A Cessna 150
I’d like to begin this post by asking a question. How many people would like to be taken from your vehicle at gunpoint, handcuffed and detained because several years ago someone stole a car with a license plate number that matches the one the state just assigned your new car? I don’t imagine very many people are going to enjoy that.
Well, recently the Santa Barbara Police Department detained John and Martha King –yes the King Schools people– at gunpoint. Why, you might ask? Unfortunately for them, some 8 years ago somebody stole a Cessna 150J bearing the registration N50545. Between now and then, that registration was deregistered and recycled, a common activity and one that is performed by the FAA (a federal government agency if you need reminding).
Fast forward to a few days ago when the Kings, seeking to maintain currency, filed an IFR flight plan in a new 172S (please note the new 172S part). This triggered some kind of alert on an out of date DEA database that meant the local police were informed to intercept the aircraft and apparently shoot anyone that didn’t comply because the Kings arrived to quite the welcoming party.
So that’s the story, now let me point you to the lessons that the Kings suggest you take from this.
An account of the event via John King: http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/John_Martha_King_Held_At_Gunpoint_203205-1.html
A beefier account of the event with additional analysis: http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentblockID=3bc864d4-0d11-4be1-88f0-19ac8d57f566
The president of AOPA reacts: http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2010/100830kings.html?WT.mc_id=ebrief
An interview with Martha King: http://www.avweb.com/podcast/podcast/MarthaKing_JohnMarthaKing_AirportSecurityMistake_203203-1.html?kw=self
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let me offer this: WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT?! It would seem that the whole of the federal government exists to prevent anything right from happening ever again. I mean are we seriously supposed to be more secure and safe by having databases populated with data that is at least 5 years old? Worse, why is it that you involve an airplane and suddenly common sense goes out the windows and guns are drawn rather than simple quick fact checking. Those who would lead us to believe they are securing us act as if Osama bin Laden himself is actively stealing planes and flying them around for fun and that taking 35 seconds to verify the facts might allow him to escape.
Seriously between the airplane phobia and near constant barrage of TFRs, we’re really losing the battle. Maybe I’m way off track, but are we really any more secure with our databases, 12 dollar an hour screeners, security lines, and fences than we were before? I’m starting to wonder how far this has to go before “normal” people start to wonder.
Now for a vision test:
Are the pictures below the same or different? Post a comment with your answer.
A Cessna 150.
Does this look like a Cessna 150?