kallend 2,162 #1 June 16, 2008 Paul Bertorelli is a skydiver and aviation writer: By Paul Bertorelli These days, anyone who maintains the slightest notion of actual enthusiastic involvement in general aviation needs, above all else, an elevated appreciation of the absurd. Like a connoisseur of fine wine or a collector of vintage European cars, the GA enthusiast has to have a refined, educated taste for stupidity in all of its colorful variety. That this is so is what will finally drive a stake through the heart of flying little airplanes, not high gas prices or user fees. What could possibly cause me to sink to this level of cynicism? Here's what: As do many airports, ours (Venice Municipal) has a security gate with access via a magnetic security card. So far so good. The first rule—and it's a stupid one—is that you pass through the gate, stop on the other side and wait for it to close. Some people do this, some do it sort of halfway and some don't do it at all. (I'm in the halfway group, I keep the gate in view while I drive away.) The theory is that the terrorist is concealed in the bushes and will dart through the gate when it's open. By waiting, you assure that this doesn't happen. As I said, stupid rule. The other day, I pulled through the gate and right behind comes another owner in a pickup. I don't know him personally, but I know him on sight and I know his vehicle. He has an airplane hangared a couple of rows from ours. He waves, I see his magnetic card coming out and off I go. A hundred yards later, I'm confronted by the one of the airport workers who waves me aside. "You hafta let the gate close before you drive off," says he. "But the guy behind me had his card out. He's in the next hangar row from me," I answer. "Doesn't matter. You hafta wait. No tailgating allowed," he replies, and drives off. Now this is best described as multiple, cascading runaway stupidity. First, anyone waiting for the gate to close has committed such a futile act as to not be worth the time or gasoline it takes to do it. Actively requiring the guy behind you to repeat same by blocking him in and then having someone actually take the time to spank you for refusing to play only compounds the idiocy. Later that day, when we went to the airport café, it got even more absurd. We have a very good eatery on the field—one of the best in Florida. It has an entry door right on the ramp—or at least it used to. The door is still there, but there's a sign on it that forces you to walk about 150 feet through the main entrance of the new FBO lobby. Well, no big deal, I guess. Everyone should walk more. But the irritating kicker is that when you walk through the FBO door, you have to sign in. Then you sign out when you walk back out to your airplane on the ramp. Again, these are acts that have zero benefit. The supposed security isn't worth the value of the ink in the pens nor the effort of the deskwatcher to remind people to do it. These are pointless acts. Yet we do them. And not only do we do them, we continue to accept more such absurdities in the name of security. Why? We do them purely for appearances, so that we can mollify the anti-airport crowd and show that we actually are serious about this terrorist threat. And we do them because certain of our elected officials retain their grasp on power by peddling the politics of fear and paranoia. If this sort of nonsense escalates, I don't know how much more it the GA industry will tolerate. All things reach a tipping point and such inconsequential absurdities as these add up to the point, at least for me, that it's just not worth it to jolly along. Minor erosion in our ranks will evolve into wholesale desertion. I will freely admit that on the scale of irritability over little things, I'm in the 90th percentile. And I know there are those who will say waiting for a gate to close is a small price to pay for the freedom of flight. My reaction to that is this: Screw that. If you own an airplane at a non-towered country airport, you ought to be able to drive your car to it, unmolested by idiots who make up pointless rules and then spend their useless days enforcing them. Am I wrong here?... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
futuredivot 0 #2 June 16, 2008 He's right about the cafe-it's good. He's lucky he just got talked to. I visit some airports that will fine you for failure to wait on the gate and yes, it's uselessYou are only as strong as the prey you devour Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 900 #3 June 16, 2008 And then there are the GA airports that have wide open access, no fences, ability to drive right onto the runway, walk right through the FBO to the runway, open access to the t-hangars as well as corporate and political hangars....I feel more secure in this country these days, don't you????? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squirrel 0 #4 June 16, 2008 this is why i fly from dirt fields and dirt roads. the only "code enforcement" i see is the sheriff coming out to check out the trike, becuase he is a fan of them. ________________________________ Where is Darwin when you need him? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Samurai136 0 #5 June 16, 2008 Hmmm. I may have to start showing up and signing in as "Screw it! I'm going to Sharky's..." "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
futuredivot 0 #6 June 16, 2008 Quote walk right through the FBO to the runway, open access to the t-hangars as well as corporate and political hangars....I feel more secure in this country these days, don't you????? The problem with that is a chance for damage to the planes-doesn't have anything to do with your safety off the airport. I'd be more worried about what's passing you on the highway than what's flying over you in a GA plane. My Explorer has boatloads more ability to do damage than what you're gonna be able to get to on the airport. What is a political hangar?You are only as strong as the prey you devour Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 900 #7 June 17, 2008 all them politkin fellers gots them real pretty and spensive aircraft at them airports too...there are 3 hangars at Orlando Executive airport that hold state officials aircraft, both personal and state owned. say a feller just done shoed up at them remote airports and stole him an aeroplaney, flewed it over to some farmers field, landed it and loaded it with that there fertilizer stuff.... and you think your vehicle can still do more damage? I could have sworn a scenario such as this is exactly why GA is enduring the new and improved "security" changes... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CSpenceFLY 1 #8 June 17, 2008 Believe everything your told do you? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 4 #9 June 17, 2008 John, Stupidity is killing society as we know it. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
futuredivot 0 #10 June 17, 2008 Quote and you think your vehicle can still do more damage? I could have sworn a scenario such as this is exactly why GA is enduring the new and improved "security" changes... GA is enduring the security changes because of "Oh my lord" news stories and political knee jerks from people that don't check the facts. You're not going to load enough home made explosives in a piston plane to do much damage. Not like you can do with a moving van that any numb nuts can rent.You are only as strong as the prey you devour Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 900 #11 June 17, 2008 That's what I was trying to say...WE know that...but Joe Populace doesn't. A few years ago we had a kid in Tampa fly a Cessna into a building.....you should have seen the news reports of the "Terrorist" flying a "bomb" aircraft into a downtown building. Absolute foolishness......like the GA airports that have ANY level of security are going to stop anything anyway!!! Security guards on golf carts are just too intimidating. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 900 #12 June 17, 2008 Quite the opposite usually.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
futuredivot 0 #13 June 17, 2008 Between that and the airlines trying to blame GA for their delays-GA is taking a hit because the opposition is flashier, spends more money, ans has better sound bites. I was livid sitting in ATL one day when the cartoon commercial came on blaming GA for their delays. Some of the passengers around me started grumbling about the fat cat private pilots. I explained airline over scheduling gates adn house of cards routing. I ended by offering $100 to anyone that could spot a GA plane on the ramp.Likewise I offered to rent a plane for a reporter after his post 9/11 scare story about possible terror attacks. The only stipulation was that he had to load it with enough material to do significant damage and try ro take off. He finally admitted a couple of days later that it was impossible but never did a retraction. Damage to GA literally keeps food off of my table. You are only as strong as the prey you devour Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
algboy 0 #14 June 17, 2008 Quote John, Stupidity is killing society as we know it. Sparky And that's a *bad* thing?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gawain 0 #15 June 17, 2008 Quote Quote John, Stupidity is killing society as we know it. Sparky And that's a *bad* thing?? That was the first thing that crossed my mind too...good and bad...So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
