Jets force down plane that entered restricted airspace during Bush visit

Associated Press ^ | 10-03-03

[Ronin]

I hope the pilot had a change of underwear in his bag. He most likely needed it.

[Support Free Republic]

A Recall AND a Fundraiser? I'm toast.

Let's get this over with FAST. Please contribute!

[thoughtomator]

Sen. Clinton's office issued a pre-emptive denial...

[Brian S]

LOL...that was my first thought after reading the article.

[Ciexyz]

A ba-a-a-a-a-d mistake, buddy.

[tbpiper]

The FAA has been very slow to post these presidential TFR's. This is necessarily the pilot's fault.

[NewRomeTacitus]

A friend of mine had a job transporting temps to the airport for cleaning projects. One day he took a wrong turn onto a support road by the airfield only to find himself assuming the position for the Secret Service. It was his bad luck that the President was visiting town at that time. My friend said they were quite verbally nasty and pointed out a stationed sniper to him. He was released after he checked out with the airport people but was really shaken up by the drawn guns and bad treatment.
I know putting up with eight years of the sinkmeister pissed them off but they shouldn't take it out on the citizens.

[Bonaparte]

"This is necessarily the pilot's fault."

Absolutely. Nothing "inadvertent" about it. The man simply took that aircraft anywhere he pleased without a thought about public safety. He should be on the ground. Permanently.

[tbpiper]

Bull. You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

[taildragger]

Bonaparte,

Go to www.AOPA.org and get an education. Pilots have been complaining about the TFR airspace for quite a while. It is not that they do not want to comply, it is just that it is invoked without prior notice and you may violate it without even knowing it.

I would request more Freeper Pilots respond to Bonaparte since I am not "current" and you are potentially more qualified to address this than I.

[Bonaparte]

If that's the case, then I would stand corrected and humbly retract. I went to that link you graciously provided, taildragger, and I realize that the issue is more complex than I supposed. Clearly, there are responsible and irresponsible pilots and from the information in this article, I can't say one way or another which category this particular one falls into.

[NB to tbpiper: Your post 7 reads, "This is necessarily the pilot's fault." Previewing is our friend, no?]

[tbpiper]

[Previewing is our friend, no?]

Along with Visine, a good night's sleep and at least 1.5 cups of coffee, yes.

[flashbunny]

very rational response....

(FR needs smileys! I want a rolleyes smiley right here!)

[bootless]

Officials couldn't get the Cessna's flight plan, if it had one, because its transponder failed.

Duh. That's badly written. If they lost the transponder, ATC would have contacted the plane. The flight plan is located by the tail number, type of a/c, etc. The transponder code can change several times in a flight, if that's what ATC needs.

[Publius6961]

Officials couldn't get the Cessna's flight plan, if it had one, because its transponder failed.

How convenient.
As*****s who can't be bothered to keep their equipment working properly should at least get a stiff fine.
If they can afford to fly, they can damn well afford to be up to date on rules and restrictions.

[bootless]

Absolutely. Nothing "inadvertent" about it. The man simply took that aircraft anywhere he pleased without a thought about public safety. He should be on the ground. Permanently.

I think the other poster left out the word "not" as in, this is NOT necessarily the pilot's fault. TFR's have frequently been posted very late, and AOPA just published an editorial in their latest magazine issue about it.

Your attitude about general aviation, btw, is pretty much reflective of what the Clintonistas think about it. GA is one of the last bastions of the exercise of personal responsibility extant in our country. Don't run it down without sufficient facts.

[bootless]

Thanks for your retraction and for going to the AOPA site. I appreciate it.

CFI bump for HairoftheDog.

[bootless]

BTW, some transponders are sensitive to changes in temperature, and may not read out when it's too hot or too cold. Other than that, I'm not an avionics expert, but drop-outs in the xpndr are not always maintenance related.

[Publius6961]

By the way... I agree with post 12.
Sorry