a lot of discussions concerning security for the RNC this week, the TSA made
a ruling that sightseeing helicopter flights over the Hudson were OK, but no
Charter or Corporate flights. The Corporate people were insensed, but the
TSA was calling the shots. Gotta let those delegates see Manhatten.
Sightseeing flights were assigned a special frequency so that there would be
no confusion. Right.

The other morning, on the first day of the restrictions, two sightseeing
flights took off. One was a few minutes out, headed toward the Lady, and a
second had just gotten airborne when two military choppers blew down the
Hudson. THEY were on the wrong frequency, and could not contact the two,
completely legal, sightseeing choppers. Of course they immediately assumed
that these two copters were violators. The one closest to base was forced
to return immediately. The one downriver was then intercepted and escorted
to Morristown, where it and its passengers were held for several hours and,
because it was now outside the inner TFR, had to be completely security
cleared before it could return to its base. All because the "security"
forces couldn't get the procedures right. It's a good thing they didn't
shoot first. Might have killed some Republican delegates.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

I don't have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to love
America


Maybe the corporate flights could include a sight seeing pass around the
Lady.