Industry Incensed By Terrorist Attack By NBC

The Helicopter Association International (HAI) has congratulated their member, Fostaire Helicopters, whose vigilance helped foil an attempted security breach by a national media organization at their General Aviation (GA) facility at the St. Louis Downtown Airport.

HAI thanks Fostaire and their employees, including Bob McDaniel, the Director at the St. Louis Downtown Airport, the FBI, Sauget Police Department, and Police Chief Pat Dulaney for their diligent efforts. The event was reported by the Department of Homeland Security and several other sources.

The following synopsis, disseminated by the Transportation Security Policy Department, demonstrates how the Press attempted to charter a helicopter, and bring hidden, prohibited items onboard, so they could report on the ease of gaining access to aircraft to carry out terrorist plots.

The following occurred Wednesday, August 11 at the St. Louis Downtown Airport, a large GA facility.

The affected facility, Fostaire reports: Two Middle Eastern looking men attempted to penetrate our security. They telephoned one of my helicopter FBOs and asked about a charter flight. After discussion of price and directions to the business, they arrived an hour later. When the office agent asked how they were going to pay for the flight they produced cash. When asked for ID, they produced driver's licenses from two different states and they were driving a car licensed in a third state.

Things didn't smell right so the mechanic took them into the hangar to see the aircraft while the office person called the FBI and local police. The helicopter they were going to fly was blocked in by other aircraft so the mechanic was able to stall them by having to slowly shuffle the blocking planes. Meanwhile the two men got their backpacks and odd-shaped luggage out of their car. Soon the local police arrived and they were hauled off to jail in handcuffs.

After a little time behind bars, the FBI verified that the two men were employed by NBC New York and were on assignment to get a story of how easy it is to charter a helicopter for a terrorist attack. The men had stayed in a local hotel and purchased box cutters, leather-man knives, and other potential weapons at the local Wal-Mart using a credit card. The box cutters had been hidden in the lining at the bottom of the back- packs and the other weapons were hidden throughout their baggage.

They had audiotaped the telephone conversation with Arlene and were going to use it as part of a national news story about how easy it is to get information and directions to the location of the helicopter and then hijack it to commit a terrorist attack.

Please note that this type of activity is a real possibility.

HAI reminds its members to stay alert, remain vigilant, and contact the authorities if something does not seem correct.

FMI: www.rotor.com