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United States Pilots Association |
This month I am going to digress from airports and airspace. There is another insidious threat to our freedoms and safety that is occurring on a daily basis. Many of you have no idea as to what is happening. Here are two seemly-unrelated facts. See if you can connect the dots.
Last week an aircraft made an emergency landing at Cannon AFB in Clovis, NM. The pilot declared a fuel exhaustion problem. The Air Force surrounded the plane upon landing and discovered it was full of illegal immigrants including the pilot. All were turned over to The INS for investigation etc. Most probably all were released with a desk appearance ticket to return to court at a future date. None ever show up. This incident begets several questions. First, why not land at Clovis Airport where fuel was readily available? Second, why is an American registered aircraft tooling around the skies full of illegals, including the pilot? Third, how many more of these flights are conducted each day in our country without the authorities becoming aware? Who is watching the store?
Two weeks ago a 69 year old experienced pilot and a student pilot accompanying him were intercepted over Washington, D.C., and forced down to land at Frederick, MD. The pilot had his license revoked (as he should have). The Air Force had a grand time chasing a Cessna 150 with Blackhawks and F-16s along with Customs Department Citations. Who is chasing these "bogeys" along our Southern border?
During the past three weeks I have personally worked on a project to bring the parents of a Peruvian exchange student into the country to witness their daughter's graduation from high school. The parents were turned down by the American Embassy after requesting tourist (non-immigration) visas. Assistance was requested and obtained from our local Congressman and also our U.S. Senator, our Governor, Secretary of State, Mayor, District Attorney and City Manager. All supported the request with E-Mails to the embassy. The parents were still turned down.
What is the connection? All of these incidents/actions were as a result of new regulations imposed by the Homeland Security Administration. We are allowing thousands of undocumented people into the country every week. When we catch some of them they are arrested, detained, and released in our country with a promise to show up at a future court date. Legitimate people wanting to visit our country are routinely denied that right. Are you aware that you now have to carry a passport to visit and return from Canada?
Do you believe the pilot of the Aircraft that landed in Clovis carried insurance? Do the planes hauling drugs carry insurance? Does impounding cigarette lighters, nail files, and hatpins improve our safety while flying on the airlines? I think not.
Has anyone read the Readers Digest article on how HSA monies are being spent all over the country? Do we know who hijacked our airliners on 9/11? If so, why are we targeting 90-year-old wheelchair bound citizens for "special security screening" at airports while young males of obvious Middle Eastern origin are let through? There is something very wrong in our government when these unconscionable acts are carried on every day in the name of "Homeland Security".
What can we do? First we can write our federal legislators saying enough is enough. It does not take a rocket scientist to see we are being fed "feel good" news. I laugh when I see the box full of cigarette lighters that have been impounded from passengers. It is about time that we get serious about securing our borders from all those who do not belong here. We are still the greatest country on earth and we should encourage legitimate visitors to tour our shores. I say, if the elected and appointed officials in our government will not do their jobs, then let us find others who will. Lets get rid of the FAA, HSA, INS, Border Patrol administrators and get good people into those positions. We are ultimately strangling the airlines with these non-sensical regulations. The airlines, in an attempt to reduce their costs are saying General Aviation needs to pay more. Perhaps it is the government that needs to reassess its priorities before it is too late.
Steve Uslan, President
United States Pilots Association