U.S. plays world bully with airline measures

Daily Bruin (U. California-Los Angeles) ^ | 1/13/04 | Rosamund de Sybel

[eyespysomething]

[lady lawyer]

We're not bullying anybody. If they want to enter our airspace, they conform. If they don't enter our airspace, there's no obligation.

[eyespysomething]

The U.S. administration has harangued countries into its version of "protecting" the world, one from which we may in fact need protection.

IDIOT! We are protecting ourselves from the world! NEWSFLASH! There are people who want to kill us. They are willing to take large airliners and fly them into buildings. They are willing, given the chance, to disperse chem or bio agents into our cities, even willing to detonate, God forbid, a nuclear bombb. THEY WANT US DEAD! They don't want to be friends. We will never make them happy. THEY WANT US DEAD!!!!!

What part of THEY WANT US DEAD do people not get?

[dirtboy]

And the unpleasant ordeal of 11 hours spent panicking about the possibility of being on board a plane with a man with a gun

I'm sure we can find him a box-cutters-only flight. Try Air France.

I wonder if this pinhead realizes just how idiotic he sounds here - as if being on a plane with an armed federal agent is somehow more of an ordeal than being on a plane being flown into a building.

[dirtboy]

Da Silva told The Guardian that the decision was "absolutely brutal, threatening human rights, violating human dignity, xenophobic and worthy of the worst horrors committed by the Nazis."

Un-friggin' believable.

[zarf]

It's funny how the cataclysm of 9/11 has reduced the sneering, enlightened left to mere dinosaurs.

[antiRepublicrat]

I do not, however, find the fingerprint and photograph policy nearly as threatening as the combination of a pressurized cabin and a gun.

Cabin pressurization 101. First forget what you see in the movies. Airline cabins are constantly leaking, this is how you get fresh air in them (I know it doesn't seem like it by the air quality, but it happens). Several air pumps supply fresh pressurized air to the cabin at the rate needed to maintain cabin pressurization. In the case of a bullet hole in the cabin, the pumps simply put more replacement air to the cabin.

Yes it'll be loud and a few people might lose some napkins to the bullet hole, but otherwise the passengers will be safe and pressurized, and the aircraft will continue to fly normally.

Friggin' ignorant fear mongers with an agenda piss me off.

[El Gato]

I do not, however, find the fingerprint and photograph policy nearly as threatening as the combination of a pressurized cabin and a gun.

The author obviously wrote this before last weekend. Myth Busters showed that a bullet is not going to cause explosive decompression, even if it goes through a window. Another show, on Fox I think, as well as a story in USA Today, told of the very specific information received about the flights indicated.

The author also forgets that he/she is a visitor to this country, with no absolute right to be here. We can apply and always have, as have other countries, conditions for permission to enter our country.

[Valpal1]

So stay home or take a boat, Miss Rosamund.

[eyespysomething]

Da Silva told The Guardian that the decision was "absolutely brutal, threatening human rights, violating human dignity, xenophobic and worthy of the worst horrors committed by the Nazis."

Oh, yeah, just like the Nazis. F*&%##) idiots.

[Steve_Seattle]

"For some, such as Brazilian judge Julier Sebastio da Silva, the decision to photograph and fingerprint visitors is more than an embarrassing and inconvenient experience. Da Silva told The Guardian that the decision was "absolutely brutal, threatening human rights, violating human dignity, xenophobic and worthy of the worst horrors committed by the Nazis."

Fingerprinting people to insure they are not terrorists, for the purpose of enhancing airline safety and saving lives, is equivalent to killing millions of innocent people in concentration camps? This judge is a complete imbecile, and so is Rosamund for thinking the judge is profound.

[sirshackleton]

I'm stunned at how many people are ignorant about the rules of airspace. I don't expect everyone to be geniuses, but countries are well within their right to set their airspace requirements as they see fit. ATC can forbid you from entering controlled airspace for any reason they deem fit. In Class A airspace, where probably 95% of jet travel takes place, you can't do anything without permission from center. Why is this kind of thing so hard to fathom?

[yoe]

Poor baby...a little inconvenience is just not her cup of tea. 9/11 happened and could happen again if we are not vigilant at all times, especially at points of entry like airports. We – America – is at war with war time restrictions to help a nation with blinders like yours to thwart the terrorists.

Air Marshals and armed pilots are de rigueur for many foreign airlines and have been for years. We are at WAR with an unseen enemy who knows people like you will whine and complain none stop, hoping some politician will lift security just a bit for your vote, then the murderous terrorist can get next to you undetected and blow you and those around you up!

Rosamund de Sybel...sounds a little French or maybe Spanish...I could be wrong, maybe likes turbans.............

[El Gato]

In the case of a bullet hole in the cabin, the pumps simply put more replacement air to the cabin.

Actually what would happen is that the cabin pressurization outflow value would close down somewhat. On large aircraft this "valve" is a little larger than a window. On a C-5 you can look out through the "butterfly" value. The rear ramp on the C-5 often leaks so much that blankets put into the gap are often sucked out. Still the plane continues flying and the passengers continue breathing. Just verified with the ex KC-10 crew chief in the next office that the outflow value on that A/C (and likely the one on DC-10/MD-11 type airliners) is about 8 inches in diameter, although on that one, the valve opens to a backward facing "scoop" on the front/side of the aircraft. On jet airraft, pressurization is provided by engine bleed air, not by "pumps", except in the sense that the compressor of a jet engine is a big pump.

[antiRepublicrat]

Similarly there have been countless incidents of police officers' guns being used against them on the ground

This thing's full of it! That happens rarely, and when the person is identified as a police officer and after a physical struggle ensues. I am sure these air marshals are instructed to remain anonymous and maintain proper distance in an incident.

[antiRepublicrat]

Actually what would happen is that the cabin pressurization outflow value would close down somewhat.

Thanks, forgot to include that part of the action. Pumps only go up when closing the valve isn't enough.

[LibWhacker]

Every foreigner entering the country ought to be required to fill out a questionnaire that probes his attitude toward America, islam, socialism, France, etc. I don't know what the cut off line would be, but people like this stupid #$%#$ should clearly be refused entry. They have no business coming here.

[tiamat]

If he doesn't like it, he can stay home!

Tia

[antiRepublicrat]

pressurization is provided by engine bleed air, not by "pumps", except in the sense that the compressor of a jet engine is a big pump.

I was trying to write non-technical general concepts. I guess I forgot I was writing to this audience and not the idiot who wrote the article. But I'm sure many will appreciate your more detailed information.