Homeland Security Agents Force Plane to Land in San Antonio

WOAI ^ | 1/24/2005 | ElephantinTexas

[ElephantinTexas]

This is my first post so I hope I got it right.

This is breaking here in San Anonio. A single engine plane has been forced down at Stenson Field south of San Antonio. Homeland Security, DPS and SAPD are on the scene. They are waiting for a Chinese tranlator but they have Chinese illegals in custody and said that the pilot was someone Homeland Security has been looking for.

I'll post more as it comes available.

[nasamn777]

Here is another smuggling case:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apus_story.asp?category=1110&slug=BRF%20Border%20Smuggling

China is Eager to Improve ties with Mexico. I wonder why?

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/05/breaking2453395.5444444446.html

[USNBandit]

Aerostats are tethered balloons that have air search radars installed on them. They fly them thousands of feet in the air so they have pretty good coverage. I don't know how wide spread they are, but they are a lot cheaper to operate than airplanes.

Part of that War on Drugs that so many people around here are against.

[Chemist_Geek]

I was taught, back in ground school in 2001, that CFIs needed a valid Second class to make instructional flights. Apparently that has changed or was incorrect at the time.

To say nothing of the fact that the pilot may have been smuggling illegal aliens. At that point FAR violations are secondary.

Well, if'n they wanted to throw the book at him... He probably made a moving violation in the car on the way to the airport, too. ;-)

[nasamn777]

Oops. The one link about Mexico was bad.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=589&ncid=734&e=4&u=/ap/20050125/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/mexico_china

The FBI says the one case of illegals was a false alarm.

http://reuters.myway.com/article/20050125/2005-01-25T223026Z_01_N25360264_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-SECURITY-BOSTON-DC.html

[Turbopilot]

I was taught, back in ground school in 2001, that CFIs needed a valid Second class to make instructional flights. Apparently that has changed or was incorrect at the time.

It was incorrect at the time and always has been, although I'm unsure of the date of the Chief Counsel's opinion clarifying that fact. Basically it's the opinion of the FAA that an an instructor is being paid to instruct, not to fly, and thus needs only a 3rd class to be PIC. If the student acts as PIC (e.g. for a BFR or advanced instruction), then the instructor doesn't need a medical at all as he/she isn't PIC.

Well, if'n they wanted to throw the book at him... He probably made a moving violation in the car on the way to the airport, too. ;-)

LOL. "This court finds you guilty, and sentences you to a term of your natural life in a federal facility. Oh, and the FAA revoked your pilot's certificate, just in case your prison has an airfield in it."

[BIGLOOK]

Like the Radar/Balloon idea; depending on range, a picket could be set up spanning the border. Wonder if they could be also rigged with downward looking thermal imaging to detect foot traffic.

All this talk about SAM batteries and interceptors armed with AIMS, Sparrows and Sidewinders is just plain overkill. The old A-1 Sky Raider would be very effective against small craft as well as ground traffic. Save the fast movers for regular A/D.

I can see a couple Sky Raiders on strips a couple hundred miles apart fed by intel from a Balloon net.

[Another Thought]

A hellfire would have worked quite nicely..and should be used frequently on planes sneaking across the border, if in fact this one was...LOL. KABOOM! [Ah but then no judge would be able to send them back to try again]

---

Deters nicely, too.

[tiki]

Yes, I live about 5 miles from the one in New Mexico.

[BARLF]

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/special_packages/who_to_call/10727498.htm

[momf]

I haven't finished reading all of the posts, and this may be addressed further on, however, I have several unanswered questions - how does a 20 something marry a woman who is nearly 50, and how does one that age start a flying school. On her money? On money provided when he came here? When did he come here?

I'm a little North of the Hill Country. Love to be on your Texas ping list.

[El Gato]

Well, we'll have to disagree on that one. The folks at NORAD have a complex and impressive system in place. It just doesn't (to my knowledge) include strategic SAM systems throughout the nation. But that doesn't mean those types of weapons aren't available for protection.

NORAD is mostly a surveillance and warning outfit. They have interceptors, but not at enough locations, most of the time. Since 9-11 they've increased the number of birds sitting strip alert, which should be a big help. They also have decent ground based radar net, at least along the periphery of the country, which is shared with the FAA. That I know quite a bit about, since I just got off of a project using the real time data "take" from some of those radars for a training system.

Not only are their no strategic SAMS, there are no tactical ones "stood up" over the vast majority of the country, just a few mobile launchers protecting even fewer high value targets. I don't know if those are still deployed, but they were quite visible after 9-11. We are deploying the anti missile system, but that will be pretty thin and not good for much of anything but a rogue single or small numbers launch...better than nothing with nut cases like the Mullahs and Comrade Kim getting nukes and missiles. But until that begins to be deployed, NORAD is mostly good for telling you to put your head between your legs and kiss your... well you know... goodbye, as far as an attack that could be launched by Russia or China (or France for that matter!). Oh and of course the minor (NOT!) matter of telling the President when to retaliate and who against.

Most people are shocked to find that we never had an anti missile defense throughout the entire cold war period, when the Soviets had thousands of missiles pointed our way. We did have a few interceptor missles for a short time, but nobody had a lot of faith in those, although I think they would have done just fine, being armed with small nuke warheads, which would have exploded high up and well away from populated areas. (Even they probably would have been useless against an SLBM attack launched from a few hundred miles offshore, simply because the system could not respond fast enough to get them before they got too close or even to their targets.

[El Gato]

I can see a couple Sky Raiders on strips a couple hundred miles apart fed by intel from a Balloon net.

I'm sure Burt Rutan could come up with something that would fit the bill quite nicely. Still I'd arm it with at least air launched stingers, just so the pilot could stand off a bit. Guns too of course, at least .50 cals, maybe a 20mm gatling type cannon.

Don't discount the speed aspect too much though. It allows for fewer interceptors to cover the same territory.. or to cover each other somewhat if a large number of "targets" should present themselves.

[Chani]

ping for later

[BIGLOOK]

Let's see if a sensible scheme can be put together.

Targets and suspect A/C

• Low, slow and below.
• Purpose; contraband or illegals.
• No flight plans, no destinations. Landing plans G/A, anywhere.

Acquisition; Radar balloons, net worked.Dual purpose G & A.

• Low, fast, armed.
• Networked and overlapped.
• Range, time over target, utility advanced.
• Ground intercept capabilities enhanced. Time.
• Seizure of assets, contraband and illegals. A good start.
• Free up the fast movers, priceless.

[piasa]

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane is co-owned by Afzal Hameed of Dover, Del., and Alyce S. Taylor.

Texas Department of Health records:

VITAL RECORDS - ATASCOSA COUNTY, TX - MARRIAGES 1980

File #: 145953
Husband name: AFZAL, HAMEED
Husband age: 23
Wife name: TAYLOR, ALYCE S
Wife age: 45
Marriage date: 13-Oct-1980

[piasa]

Seems he had a cessna up for sale in the year 2004, judging from the URL: [note his name is reversed from the press versions here and the serial and registration numbers, etc, are left off]:

google cached URL link

1979 Cessna T210
Manufacturer
Short Description : 1979 Cessna T210
Price $165,000.00
TTAF 1400
State Texas
Country UNITED STATES
Registration Number ----
Serial Number ----

  Aircraft Details
1979 Cessna T210

Price: $165,000 . . . Total Time: 1400 Hours

50 SMOH, 400 ARC Radio, Trimble GPS, 400 ARC A/Pilot.

Contact: Hameed Afzal
Tel: 210-872-7199

  Hameed Afzal , TX.  Phone: 210-872-7199 satalphata@aol.com

[piasa]

Wonder how many aircraft this guy owns and if anything fishy ever happened to any of them?

[piasa]

It's rude to talk about other posters behind their back- always ping them to such posts.

[steve86]

It's rude to talk about other posters behind their back- always ping them to such posts.

Oh, come on. That's one of the most funnest things you can do around here. Series. I like to scope out when some of these characters are off the net -- nap time or whatever. Then just blast them in the third person. It's funny when they log back in and find a bunch of hatemail. Don't forget to ping other posters who side with you. You can build up cliques that way.

[piasa]

Sometimes his name is also spelled Hamid Afzal.