Sorry, not really backcountry related but I saw this on the New York times web site and found it both refreshing and infuriating simultaneously. Been a while since I've flown commercial but it's simply retarded these days.

http://jetlagged.blogs.nytimes.com/2007 ... ty-follies

Excellent article. I've said since September 12 that terrorists will never again succeed in taking a US airliner. Flight 93 illustrated that point on September 11. Once passengers figured out what "the plan" was, they took away the terrorist's tools.

My approach to airport security would be this:

Go to the South, and find all the very large, beer swilling bubbas with a bit of a mean streak you can find. Put a Bubba in one of the front seats of each airliner. Tell each Bubba that his job is to make sure nobody gets into the cockpit. Give him a club. Tell him if he succeeds, he gets a free night in a Motel 6, with cable WWF and all the beer he can drink.

NOBODY would get forward of the cockpit doors....

Seriously, though, thanks for posting this.

Welcome to the sheep ranch.... baaaaa.....

MTV

mtv wrote:Excellent article. I've said since September 12 that terrorists will never again succeed in taking a US airliner. Flight 93 illustrated that point on September 11. Once passengers figured out what "the plan" was, they took away the terrorist's tools.

My approach to airport security would be this:

Go to the South, and find all the very large, beer swilling bubbas with a bit of a mean streak you can find. Put a Bubba in one of the front seats of each airliner. Tell each Bubba that his job is to make sure nobody gets into the cockpit. Give him a club. Tell him if he succeeds, he gets a free night in a Motel 6, with cable WWF and all the beer he can drink.

NOBODY would get forward of the cockpit doors....

Seriously, though, thanks for posting this.

Welcome to the sheep ranch.... baaaaa.....

MTV

Now this is one Bubba that would take you up on that. However bypass the Motel 6 and give me Hooters with beer and hot wings, all you can eat. I'd even bring my own club Most likely a 5 iron

How bizzare is TSA? Well I know those folks have a job to do, however it may be. I was getting on a plane in Little Rock Arkansas. I'm wearing jesus slippers, cut offs and a tank top, man with no eyes glasses and a Bass Pro ball cap. I'm 5'9" 245 lbs. Ugly ain't it? Little Rock is hot and humid for the high desert redneck. Anyway they drag me, yes me out of line and check my shoes? WTF? Get the guy wearing the f*&%$ trench coat! Wait a minute... right he was a minority! Heaven for bid we do profiling. Walks like a duck, looks like a duck, gotta be a duck. Grab his butt outa line and see if it's a duck.

Well that's it for my rant! Have a great day.. and go Gernal Aviation! Only thing I check is to make sure you packin' If not, one will be provided, free of charge for the flight

See ya, Bub

That was great, very well written. One day as an act of civil disobedience, when asked to remove my shoes, I'd like to take ALL my clothes off, put them in the plastic bins, and walk through the metal detector completely naked.

Perhaps only then will they see the terrible consequences of these inane policies.

The whole Airline travel issue could be resolved quickly. If they would start charging $2500 for each ticket.

That would get all the welfare folks back on Greyhound.

The business man could get real service.

You would have to drive grandma to see the kids

Security would be forced to hirer people that got past the 7th grade. So the lines and rules would once again change.

We used to dress up to get on a commercial flight. (no offence Bub)

mr scout wrote:The whole Airline travel issue could be resolved quickly. If they would start charging $2500 for each ticket.

That would get all the welfare folks back on Greyhound.

The business man could get real service.

You would have to drive grandma to see the kids

Security would be forced to hirer people that got past the 7th grade. So the lines and rules would once again change.

We used to dress up to get on a commercial flight. (no offence Bub)

None taken Your right to the point. Air travel used to be a big deal, and folks treated it with a different aire. Most of the TSA jobs are a little more than minumin wage, and you get what you pay for. I found if I dress in the bizzare mode folks won't sit by me There fore I usally have a bit more room. Either that or I get the poor time manager who is late. On this particular flight one of my kids sat with me. Oh Dad! Bugs them too

Another story, I moved into a fairly rough looking neighborhood in 1985, due to a job transfer. Moved in with the U-haul at night, rented the house site unseen, was cheap. Anyway next moring I looked out and thought Dang! What a place. So I proceeded to put on my logger boots, camo cargo pants, SOF Black tee shirt, and then cleaned my 870, pistol grip, 20 inch, mag extended riot gun, on the porch. Had a six pack sitting there. I became the neighbor that people were sceptical about. Oh also had a black pitbull dog at the time. I could leave power tools out and no one would touch em. Next night I figured why the rent was cheap. About midnight a freight train came though the house. Blackberry bushes hid the tracks, about 60 feet away. Moved out about three months later as you could only get a good nights sleep every other night.

See ya, Bub

Lately I've been flying all over the place coming home commercial. I lost my O2 bottle in Omaha. They were supposed to ship it, but so far no O2 bottle. Apparently to have an O2 bottle, you have to remove the valve. Ever tried to remove the valve?, may as well cut the bottle in half.
Want to get some real attention from TSA? Then try getting on the plane with a KX-155 radio, a KT-76 xponder, blind encoder, attitude indicator, directional gyro, PLB, handheld VHF, and two handheld GPS's in your carry on. These people are stupid, really. They have no idea what they are looking at, so of course it has to all be scattered about and left for you to repack as people flow all around you. Atlanta is the worst, not only are they stupid, but they are rude and have an attitude. I would rather check this stuff of course, but the Airlines aren't responsible for electronic items and other valuables in your luggage, read the fine print.
Would a small piece of carpet be too much to ask for while we walk in our socks?
You wouldn't believe the hassle I got from having a crop duster overnight in Miami. Apparently crop dusters have been named as an aircraft of "special interest". The reason I was given was that I could fill it up with fuel and fly it into a building. I got a look of confusion when I pointed out that I carried less fuel and flew far slower than the GV parked beside me.
CBP, yeah they are "border protection" now too, doesn't want to clear me because I haven't submitted a psssenger manifest 24 hours in advance so they can ensure any passengers aren't on some kind of list. Passengers? in a single cockpit crop duster?
Used to be it was the bananna republics that were a hassle due to corruption. Now they are a breath of fresh air compared to the hassle I get as an American citizen travelling in America.
And Scout, don't worry, I'm sure there is a way you can buy your way out of the hassle. I've seen different security check points at some airports for the "gold, medallion" members. I wondered how tax payer money was spent to segergate the travelling public, but I didn't dare ask as I didn't want to be subjected to the attitude.
Yes this is a rant.

1SeventyZ wrote:That was great, very well written. One day as an act of civil disobedience, when asked to remove my shoes, I'd like to take ALL my clothes off, put them in the plastic bins, and walk through the metal detector completely naked.

Perhaps only then will they see the terrible consequences of these inane policies.

I love this

I actually jokingly motioned like I was going to take off my pants at the same time as my belt once, and the mortified screener/girl waved me right on by. Makes me wonder if there is an exibitionist portion of the TSA training that could be used as a loophole

Yall I have to deal with TSA and the security follies everyday at work. That is by far the hardest, most awful part of my job as an airline pilot. As a casual observer, I can honestly say that it really depends upon what airport you are at, what part of the country you are in, and who you happen to get as screeners. There is a wide variation in how / what is screened. As previously stated, the Southern part of the country is probably the most pleasant.

I think we can trace the origins of this to political correctness. That and lawyers that litigate meaningless lawsuits, where rights are claimed where none really exist will be the end to us as a country. We need to pull our collective heads out of our bee-hinds, or at least get our politicians to do so. Good luck with senators the likes of Kennedy and Edwards.

I'm done ranting. It was a well written article. Cheers' ya'll.

Arn...going AWOL Friday to go ice fishing.

a64pilot wrote: And Scout, don't worry, I'm sure there is a way you can buy your way out of the hassle. I've seen different security check points at some airports for the "gold, medallion" members. I wondered how tax payer money was spent to segergate the travelling public, but I didn't dare ask as I didn't want to be subjected to the attitude.
Yes this is a rant.

Easy big fella I was only pointing out the reason they use as an excuse for treating most of us like cattle is WHERE NOT MAKING ANY MONEY

The Gold M works like this, for an added $29 on my already $945 ticket I get to go to the Gold room and smell cigar smoke and have a free drink.

Then I get to go to the short line just to get behind everyone else at security.

The only difference I see these days flying first class is your the first one to get a bottle of water.

Oh and you save $5 bucks on a glass of wine.

Hell they wont even hang up your jacket unless you ask.

I don't know Scout. One airport I was in, in the U.S. had a seperate security line for security for first class. I wondered then and now how that is justified as those security folks are Guvmint employees. I don't remember which airport, maybe Reno?

Just another reason for us BCP guys to cash in a few of those Al Gore carbon credits and go buy that new "affordable" VLJ.

gb

I fly out of Detroit and they have a separate security line for first class passengers.

1SeventyZ wrote:That was great, very well written. One day as an act of civil disobedience, when asked to remove my shoes, I'd like to take ALL my clothes off, put them in the plastic bins, and walk through the metal detector completely naked.

Perhaps only then will they see the terrible consequences of these inane policies.

Heck, this sounds like security at the Chicken Strip, Zane. Of course, it's a whole lot better when there's a hot spring and it's voluntary . . . .

CAVU

a64pilot wrote:.........You wouldn't believe the hassle I got from having a crop duster overnight in Miami. Apparently crop dusters have been named as an aircraft of "special interest". The reason I was given was that I could fill it up with fuel and fly it into a building. ...........

My thought is that the concern with agplanes is that terrorists will fill the hopper up with ebola, ecoli, typhoid, or similar eco-hazards and spray the citizenry and/or water reservoirs with it.
Had another thought-- bring your own "prayer rug" along to stand on in your stocking feet, don't forget to face the east when you bend over to put your shoes back on. That oughta all go over real good.

Eric

This only works at large airports, but I've found that it's possible to (very slightly) improve the experience by spending the time you're in line watching the screeners interact with passengers. Some of them bark orders to people in their line, hustle to get the plastic bins back, take their time examining boarding passes, etc. Some of them hold their cell phone at waist level, texting their friends. Look for the ones that are there for the paycheck and avoid the ones that are there to save the world.

Try to get an offline jumpseat when you've been on the road 12 days and you have the same first and last name of someone on the TSA watchlist!!!

bring your own "prayer rug" along to stand on in your stocking feet, don't forget to face the east when you bend over to put your shoes back on. That oughta all go over real good.

Or, It's against my religion to remove my shoes in public and you can't deny me access or I'll break down and cry, then sue because your discriminating against me.

Our society is getting soft. It may be time to require every one of legal age to carry a loaded fire arm and be trained to use it. Wether its a shopping mall or airliner, the criminals wouldn't dare step out of line.

Flat Country Pilot wrote:

bring your own "prayer rug" along to stand on in your stocking feet, don't forget to face the east when you bend over to put your shoes back on. That oughta all go over real good.

Our society is getting soft. It may be time to require every one of legal age to carry a loaded fire arm and be trained to use it. Wether its a shopping mall or airliner, the criminals wouldn't dare step out of line.

Hey got my vote. Local School board asked what they should teach to fifth graders. My son was one at the time. I sent the form in with marksmanship on the line. Hey they asked.

See ya, Bub

Skylane wrote:

Flat Country Pilot wrote:

bring your own "prayer rug" along to stand on in your stocking feet, don't forget to face the east when you bend over to put your shoes back on. That oughta all go over real good.

Our society is getting soft. It may be time to require every one of legal age to carry a loaded fire arm and be trained to use it. Wether its a shopping mall or airliner, the criminals wouldn't dare step out of line.

Hey got my vote. Local School board asked what they should teach to fifth graders. My son was one at the time. I sent the form in with marksmanship on the line. Hey they asked.

See ya, Bub

Why not? I shot on a rifle team in high school. I think it teaches discipline and how to remain calm among other things.
I've got a couple of prayer rugs, everybody in the ARMY that spent time in SWA does. They were cheap and just the thing for the side of your bunk to put your boots on. Maybe I ought to carry one in my carry on luggage, but I don't have the spot on my head like the truly faithful from beating my head against the ground several times a day.
I expected the comment about putting some kind of Bio hazard in a crop duster, was surprised when I didn't get that. But what idiot would bring one to an international airport, without any of the dispersal equipment installed and park at the FBO with all the biz jets to load up with said Bio hazard? All I ask for is them to apply with just a little common sense.