Hey, My Plane was on TV!

WABC this evening in New York had a hatchet piece on the "Security" (or lack
of) at small airports in the area. Phil Boyer had a couple of seconds on
camera pointing out the billions it would cost to fence in and secure all
the small airports in the country. The reporter drove around a number of
metro area airports, but intentionally did not identify them "for obvious
reasons". The basic premise was that anyone could get at the planes that
were just parked "next to the road". He said this as the camera panned past
our Archer at SMQ. "Anyone can get to these planes, and steal them", he
said, ignoring the prop lock on our plane, which was only shown from the
rear. All in all, it was a bit better than the CBS job (which I didn't see,
but which I gather was terrible). At least he did interview Boyer. The
camera panned past "AOPA Airport Watch" signs at least six times, but no
comment was made on these. I do wish he had at least made the point that
there is no money to secure our airports better. Most of the airports he
showed (I recognized Solberg as well) just barely make it as it is. Of
course there was obviously no intent to inform; only to frighten and
sensationalize. Sad.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)