BTW, I understand that an F-16 might have a very difficult time finding and destroying this AY-65... in fact, could itself be destroyed.
The anti-drug verion of this crop duster has a powerful engine and is hardened against small arms fire, but I do not think the gun on an F16 would have any trouble shredding one of these. The Ayers is darn quick for a prop plane, but still would be very slow compared with an F16. The main problem the speed causes is that the plane has plenty of places to hide. It can probably land on almost anything - a beach, the dessert, any road in the boonies. It can also be configured to carry fuel in the spray tanks for really long range. Of course this would have to be reconfigured for a mission. This thing will be a mofo to find. It would be VERY BAD if it has ECM on board.
It DOES make me nervous that bin Laden has such an obsession with aviation, and has obviously spent some time thinking of clever ways to cause mass casualties with aircraft.
Any word on the pilot? He would have to have been attacked on the ground.