Vehicular Ramp Access

"pgbnh" wrote in message

Then 9/11 happened. Current situation is tht I can still get my vehicle on
the field (to plow, do maintenance, or carry luggage) but I must call the
communications center and the gate must be opened for me. My vehicle is
occasionally subject to inspection, and still must meet insurance,
registration, and sticker requirements.

Bottom line - not as nice as it used to be, but not too terrible. Biggest
issue is the occasional need to wait 10-15 minutes for access. Normally
not that long. Give there are probably 100-125 part 135 operations/day,
keeping a craze-o from doing something terrible needs attention.

Your situation sounds similar to something I suggested during the meeting.
If they were worried about the people they might be "sneaking" in via the
cars, then make everyone declare their "passengers" either electronically or
verbally upon entry and execute random spot checks on their declarations.
This would also include checks on automobile storage areas. Currently, the
gates close at 7 PM and owners need to go through another camera-equipped
gate and talk to an operations person to gain access. They ask for visual
confirmation of the car pass and can see whoever you bring along. To make us
declare the number of passengers would be a simple next step and they could
have a video recording of them as well. In other words, if they can't
visually count the two guys you claim as passengers, then they don't let you
in.

There's a myriad of possibilities and I hope they cooperate before making a
decision.

Marco

"Marco Leon" wrote in message
...

... There were other good questions that came up during the meeting but
these were the main ones. I'm curious as to if or how the airport addressed
similar issues.


Like "What, exactly, is the risk they are concerned about?" - For the life
of me, I can't figgure out how an automobile on a G.A. airport is a
"security risk".

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.

"Marco Leon" wrote in message
...
... Your situation sounds similar to something I suggested during the
meeting. If they were worried about the people they might be "sneaking" in
via the cars, then make everyone declare their "passengers" either
electronically or verbally upon entry and execute random spot checks on
their declarations.
...

They are worried that I might put five people in a Luscombe?

I don't get it.

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.

Like "What, exactly, is the risk they are concerned about?" - For the life
of me, I can't figgure out how an automobile on a G.A. airport is a
"security risk".

"Security risk" means "we're not telling, now go away."

Jose
--
Humans are pack animals. Above all things, they have a deep need to
follow something, be it a leader, a creed, or a mob. Whosoever fully
understands this holds the world in his hands.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

Marco Leon wrote:
If anyone has experienced a similar situation at their own airport I'd
love to hear what happened.

FWIW, I might be experiencing something in the same direction at Jones-
Riverside (KRVS) in Tulsa. One afternoon, I was riding my bicycle around
the vehicle roads on the airport (not on the taxiways or on the ramp)
and was stopped by a Tulsa Airport Authority security person. He
informed me that unless I worked at the airport, I had to stay on the
perimeter road and not ride up by the FBOs, flight schools, hangars, etc.
He also said that someone in the control tower had alerted him to my
presence. I found this odd because I'd ridden on the same roads at least
half a dozen times since summer 2006 - sometimes right past the TAA
security people - and got, at most, a friendly wave. I have contacted
TAA about it, but have not yet gotten a response; I'll post back if I
find anything interesting.

Matt Roberds

How in the world do you find the Patriot Act affecting ramp
access?

-Robert

Robert, the Patriot Act is precisely what is driving this, with
specific mandates supplemented by myriad non legislated regulations
and little people who are, for the very first time in their lives,
vested with the mantle of authority, a black belt with a radio and a
shiny pair of chromed handcuffs, prominently displayed.... Wire taps
are nothing, it is the warrantless searches, the power of non LEO's to
accost and detain for no reason other than someone doesn't like how
you look... Is this America or Orwell's 1984? This treacherous act
is vastly, vastly more than just listening to phone calls to Iran...
Ya gotta wake up and notice the coffee is boiling over, my friend...

A man being harassed for riding a bicycle on a public road because it
is near an airport is a lightning shot piercing the darkness of the
storm...... Did you even notice? What gives the minimum wage
meaning minimum skills hourly employee of an airport the legal
right to go off airport property onto a public road and harass
someone? What makes him think he has the "authority" to accost a
citizen passing on a public road?

denny

On Mar 20, 11:45 pm, "Marco Leon" wrote:
"John" wrote in message:
Hanscom Field, MA (KBED) used to have fairly liberal access with
vehicles but that all changed post 9-11. No unescorted access unless
your vehicle has a RAMP sticker and those are only available to
businesses with need of access like FBOs. It is possible to be
allowed access through a company controlled gate provided you are
escorted and monitored while on the ramp. In practice this means that
limos can drive up to the business jets to offload and load
passengers. The most onerous thing is that all recip aircraft are
required to have either a propeller lock or to be chained to a tie
down while on the airport. This includes the Twin Bonanza with half
the tail and one engine missing. Turboprop aircraft do not need a
propeller lock.

Thanks for the info. A few questions if I may John.
1) How do the owners perform preventative maintenance on their aircraft?
Specifically, how do they get tools and supplies to the aircraft?
2) Was there an issue with handicap access?
3) Has there been any pedestrian accidents on the ramp that may have been
prevented if there was vehicular access?
4) Was there a fight before the airport took away access or was it close
enough to 9-11 that there was no pushback?
5) Does Hanscom have a photo badging system (or other security mechanisms)
for pilots/owners or is the removal of vehicular access the main security
measure?

There were other good questions that came up during the meeting but these
were the main ones. I'm curious as to if or how the airport addressed
similar issues.

I appreciate the post.

Marco

There is a photo I.D. system (SIDA) in place and it must be worn on
the outermost garment while on the airfield. (I got caught the first
day it was active ten feet from the hangar!) The airfield perimeter
is completely fenced and gated. Also you cannot drive on the airfield
itself without an endorsement through a class and test which is
reflected on your badge. The only way to get to an aircraft for
preventative maintenance is to be escorted to the aircraft by an
operator with vehicle priveleges.

Post 9-11 the airport was closed for at least a week as I remember,
while security measures were reviewed. There wasn't much of a fight.
This is a MassPort facility so they pretty much can do whatever they
want though there is always some public input before they do. MassPort
remains pretty embarassed at the fact that the two WTC aircraft came
out of Logan (B0S). It took a while to develop the program but it is
now in force. Hanscom is collocated with Hanscom Air Force Base and
the Electronic Systems Command; security there is even tighter though
the guards at the gate are mostly civilian now. I don't know of any
handicap issues per se. I lost fully half my annual customers in 2002
as owners left for other airports with easier access.

John Dupre'

A man being harassed for riding a bicycle on a public road because it
is near an airport

Well, from the OP the road was =on= the airport.

Jose
--
Humans are pack animals. Above all things, they have a deep need to
follow something, be it a leader, a creed, or a mob. Whosoever fully
understands this holds the world in his hands.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Jose" wrote in message
.. .
A man being harassed for riding a bicycle on a public road because it
is near an airport

Well, from the OP the road was =on= the airport.

Jose
--
Humans are pack animals. Above all things, they have a deep need to
follow something, be it a leader, a creed, or a mob. Whosoever fully
understands this holds the world in his hands.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

It's happening off airport too. Large graveled areas along a popular 4-lane
highway here, was always a popular place for people to park and watch
aircraft land. The gravel areas were initially installed for parking when
airport workers came off the airport to maintain lights for the landing
system.

Anyone parking there to watch since 9-11 has always been approached
immediatly by airport security and forced to leave under the threat of
arrest. Nonsense because the area north of the road is a very large and
heavily wooded public park for more than a mile. Go figure.

It's happening off airport too.

That, of course, is a problem. However it was not the one that was
originally posted.

Jose
--
Humans are pack animals. Above all things, they have a deep need to
follow something, be it a leader, a creed, or a mob. Whosoever fully
understands this holds the world in his hands.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.