"This Is Almost A Terrorist Attack"

It's a troubling day when vandals chose to attack any airport... but it hurts all the more when the victims are those who hangar their planes at a privately-held field affectionately called "Pea Patch."

Miscreants struck the tiny airfield (61GA) near Blythe, GA at around 0300 Monday morning, reports The Augusta Chronicle. Dozens of shotgun pellets struck three planes on the field, and the vandals spray-painted a swastika, Confederate battle flag, and "KKK" (and, even more pervertedly in this context, a "peace" sign) on the clubhouse used by the local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association.

"This is almost a terrorist attack," local flyer Thomas Whisnant told WAGT-26. "Personally I can't understand why someone would do that."

Jim McBurney, who is building a Zenith CH-801 to use on missionary flights, was horrified when he discovered the damage to the plane he's been working on for months. He was also grateful it wasn't even worse.

"If he would have shot just a couple of inches further, my control panel would have been destroyed," McBurney said. "God was showing those bullets where to go."

EAA Chapter 172 (seen above, in better times) often conducts informational lessons for Augusta-area children. "We do the KidsFest every year," said Steve Thompson, one of about 20 co-owners of the airport. "And we have Vietnam and World War II vets that use the clubhouse, so the kind of stuff they put on that clubhouse is a slap in the face."

In addition to Mr. McBurney's airplane, a 35-year-old Taylor Monoplane owned by the EAA chapter, which was undergoing restoration, was also damaged -- as was a North Wing trike owned by Maj. Bill Amsink, who is currently serving in Iraq.

Also damaged by gunshots were a trailer containing some glider wings; a motorhome parked at a nearby carport; and other buildings hit by stray shots. Total damages were estimated at around $34,000, according to the EAA.

"Our clubhouse -- it's so sad to see, they did so much damage," chapter president Sheila Connell said. "But the worst part was seeing the damage done to the airplanes."

"We don't bother anybody. For them to just come out here and do this type of damage, it's just plain stupid," added Charlie Connell.

Members had planned to gather at the clubhouse and clean up the building this weekend -- but they were informed that the US Department of Homeland Security wants to check out the incident, as it happened at an airport (this also raises the possibility of federal charges for the perpetrators.)

The chapter did not carry insurance on the building, according to Sheila Connell. Steve Buss, EAA director of Chapters and Young Eagles, said the group is working with chapter leaders to determine if something can't be done to help EAA 172 recover.

FMI: www.eaa.org, www.jcmservices.net/eaa172.htm