airman wrote:
The CNN pilot-reporter, Miles O'Brien, made a good point. These guys
took
off from an uncontrolled airfield, implying that they were not adept
with
ordinary ATC as would pilots be who were trained or who are resident at
a
Class D or C towered field.

IMHO, this is a big assumption. Of course, coming from a CNN reporter,
it figures as such.

O'Brian has stated before on the air that he's a pilot.