1.04.2011

Jeffrey Goldberg, fear pumper

Charlie discusses Jeff Goldberg's panicky assessment of general aviation (i.e. private aircraft) security, published in the current issue of The Atlantic.
Lordy lordy. When enough idiots get enough uninformed opinions into respectable publications, we're in for it.
Click here for the Charlie's take.

3 comments:

W.C. Varones said...

If the common folk have to be peeped and groped by government goons, I want the private-jetting elites to be peeped and groped too.

If you don't like it, elect Ron Paul.

Kevin O'Brien said...

Mr. Varones,

The vast majority of General Aviation (GA) pilots are middle- and upper-middle-class Americans, with private aircraft owners mostly falling into the latter of the two, the very same 'common folk' to which you refer. Mr. Goldberg's eliteist-skewed rant focuses on a growing minority in GA: the for-hire, fractional-ownership, on-demand charter businesses who provide privately arranged flights to their customers, usually in aircraft a private citizen could ill afford (unless you happen to be John Travolta). These businesses, who charge a substantial cost for the convenience of bypassing the commercial airlines, still fit into the "everything-else" category of GA because, while they are also a commercial venture, and will take passengers to any airport their aircraft will fit, they are not the airlines because of their lack of a regular schedule.
I am an FAA-licensed pilot who decided to give the terrorists the 'finger' in my own way by getting my license as soon as I could after 9/11. I make less than $60-grand a year and don't own a plane: I have to rent training aircraft from the FBO where I learned to fly. I imagine that I am amongst the lower echelon of GA pilots out there, but the mindset that Mr. Goldberg and you share is the reason why the general public simply doesn't 'get it.'
I challenge you, sir, to go to your nearby municipal airport and request to take an introductory flight with an instructor to see firsthand what is involved with truly private aviation. And take Mr. Goldberg with you!

W.C. Varones said...

Kevin,

I'm just messin' with Charlie because he flies GA.

Obviously, I'd like to see commercial aviation liberated rather than cede it to the Obama Homeland Security regime.

But two wrongs don't make a right, and un-Constitutional security theater in commercial aviation is no excuse for un-Constitutional security theater in general aviation.

Happy Super Tuesday!