caligirl

Just heard on Fox News that the pilot of the plane won't even be charged. I guess we can all rent a plane go tour the capital and claim we are lost. Just don't forget to remove your shoes on a commercial flight.

bocastephen

Those are useless against a large bomb such as the one from Oklahoma City. Most of the DC buildings are so close to the curb anyway, that a bomb of that same size detonated from the street would cause catastrophic damage and loss of life.

They might as well use them as plant pots.

tsadude

That's right! A teenage boy, whose last name the media reported as
Bishop, (his actual surname was Bishara....his father was Syrian)
was a fan of Bin Laden and he flew his "little" plane into an office
tower in Tampa at night, killing himself and breaking window's at
an attorney's office. Another September 11th? Hardly.

This morning's events in Washington were a national
embarassment. Even if a Cessna 150 were to hit the
Capitol Building or The White House, a broken window and
some chipped paint would be the extent of the "damage."
For the politicians and Secret Service to run around in a
panic like silly little girls is beyond absurd. We're not
talking about a hijacked 747 here! A Cessna 150 has
neither the kinetic energy nor the fuel load to do damage.

Look to the history books if you want to see bravery
and courage.....the Blitz during World War II, when London
was under heavy bombardment and the British people
pressed forward with courage and fortitude.

I took lessons in a Cessna 150 when I attended an
aviation summer camp as a kid......it's a flying beer can!

Greg[/QUOTE]
I think that your leaving out a few facts. The crash occured at 5pm on a saturday and the kid hadn't seen his dad for a very long time. True he had talked about binny, but the kid was also taking a medication that possibly made him do something stupid. He had been taking lessons for about 2 years. The kid washed planes and did odd jobs for flight time.

rqd

[/QUOTE]
I think that your leaving out a few facts. The crash occured at 5pm on a saturday and the kid hadn't seen his dad for a very long time. True he had talked about binny, but the kid was also taking a medication that possibly made him do something stupid. He had been taking lessons for about 2 years. The kid washed planes and did odd jobs for flight time.[/QUOTE]

Was he taking the medication or had he failed to take it? In either case, he still had enough thought to ditch the instructor, steal the plane, fly it around the bay and direct it into a building.

Doppy

I have no idea what kind of medication he was on, but certain antidepressants increase the risk of suicide for some kids. So taking it or failing to take it could be a problem, depending.

tsadude

I think that your leaving out a few facts. The crash occured at 5pm on a saturday and the kid hadn't seen his dad for a very long time. True he had talked about binny, but the kid was also taking a medication that possibly made him do something stupid. He had been taking lessons for about 2 years. The kid washed planes and did odd jobs for flight time.[/QUOTE]

Was he taking the medication or had he failed to take it? In either case, he still had enough thought to ditch the instructor, steal the plane, fly it around the bay and direct it into a building.[/QUOTE]
The kid had issues and wanted to die. Nothing related to terrorism.

exerda

Just saw on the news that they are blaming a slump in the stock market today on the news of the "attack."

Wow, the insanity of this just continues to grow and grow.

dhuey

I see no insanity. I see an incredibly stupid mistake and reasonable precautions.

By the way, Doppy, this from the CNN article:

Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Capitol Police "pulled me out of my shoes" when they whisked the leadership off to a secure location.

At the Supreme Court building at least four justices were taken to a secure location along with all other staff, court sources said. Tourists were told to leave.

I don't think the secure locations were out on the street.

VideoPaul

Every briefing I have gotten since October, 2001 (I found out about the attackes from an FAA briefer--I was on the way to the airport and the guy said "You're not going anywhere" followed by "Son, turn on a television") includes the warning to maintain a listening watch on 121.5, the warning to review the intercept procedures, and goes over EVERY restricted, active MOA and prohibited area effecting my planned route of flight. There is just no way they could have gotten their required preflight weather briefing without hearing about the PROHIBITED area right under where they were flying. I fly out of Northeastern Illinois and get TFRs and warnings for stuff that I won't be within 100 NM of. I really want to know if they called the FSS before they got the turny thing on the front of the airplane moving.

As for the FSDO, they need to schedule an entire day and let every safety officer there have 45 minutes with these morons. One of them was a CFI??!? In that case, he was the PIC and the student has little cuplability as far as I'm concerned, he was a passenger. When I heard that those two were student and CFI I started freaking out. Someone thought we were being overly strict?? NO MERCY FOR A CFI SCREWING UP THAT BADLY!!

--Paul

exerda

An incredibly stupid mistake, yes, but the precautions given what is known of the incident were waaay more overboard than "reasonable." I suppose they could have been concerned the plane was carrying a bioweapon or a bunch of radioactive waste, but there's no way it would do any significant damage to anything on the ground even if the pilot plunged straight into a building.

The fact that it's been so blown out of proportion from everyone from the media to the authorities to the point the stock market slumped is what is insane about it. That we're so frightened of anything that we cower over a little Cessna and the world's strongest economy hiccups on the news is what is insane. The terrorists have won.

stinky123

The stock market slumped because it's just a psychological game that has nothing to do with the actual value of the companies involved.

I have to say, the sight of Washington staffers running screaming from a Cessna is pretty pathetic.

bdschobel

Darn right. During World War II, the British government continued to function while German bombs fell all around them. We are such a bunch of cowards it makes me sick.

Bruce

bocastephen

watching one of the news shows tonight and a commentator mentioned how foolish this behavior made us look....that such a skiddish reaction to something like this sent the wrong message to the world and made us look weak and fearful. Based on some messages I am getting from friends abroad, I would say this commentator is quite accurate.

the stock market reaction is the dumb cherry on this foul sundae I cannot comprehend how foolish and silly people in this country have become.

The analogy with WWII is so true...back then, we faced down an enemy far more ruthless and evil than Al Qaeda could ever dream of being...and we faced them down with dignity, valor, strength and resolve...no one ran from anything or anyone.

I am sure the sight of our government running for its life while being buzzed by a cessna 150 filled many WWI and WWII vets with dismay....it sure filled me with a dose of shame today

stimpy

The most sickening thing? cnn.com has a poll now asking if you think the security response was appropriate. Out of 67,000 responses so far, 70% said it was appropriate.

SDF_Traveler

I spoke to a friend of mine in Perth last night and he said the folks in DC looked like bloody idiots running from the Capitol Building, etc. because of a small Cessna.

Watching the news this morning (here in the states), I saw some commentaries as well which reflected the same thing. The commentators said we looked like complete fools to the entire international community with Washington running in fear over a two seat Cessna. The incident portrayed the US as a culture of fear & paranoia and ended with if something serious were to happen, remember the boy that cried Wolf too many times?

Duct and Cover!!!!

SDF_Traveler

P.S. The President out on his bike ride, at an undisclosed location, didn't even know anything had happened until he got back to the White House per the news this AM.