We received a lot of
mail (mostly copies of their letters to CBS, in protest) about
CBS's attack on General Aviation--both the promos (which were even
worse than the story)... the total neared 400 e-mails by 0800 and
exceeded 1000 before we sat down to write this...
Here are just a few samples...
Sent To CBS News
After watching your story on General Aviation security on
tonight’s CBS Evening News, I have come to appreciate the
true meaning of “story.” I was appalled at your
careless journalism, offended at your sensationalism, and left
wondering what motive or purpose airing this piece served.
While stating facts is
nice, context and conclusions are also a part of responsible
journalism. Yes, there are 19,000+ airports in the U.S., and yet
none of the ones “just like [Eagle’s Nest]” have
been used to carry out an act of terrorism since 9-11. Yes, there
are 30 GA aircraft for every commercial airliner – and if you
line all 30 GA craft together, combined they do not possess the
payload that corresponding airliner could carry. No, airport
managers do not screen passengers’ luggage at GA aircraft,
but it could well be said they don’t do (well at) screening
luggage at commercial airports, and GA pilots will know their
passengers and their luggage in most every case. Yes, the pilots
carrying out the dastardly 9-11 attacks trained at GA airports, and
it’s likely many of America’s top fighter pilots did as
well. No there isn’t restricted access to Eagles’ Nest
Airport, but since it is a private community of aircraft owners (a
fact you stated) who are sure to know each other, it could hardly
be considered a risky point of origin for a terrorist attack. You
also neglected to mention that its runway length of 2000 feet makes
it off limits to all but the smallest of aircraft, the largest
aircraft you showed had a net payload of approximately 700 pounds,
or that all pilots are on security lists examined by the TSA. You
admitted that Eagle’s Nest was remote, but then made a big
deal about it not having a fence. Surely you don’t think
someone willing to blow themselves up in a plane is going to be
stopped by a five foot chain link fence around a remote location,
do you? You said there was no security in place in General Aviation
airports, and yet there are many programs in place using thousands
of eyes and ears like mine to ensure that our airports and the
skies above our cities are safe.
Since you have such a difficult time with research, allow me to
direct you to www.gaservingamerica.com
– perhaps you could learn a thing or two with a quick read of
this website.
Perhaps the most reckless evidence of your carelessness was that
you did not interview the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association,
which represents two-thirds of the pilots in the U.S. and is the
foremost authority on General Aviation in the world. It can hardly
be called “investigative news” if the authority on a
subject is not consulted.
Since you made a decision to air this offensive story, I am
making some decisions of my own. For starters, CBS will not be
among my choices for news coverage from this point forward. Beyond
that, I am contacting your sponsors (I counted Campbell’s
Soup, OneTouch Ultra, Fosamax, Centrum, and BreatheRight among the
ads before your piece – disgusted, I turned off the TV before
viewing those after or I’d add them to my list) to advise
them that I shall not support their products and will no longer be
viewing your station’s news.
The harm you have done using our radio airways to restrict our
freedom and instill unnecessary fear into the minds of the American
people rivals the damage done in our aviation airways in the
cowardly acts of 9-11. Please refrain from poor journalism in
attacking the freedoms so many have given so much for us to
enjoy.
Alan D. Hoffler
Dear Mr. Rather and Staff Reporters
I believe you have neglected several important facts in your
report. First there are only 550,000 pilots in the united states.
Divide that by the number of airports and you have 29 or so pilots
per airport. We as pilots know each other, know the persons we have
as passengers, and the community you showed on air is no different
security then the auto in your own garage. Note the hangers are
attached to the residence. The AOPA and the TSA have developed the
Airport Watch Program. I see you neglected to mention that program
related to and implemented for Airport Safety. I also see that you
didn't see the need for a ban on Vans, Box trucks and Semi-Tractor
trailers. From the Bombing of the ROTC building at Northwestern
University to the Bombing in Oklahoma City trucks not planes were
used. The massive destruction of a 400,000 lb. aircraft loaded with
fuel is no comparison to an GA aircraft with 50 gallons of fuel and
a maximum useful load of 900 lbs. Subtracting the fuel load and the
weight of the Pilot the amount of explosives is a miniscule
fraction of one percent . Planting a fear in the minds of citizens
without expounding on the real threats that exist is at the very
least poor reporting. A single tractor trailer would carry more
explosives than over two hundred and fifty GA aircraft of the 4
seat variety which is the most prevalent model currently in
use.
Sensationalism has no place in reporting. Please for the sake of
good reporting be accurate and through in your reporting.
Ed Macan
Mr. Rather and Company
After seeing the previews for tonight's evening news, please
tell me you’re not about to play on the public’s
paranoia and ignorance of General Aviation… again. Now I
guess you have something in common with Time Magazine, and U.S.
News and World Report.
Please help me, as I’m confused on the parallels you are
using to advocate restrictive practices on this form of
transportation and/or recreation. I need your help to understand
where you’re going with this.
For the life of me, I can't grasp why would you want to
perpetuate Big Brotherism, here where we pride ourselves on
defeating Totalitarianism, living in freedom, and snubbing
terrorism? We, who choose to fly small planes, have the freedom to
do so. Apparently, your organization finds something wrong with
that? Would you also prefer to have Big Brother coming into
individual American's garages to pat everyone down each time we
decide to jump in our automobiles to go to… wherever we
choose? Do we have to apply to the TSA whenever we choose to rent a
vehicle (of any type, I might add) to drive cross-country? No, I
don’t guess we do. However, your organization purports that
we should do that very thing before we climb into our personal
aircraft.
Are you aware that you’re comparing apples to oranges when
it comes to hauling a terrorist-type load? Terrorists want to
affect the public to get their agenda across. To do so requires
doing something so spectacular that it can’t go unnoticed. It
takes a high load-carrying ability to do so, when the requirement
includes a violent act. That’s why we currently relent to
security with the airlines, but are we as zealous with our trucking
industry? I don't see it. However, we have already felt the
consequences associated with terrorist acts in the trucking
industry in a city just a little bit west of New York. But of
course, Oklahoma City isn’t headline material any longer, now
is it?
Instead, you wish to advocate that Big Brother should drop it
all to run to our local airport and train the M-16s on our
four-seat, Cessna or Piper, because one of those people might have
a pocket-knife. Break out the metal detectors, bring out the
bomb-sniffing dogs, scramble the F-15s, and strip the lining out of
the overnight bags, because that person looks suspicious. Why
should it matter that all persons involved (other than security
personnel) know each other? Why should it matter that the keys to
the plane are secured with the pilot? Why should it matter that
with small airports, much like small towns, everyone is cognizant
of who is coming and going… especially strangers.
I’m no psychologist, but it appears that the only common
denominator with CBS News and advocates of Big Brotherism could
very well be psychotic paranoia with an extreme lack of basic,
common sense. The common denominator with the General Aviation
world and the airlines center around both having wings. If
that’s your basis for harassing a law-abiding community that
polices itself, then I invite you to leave your biases and paranoia
in New York and come check out the rest of America… that is,
before Big Brother forces the complete shutdown of our freedom to
private transportation…
Curtis D. Ammons III
Dear CBS News Editor
I saw on the cbsnews.com website the teaser for the Wednesday
Jan 14 edition of CBS Evening News concerning security of General
Aviation (GA) at small airports. The woman in the image says pilots
"fly in, fly out with no restrictions", then the announcer goes on
to say with alarm in his voice "That's right, no security".
As a licensed Private Pilot and owner of a small plane, I find
this promotion out of context, very misleading and potentially
damaging. There are many, many restrictions and rules regarding
where and when a GA pilot can fly. Pick up a copy of the annual
500+ page FAR/AIM (Federal Aviation Regulations/Aviators
Information Manual) and you will find that GA is very carefully
regulated and there are hundreds of rules governing flight
activities. Pilots are required to know, understand and follow all
these rules, plus the frequent TFR's (Temporary Flight
Restrictions) that pop up all over the country every day, and are
subject to severe penalties for infractions. Just yesterday in my
home town of Portland Oregon, a TFR was in effect to restrict all
air traffic from a specific area surrounding Portland International
Airport during a visit from Vice President Cheney, unless
permission to enter was granted by Air traffic Control (ATC). This
effectively closed several small fields (and businesses thereon)
for several hours so the VP could hold a campaign fund raiser in
Portland. There were no infractions reported, so it sounds to me
like the system works.
I am curious what threat is perceived by your story? Please note
that in the US, no GA aircraft has ever been used as a weapon of
terrorism. Would you advocate that the operation of rental trucks
and purchase of diesel fuel and fertilizer be strictly regulated in
the wake of deadly truck bombings in Oklahoma City and at the WTC
several years ago? What about suicide bombers who board and destroy
busloads of civilians in the Middle East, should we provide Federal
security for busses here in America, "just in case"?
There are several GA airport security programs in force today
nationwide, due to efforts of private groups such as AOPA and
others, where the pilots and businesses on fields monitor the
activities of visitors and report suspicious persons to
authorities. Pilots and aircraft owners take safety security very
seriously.
The next time you need a package delivered or an emergency
flight to the hospital, or simply need to get yourself to a
specific place to cover a story, I hope the freedom of General
Aviation is still alive to serve your needs. Most professional
pilots learn to fly at their own considerable expense, and if GA is
restricted much beyond current levels, there will be no adequate
pool of future pilots to fill the vacancies.
America is country where we enjoy, respect and protect our
freedoms. The freedom to come and go as we please in aircraft, as
well as cars, busses, bicycles and skates should not be threatened
by sensationalist journalism and fear-mongers who are ill
informed.
Here's to hoping your program tonight will be "fair and
balanced" and you will provide access for rebuttal by qualified
persons-- pilots, airport operators and GA businesses.
I am BCC'ing and encouraging all my fellow pilot friends to
forward this email, watch carefully tonight or record your program,
and write to CBS News afterwards with their reactions. I also
encourage them to contact your sponsors with their feelings on this
matter. I'll bet many of your sponsors rely on GA to serve their
businesses, and would suffer if they could not have access to the
free skies of America which support commerce.
Glen C. Geller