Security at a class D tower

Newps writes:

When ever there is bad
weather around we will always have a web page up with a weather radar
site, usually Weather Underground as that self updates every 8-10 minutes.

You mean I'm privileged enough to have access to the very same ultra-advanced
sources of weather information used by air traffic controllers?

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

On Apr 7, 3:07 pm, Dallas wrote:
I toured the new state of the art tower at Addison airport last week and
was struck by all the security measures they employed.

The entire complex and parking lot was surrounded by a dense wrought iron
fence with a nasty "fish hook" shaped sharp pointed curve at the top. An
intercom opened the gate. The entrance to the tower was an interlock of
bulletproof glass doors that locked you in a holding area until someone
checked the video camera and buzzed you in.

I assume this is all a reaction to our new terrorist threat, but I haven't
been able to come up with any reason for all that security. Let's say
some terrorists took the tower, what's the worst thing they could do?

--
Dallas

They installed a fence around our home airport at the cost of several
million dollars. The only thing it did was trap the deer population
inside. Any human being can jump over the fence. It also caused
problems with the localizer signal, resulting in an increased minimum.
Basically we paid lots of money to reduce aviation a safety.

Andrew Gideon wrote:

On Sat, 07 Apr 2007 16:28:57 -0600, Newps wrote:


All facilities have high speed
internet access in all operating quarters.



It's a good thing that the Internet never has any problems, nor can web
sites (or a tower's connection) ever go down.


What's that got to do with anything? Controller A can drop the "weather
radio" into the sink. The point you're missing is this couldn't have
less to do with a weather radio.

On 7 Apr 2007 17:20:20 -0700, Andrew Sarangan wrote:

They installed a fence around our home airport at the cost of several
million dollars.

I was just going to say that.

They installed a chain link fence around my airport last year. Obviously
the contractor didn't want to spend too much time on the details so if
there was a low spot on the ground he just suspended the fence over it
leaving a gap large enough to crawl under. About 20% of the fence doesn't
meet the ground.

From a security standpoint the fence is useless. From a pilot
inconvenience standpoint the fence is very effective.

--
Dallas

On 2007-04-07 21:54:38 -0700, Dallas said:

On 7 Apr 2007 17:20:20 -0700, Andrew Sarangan wrote:

They installed a fence around our home airport at the cost of several
million dollars.

I was just going to say that.

They installed a chain link fence around my airport last year. Obviously
the contractor didn't want to spend too much time on the details so if
there was a low spot on the ground he just suspended the fence over it
leaving a gap large enough to crawl under. About 20% of the fence doesn't
meet the ground.

From a security standpoint the fence is useless. From a pilot
inconvenience standpoint the fence is very effective.

It might keep out bears.
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

On 2007-04-07 12:07:18 -0700, Dallas said:


I assume this is all a reaction to our new terrorist threat, but I haven't
been able to come up with any reason for all that security. Let's say
some terrorists took the tower, what's the worst thing they could do?

I suppose they could steal stuff. Thieves are a more serious problem
than terrorists. A class D tower would be a very low value terrorist
target. At most, there are only a couple people in there and they
probably carry little cash.


--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

On Sat, 7 Apr 2007 22:18:40 -0700, C J Campbell wrote:

It might keep out bears.

In Texas we call 'em "Bars".
--
Dallas

"Dallas" wrote in message
...

In Texas we call 'em "Bars".


I like bars.

"Andrew Gideon" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 07 Apr 2007 16:28:57 -0600, Newps wrote:

All facilities have high speed
internet access in all operating quarters.


It's a good thing that the Internet never has any problems, nor can web
sites (or a tower's connection) ever go down.


And phone lines never go down, and radar systems never fail, and electical
power never goes down...

On Sun, 08 Apr 2007 13:28:59 GMT, Steven P. McNicoll wrote:

I like bars.

I'll drink to that!

--
Dallas