Get your pen & keyboard fired up...

[Jon B.]

I received this from another aviation group I hang out with:

Guess we all are going to need limber fingers to fight off all the proposed flight restrictions. Here is a whopper.

Rick (In SC)

Members Urged to Oppose New House Bill That Would Severely Restrict General Aviation
The Experimental Aircraft Association is urging its members and all aviation enthusiasts to contact their Congressional representatives and strongly oppose a newly introduced bill by Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) This bill (H.R. 5035) would require the Department of Homeland Security to create a method of screening all passengers and property on each flight of all passenger aircraft in the U.S., including general aviation aircraft of all types. It would also prohibit any non-airline aircraft from flying within 1,500 feet of any structure or building, and prohibit non-airline aircraft from flying over any U.S. city with a population of 1 million or more. It would further require that pilots of all aircraft in U.S. airspace remain in contact with the Federal Aviation Administration, presumably by radio, regardless of altitude or location.
-----

That's all I know about it, thus far.

Jon B.

[SJ]

From the AOPA Website...

AOPA working the Hill to defeat ridiculous GA security bill
The moment word first leaked out that Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) wanted to impose security restrictions on general aviation that exceed even those of the airlines, AOPA's Legislative Affairs staff sprung into action, lobbying against the bill.

"This is preposterous, unrealistic, and unnecessary," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "General aviation is not a threat. The TSA has already said so.

"The AOPA staff has outlined our strong opposition to the legislation in meetings with Republican and Democratic staff of the House aviation subcommittee. The association is also using its extensive network of relationships with key members of the subcommittee in fighting the bill."

Weiner's bill, H.R. 5035, would mandate the same screening for all passengers and property aboard GA aircraft that is required for the airlines. It would also prohibit any aircraft other than an airliner from flying over cities with populations of 1 million or more, or operating within 1,500 feet of any building.

"In light of everything that has already been done, requirements like those Rep. Weiner would impose would kill all of general aviation."

(September 9)

[N816KC]

Now that's a weiner!

[moneyburner]

I don't suppose this will get far. Don Young (R-Alaska for a LONG time) who is a pilot, will probably spank him or something.

Sigh! Bloody fear-mongers! Boo! Hiss!

:evil:

[Steve Pierce]

From the EAA:

EAA URGES MEMBERS TO OPPOSE OUTRAGEOUS HOUSE BILL
THAT WOULD SEVERELY RESTRICT GENERAL AVIATION
************************************************** ********************************************


The Experimental Aircraft Association is urging its members and all aviation enthusiasts
to contact their Congressional representatives and strongly oppose a newly introduced
bill by Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.)

This bill (H.R. 5035) would require the Department of Homeland Security to create a
method of screening all passengers and property on each flight of all passenger
aircraft in the U.S., including general aviation aircraft of all types. It would also prohibit
non-airline aircraft from flying within 1,500 feet of any structure or building, and prohibit
non-airline aircraft from flying over any U.S. city with a population of 1 million or more.
It would further require that pilots of all aircraft in U.S. airspace remain in contact with the
Federal Aviation Administration, presumably by radio, regardless of altitude or location.

"The extreme shortsightedness of this bill speaks for itself and completely counters the
government's own security experts, who have continually stated that general aviation
does not pose a significant security threat to the U.S.," said Doug Macnair, EAA's Vice
President of Government Relations. "It's sad that the solemn anniversary of 9/11 terrorist
attacks is being used to introduce this bill, which does nothing to enhance security and smacks
of election-year grandstanding."

With 17,000 landing facilities and nearly 200,000 aircraft in the United States, EAA maintains
that it is inconceivable that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and FAA could ever
fund and administer such a plan. DHS and the Transportation Security Administration have
repeatedly indicated that general aviation does not warrant such levels of security when
compared to other transportation modes and threats.

"We as a nation need to focus our limited resources on the most serious vulnerabilities
and threats to our security," Macnair added. "TSA has made extensive studies of those
threats and nowhere has that agency ever suggested such draconian measures as those
proposed in this bill."

EAA members and others can express their opposition to this bill to their congressional
representatives by finding their contact information at http://www.house.gov. EAA
immediately contacted members of the House Aviation Subcommittee to state its
extreme opposition to this legislation.

For additional information please go to the EAA website at http://www.eaa.org.

[moneyburner]

Oops. I earlier stated that Don Young was a pilot. That may or may not be accurate - sorry. (He most certainly is a friend to GA).

He IS however, the 4th ranking Republican in the House, and Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and a ranking member of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security. Feel free to drop him a line and let him know what you think. He almost certainly will be on our side on this, but a few comments can't hurt:

http://www.house.gov/donyoung/opinion_form.htm