"Emotional Reactions Without The Benefit Of Facts"

The reaction from the general media immediately following Wednesday's unfortunate accident in New York City was swift... with the talking heads and pundits openly questioning how a small plane was allowed to fly so close to buildings in a major metropolitan area.

It remains to be seen what consequences may arise from the accident, as calls for tightened flight restrictions have grown increasingly vocal in the past 24 hours. If the response from the general aviation "alphabet groups" is any indication of things to come, however... GA will not accept harsher restrictions without a well-reasoned fight.

In the hours following the accident, representatives with the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and the granddaddy of them all, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) were on the phones... and often, on the airwaves... responding to questions posed by the major media outlets concerning the "danger" posed by light planes.

EAA President Tom Poberezny called the accident that claimed the lives of NY Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle (right) and CFI Tyler Stanger an "unmistakable tragedy for everyone involved" -- but cautioned against those who want to use the incident to change the way people fly in and around major cities.

"There have been calls by some politicians and media outlets for bans of general aviation in and around metropolitan areas. This, however, makes no more sense than banning cars and trucks from roads after an automobile or semi-trailer accident," said Poberezny. "There may be calls for tightened security after this sad event, but such demands are emotional reactions without the benefit of facts."

NBAA reports that since the accident occurred Wednesday afternoon, the group has been in contact with media outlets across the country. NBAA Senior Vice President Operations Steve Brown has given interviews with ABC World News Tonight, CNBC, National Public Radio, Bloomberg Radio News and other organizations -- and the agency is actively offering its comments to all interested outlets.

Thursday morning, AOPA President Phil Boyer appeared live on CNN's American Morning to be interviewed by anchor Miles O'Brien -- who also flies a Cirrus, and is a member of the 408,000 member-strong pilot advocacy group.

"No small plane has been used as a weapon of terror," Boyer reminded CNN viewers.

That followed an interview Boyer gave Wednesday night with ABC World News Tonight, during which Boyer explained general aviation security -- and reiterated why GA is not a terrorist threat. That was but the first of many interviews Boyer gave from the television studio at AOPA headquarters in Frederick, MD.

Boyer did not remain in the studio, though. Thursday afternoon, he flew CBS News correspondent Bob Orr and a camera team onboard his private Cessna 172, to give Orr a better understanding of VFR flying from a nontowered airport, air traffic control airspace such as the Class B surrounding both New York and Washington, DC, and security airspace like the Washington, DC Air Defense Identification Zone (which encompasses all of the Class B airspace and then some and has an internal "no fly" zone within 15 miles of Washington).

In all, AOPA reports its media team has so far talked to more than two dozen top media outlets from the United States, Japan, France, and more. The team also authored a response to a USA Today editorial that appeared Thursday morning, in which the newspaper raised questions about what its editorial writers view as a failure to address general aviation security.

AOPA's response, which appeared below the USA Today editorial, states, "For you to question the need for increased ground security ignores the fact that general aviation pilots know their passengers and cargo. And it ignores the fact that the federal agencies responsible for our security — the Transportation Security Administration and the FAA — have looked hard at GA and said that it does not pose a threat. Mayor Bloomberg himself indicated that this event says 'nothing' about security to New York City.

"Pilots are passionate about the many joys of flying," the response continued. "Our freedom of travel is one of the great liberties we all enjoy in the USA. Challenging that through USA Today's unfounded questions -- not honest and informed inquiry -- has neither merit nor benefit."

FMI: www.aopa.org, www.eaa.org, www.nbaa.org