Question About Flight Simulator Brings Visit From Police

http://www.recorder.com/Headlines/tuesday_basic.htm ^ | 01/09/04 | VIRGINIA RAY

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

Question about flight simulator brings visit from police By VIRGINIA RAY Recorder Staff

COLRAIN - An innocent inquiry to a Staples store clerk about a computer software program that teaches how to fly an airplane by instrumentation brought a surprise visit this holiday season to a local family from the state police.

"At first, I felt a little angry and violated" about someone telling authorities about her inquiry, said Julie Olearcek, a 15-year Air Force Reserve pilot. "But now that time has gone by, I realize it may take someone like that, who's a little nervous, who may save the day." Olearcek's husband, Henry, is also a flier, currently on active duty, and frequently away from home these days.

About a week before Christmas, Olearcek said the couple's 10-year-old son, who has flight simulation software and is keenly interested in learning to fly like his parents, commented that he'd have to wait until his dad retired to learn to fly by instruments. She went to Staples soon after and took her son to the office supply store, where he looked through the available software.

"He was disappointed because there was military stuff, but it was all fighting stuff, so I asked the clerk, and he was alarmed by us asking how to fly airplanes and said that was against the law," Olearcek said. "I said I couldn't imagine that, but, because (the clerk) was a little on edge ... I left." But "what saves us, is people are paying attention," she said.

Olearcek said she and her husband both were well aware that the Office of Homeland Security had raised the threat level during the holiday and of the generally increased terrorism alert following the Sept. 11 plane attacks.

"And rightly so, this puts people on edge," she said.

But she was taken aback by what happened next.

"By 8 p.m., a state trooper was at my house," she said. "At first, it was a little unnerving because it was pouring rain and my husband had just left ... My son said he heard someone walking around outside and it startled him. We had put our Christmas tree in front of a sliding glass door and the trooper ended up tapping on the glass of that door and putting a flashlight in and it scared us."

But Olearcek said she doesn't believe the trooper was intentionally trying to frighten her family. Nor does she blame the clerk for erring on the side of caution.

"We all have to be aware," she said, not really even wanting to speak of the incident on the record, but wanting to keep the record straight. "It's not just the people in uniform who have to be looking after this country. So when people see something out the ordinary, they pay attention. Maybe by the way we worded the question - who knows? - it triggered the individual. Still, if they had done their homework (at Staples) they would see I home school my children and am a frequent customer and have a teacher's ID on file."

Olearcek said the trooper asked her if she had inquired about the software, and she said she had and showed him her military identification.

"He was totally understanding, but protocol means he has to follow through," Olearcek said. "I immediately gave him my military ID and I had no problem giving it to him. At first I felt like, 'Wait a minute, this is America.' But we also have to understand it takes everybody to pay attention. At first I was a little frazzled with someone knocking on my window at 8:30 at night, but the bottom line is this is a civilian who has tried to do his best."

Sgt. Donald Charpentier of the Shelburne Falls State Police barracks said police received a telephone call from the Staples manager "that a person had been looking for instructional videos regarding flying planes."

"Those programs are quite common for entertainment and training, but he felt it was suspicious enough to warrant a call," Charpentier said. "We responded, and it turned out to be innocent enough; a person looking to buy a Christmas gift."

Staples' spokesperson Sharyn Frankel said the employees were doing what they have been told to do.

"After 9/11, our store associates were instructed that if they see something suspicious or out of the ordinary, they're to contact their managers and local authorities," Frankel said. "It's all about keeping our associates and customers safe and this was out of the ordinary and kind of raised a red flag and they did what they thought was right."

"Bottom line is we've all got to look out for each other, and I wasn't harmed," summed up Olearcek. "And what if it were the other way around? It's going to take everyone in each town to look after one another."

[mhking]

If you lived in the vicinity of Boston and Newark where most of the 9/11 flights originated perhaps you'd be extra cautious, too.

So everyone who bought MS Flight Simulator during the Orange alert timeframe (which included a portion of the Christmas shopping season, mind you) should be investigated by DHS?

Give me a break and take off the tin foil!

[JCG]

So everyone who bought MS Flight Simulator during the Orange alert timeframe (which included a portion of the Christmas shopping season, mind you) should be investigated by DHS?

That isn't what I wrote.

But if someone were to say "I don't want games or simulators, I want videos that show exactly how to fly a plane" -- wouldn't that heighten your interest? And maybe even your suspicion?

America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
http://12thman.us/media/jihad.rm (Requires RealPlayer)

Who is Steve Emerson?

[mhking]

But if someone were to say "I don't want games or simulators, I want videos that show exactly how to fly a plane" -- wouldn't that heighten your interest? And maybe even your suspicion?

Airliners magazine (as well as a couple of other air-fan mags) is available at most larger bookstores and magazine stands. Ads in those magazines have offered cockpit over-the-shoulder views of full trips in a variety of craft (mostly commercial craft) for years now.

You telling me that anyone ordering those should be investigated?

That question being asked, I have to say that my interest would be piqued (being the wary one that I am), but isn't that a bit much, lest you are wearing tin foil?

[JCG]

You telling me that anyone ordering those should be investigated?

Depends on the circumstances. (Keep an eye on that word: "circumstances." Could mean a lot down the road.)

Now, suppose the person ordering your video were one Mohammad Atta of the University of South Florida and his payment was drawn on the Islamic National Bank of Riyadh. Any cause for concern now?

Circumstances. Think circumstances. Just like at Staples.

America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
http://12thman.us/media/jihad.rm (Requires RealPlayer)

Who is Steve Emerson?

[JoJo Gunn]

This intellectual flashbulb gathered it was software, not a "video", and from the very beginning of the article, thank you.

"An innocent inquiry to a Staples store clerk about a computer software program that teaches how to fly an airplane by instrumentation brought a surprise visit this holiday season to a local family from the state police."

As others have also alluded, if flight sims are so dangerous and soo off limits, they should have been stripped from store shelves since September the 11th of 2001, thus saving us all from the stupidity of yesterdays fry cooks turned Joe Friday's.

[JCG]

This intellectual flashbulb gathered it was software, not a "video", and from the very beginning of the article, thank you.

Guess you missed this, eh?:

Sgt. Donald Charpentier of the Shelburne Falls State Police barracks said police received a telephone call from the Staples manager "that a person had been looking for instructional videos regarding flying planes."

 

America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
http://12thman.us/media/jihad.rm (Requires RealPlayer)

Who is Steve Emerson?

[Cultural Jihad]

What crime exactly did the store clerk allegedly accuse the customer of committing? This is an open book test.

[Cultural Jihad]

I once DLed nearly my entire county from the terra server, printed it out and taped it together.

Did you really? Cool!

[JoJo Gunn]

Lemme tell you what I didn't miss, namely that the word software was used three times before all of a sudden Barney Fife said it was a "video" they wanted.

Michael miserable failureMoore

[cyborg]

I could see how this dope thought it was illegal. The news was whining about FS constantly right after 9-11

[cyborg]

mhking you should know better!!!! remember anything in the name of peace and safety /carb overloaded sarcasm/

[The Westerner]

Just curious. How did the clerk know who these anonymous customers were? And why would a clerk be alarmed by a caucasian child and his mother? Doesn't exactly fit the correct PROFILE.

[MississippiMan]

If it had been my window he taped on and shined a light in, it would have been his last act on this earth.

Your instinctive reaction to someone tapping on your window would be to instantly kill them? Good grief.

MM

[Servant of the 9]

Your instinctive reaction to someone tapping on your window would be to instantly kill them? Good grief.

No one comes onto a piece of property without invitation in Texas, except by aproaching the front door cautiously and knocking.
The chance that it is not a burglar or peeping tom is infinitessimal.

So9

[My Dog Likes Me]

Instead of walking through the aisles and finding what she needed, she was probably asking specific, probing questions of the clerk on the most suitable software or videos. Why? Because she's an air force officer and is used to NCOs doing this kind of simple research for her. In her world, the clerk is meant to serve her. Geez, she's a pilot! Why can't she just walk down the aisle and find the best software for her kid without assistance from a clerk? I'll bet she was a real b**** about it, too.

[Cultural Jihad]

Nonsense. You are offering only unfounded conjecture and idle speculation not based on fact. She is quoted in the article sounding very reasonable.

[lainde]

bttt

[spodefly]

"He was disappointed because there was military stuff, but it was all fighting stuff, so I asked the clerk, and he was alarmed by us asking how to fly airplanes and said that was against the law," Olearcek said. "I said I couldn't imagine that, but, because (the clerk) was a little on edge ... I left."

I think the clerk may have been a little too much on edge in this matter, but the State Troopers following thru on the call from the business manager is expected. That's why we all have to be diligent, but also have a clue what's what. The clerk thinking that learning to fly airplanes "was against the law" indicates that he may be pretty clueless in other ways as well.

[My Dog Likes Me]

She sounds reasonable in the article because she is in "C.Y.A." mode.

As I said, the notion of an air force pilot relying on a Staples clerk for advice on suitable flight simulator software is very odd.

I'm just reading between the lines, here. The truth is somewhere in the middle. I stand behind what you call my groundless conjecture.

[honeygrl]

I don't understand what they found so suspicious about a 10yr old asking a question like that. If I read the article right, wasn't the kid with her asking the question? And if the sales clerk said she was looking for instructional videos and she had really asked for software games, then he flat out lied.

I think Mr Sales Clerk just wanted attention from his coworkers. He probably embellished his story and told it to his coworkers over and over. Sounds a bit moronic to me.