Posted on 06/25/2013 6:05:10 AM PDT by taildragger
In the last few weeks there have been widely circulated reports about law-abiding pilots being confronted by heavily armed local cops and federal Customs and Border Protection agents who appear to act as if they have absolute authority to search and interrogate pilots and passengers. "At least 12 of our members have been stopped and had their plane searched by CBP for absolutely no reason at all," said AOPA spokesman Steve Hedges. "We've asked CBP for documents related to the searches, filing a Freedom of Information Act to get it, but so far they have been unresponsive." As always, it's best to be polite with folks carrying semi-automatic weapons but that doesn't mean anyone has to be a pushover. In every case, the CPB agents appear intent on searching the plane, sometimes with dogs, and that understandably causes some concern with pilots. The legal authority to search may be legally murky and pilots are urged to get on the record as opposing it. They're also advised that if one of the agents so much as turns a screw on the aircraft, he or she might make it unairworthy. AOPA also says the agents seem to think they have the authority to demand logs, written weight and balance calculations and even the airworthiness certificate but FAR 61.51 clearly specifies that only pilot-related documents are required. AOPA is trying to get the incorrect CPB memo that went out to field staff amended.
(Excerpt) Read more at avweb.com ...
* EAA has to pay the FAA $450,000 for ATC to hold Oshkosh because of "Sequestration."
* Rumor is the FAA is pulling this also on small Aviation events, The Bellanca Champion Club I hear cancelled their flyin in Columbia CA because of demands by the FAA to have a tower...
Is this handy work of Valerie Jarrett?...
Aviation Ping List ? Anyone?
Aviation Ping List?
Is that Privacy or Liberty or both.....
This reminds me of some history books I read about Stalin. He would crack down on ordinary citizens because he was so paranoid, but his actions made economic conditions in the country worse, especially since those people he was cracking down on were not involved in politics. He also nearly wiped out the Red Army before Hitler declared war on Russia. Pretty soon Obummer will start wiping out friend and foe because he’s getting real paranoid.
Private aviation is a sign of FREEDOM;therefore it must be shutdown.
Private automobiles ,too.
The good citizen uses government-operated public transit to travel from his assigned sleep cubicle to his assigned workplace.
Do I REALLY need to use a sarcasm tag?
The TSA/DHS/CBP are headed for a violent confrontation as they interfere with flying. This is nothing but a power grab.
CWII is going to be very violent and anyone claiming the military or police or federal agents are just good patriotic Americans only need to look at this crap to realize, no, they are not.
Anything that could be used in resistance to a police state is under attack, even dog ownership.
Please ping me to aviation and aerospace articles. Thank you.
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FAR part 61.51 states that when an intention to fly exists you must provide, your pilot's license, medical, airworthiness certificate, registration and photo ID to any law enforcement officer that asks for it. Most state laws are written in line with this. If you just got out of a running airplane or are loading bags in your airplane then intent to fly exists. If you are just working on your airplane you can tell them that you don't intend to fly. Depending on the airport, you may have to have Airport ID anyway.
When asked for this stuff the officer will also want to see the data plate in the aircraft (not a search). What they will pull when you are providing all of this is run a dog around your airplane. Again, thanks to the SCOTUS, this isn't considered a search. If the dog 'hits' then they are going in the airplane (a search with PC). Don't give consent, but you can't stop them from searching with PC.
If you have heartburn about a search the Feds often carry a pamphlet on ramp checks, with a complaint number. If you get raw treatment from CBP aircrew (dressed in khaki) you can call 1-866-air-bust and ask for instructions on filing a complaint.
I’ve never had any problems with any officers ever requesting to see ID or search the plane, before takeoff or on landing. Maybe they just leave us grouchy old men alone. I have had them walk by while I was loading my baggage but they kept on walking.
Old grumpy men are their biggest allies. The smart ones cultivate those relationships, because you are always at the airport and don’t like dopers making life harder for you.
More reason to fly something ( most homebuilts ) with the data plate fixed below the pilots rear horizontal stab. I don't mean to be obtuse, but I'd tell them to look their, while I sit inside...
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