We received a lot of mail (mostly copies of their letters to CBS, in protest) about CBS's attack on General Aviation--both the promos (which were even worse than the story)... the total neared 400 e-mails by 0800 and exceeded 1000 before we sat down to write this...

Here are just a few samples...

Sent To CBS News

After watching your story on General Aviation security on tonight’s CBS Evening News, I have come to appreciate the true meaning of “story.” I was appalled at your careless journalism, offended at your sensationalism, and left wondering what motive or purpose airing this piece served.

While stating facts is nice, context and conclusions are also a part of responsible journalism. Yes, there are 19,000+ airports in the U.S., and yet none of the ones “just like [Eagle’s Nest]” have been used to carry out an act of terrorism since 9-11. Yes, there are 30 GA aircraft for every commercial airliner – and if you line all 30 GA craft together, combined they do not possess the payload that corresponding airliner could carry. No, airport managers do not screen passengers’ luggage at GA aircraft, but it could well be said they don’t do (well at) screening luggage at commercial airports, and GA pilots will know their passengers and their luggage in most every case. Yes, the pilots carrying out the dastardly 9-11 attacks trained at GA airports, and it’s likely many of America’s top fighter pilots did as well. No there isn’t restricted access to Eagles’ Nest Airport, but since it is a private community of aircraft owners (a fact you stated) who are sure to know each other, it could hardly be considered a risky point of origin for a terrorist attack. You also neglected to mention that its runway length of 2000 feet makes it off limits to all but the smallest of aircraft, the largest aircraft you showed had a net payload of approximately 700 pounds, or that all pilots are on security lists examined by the TSA. You admitted that Eagle’s Nest was remote, but then made a big deal about it not having a fence. Surely you don’t think someone willing to blow themselves up in a plane is going to be stopped by a five foot chain link fence around a remote location, do you? You said there was no security in place in General Aviation airports, and yet there are many programs in place using thousands of eyes and ears like mine to ensure that our airports and the skies above our cities are safe.

Since you have such a difficult time with research, allow me to direct you to www.gaservingamerica.com – perhaps you could learn a thing or two with a quick read of this website.

Perhaps the most reckless evidence of your carelessness was that you did not interview the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which represents two-thirds of the pilots in the U.S. and is the foremost authority on General Aviation in the world. It can hardly be called “investigative news” if the authority on a subject is not consulted.

Since you made a decision to air this offensive story, I am making some decisions of my own. For starters, CBS will not be among my choices for news coverage from this point forward. Beyond that, I am contacting your sponsors (I counted Campbell’s Soup, OneTouch Ultra, Fosamax, Centrum, and BreatheRight among the ads before your piece – disgusted, I turned off the TV before viewing those after or I’d add them to my list) to advise them that I shall not support their products and will no longer be viewing your station’s news.

The harm you have done using our radio airways to restrict our freedom and instill unnecessary fear into the minds of the American people rivals the damage done in our aviation airways in the cowardly acts of 9-11. Please refrain from poor journalism in attacking the freedoms so many have given so much for us to enjoy.

Alan D. Hoffler

Dear Mr. Rather and Staff Reporters

I believe you have neglected several important facts in your report. First there are only 550,000 pilots in the united states. Divide that by the number of airports and you have 29 or so pilots per airport. We as pilots know each other, know the persons we have as passengers, and the community you showed on air is no different security then the auto in your own garage. Note the hangers are attached to the residence. The AOPA and the TSA have developed the Airport Watch Program. I see you neglected to mention that program related to and implemented for Airport Safety. I also see that you didn't see the need for a ban on Vans, Box trucks and Semi-Tractor trailers. From the Bombing of the ROTC building at Northwestern University to the Bombing in Oklahoma City trucks not planes were used. The massive destruction of a 400,000 lb. aircraft loaded with fuel is no comparison to an GA aircraft with 50 gallons of fuel and a maximum useful load of 900 lbs. Subtracting the fuel load and the weight of the Pilot the amount of explosives is a miniscule fraction of one percent . Planting a fear in the minds of citizens without expounding on the real threats that exist is at the very least poor reporting. A single tractor trailer would carry more explosives than over two hundred and fifty GA aircraft of the 4 seat variety which is the most prevalent model currently in use.
Sensationalism has no place in reporting. Please for the sake of good reporting be accurate and through in your reporting.

Ed Macan

Mr. Rather and Company

After seeing the previews for tonight's evening news, please tell me you’re not about to play on the public’s paranoia and ignorance of General Aviation… again. Now I guess you have something in common with Time Magazine, and U.S. News and World Report.

Please help me, as I’m confused on the parallels you are using to advocate restrictive practices on this form of transportation and/or recreation. I need your help to understand where you’re going with this.

For the life of me, I can't grasp why would you want to perpetuate Big Brotherism, here where we pride ourselves on defeating Totalitarianism, living in freedom, and snubbing terrorism? We, who choose to fly small planes, have the freedom to do so. Apparently, your organization finds something wrong with that? Would you also prefer to have Big Brother coming into individual American's garages to pat everyone down each time we decide to jump in our automobiles to go to… wherever we choose? Do we have to apply to the TSA whenever we choose to rent a vehicle (of any type, I might add) to drive cross-country? No, I don’t guess we do. However, your organization purports that we should do that very thing before we climb into our personal aircraft.

Are you aware that you’re comparing apples to oranges when it comes to hauling a terrorist-type load? Terrorists want to affect the public to get their agenda across. To do so requires doing something so spectacular that it can’t go unnoticed. It takes a high load-carrying ability to do so, when the requirement includes a violent act. That’s why we currently relent to security with the airlines, but are we as zealous with our trucking industry? I don't see it. However, we have already felt the consequences associated with terrorist acts in the trucking industry in a city just a little bit west of New York. But of course, Oklahoma City isn’t headline material any longer, now is it?

Instead, you wish to advocate that Big Brother should drop it all to run to our local airport and train the M-16s on our four-seat, Cessna or Piper, because one of those people might have a pocket-knife. Break out the metal detectors, bring out the bomb-sniffing dogs, scramble the F-15s, and strip the lining out of the overnight bags, because that person looks suspicious. Why should it matter that all persons involved (other than security personnel) know each other? Why should it matter that the keys to the plane are secured with the pilot? Why should it matter that with small airports, much like small towns, everyone is cognizant of who is coming and going… especially strangers.

I’m no psychologist, but it appears that the only common denominator with CBS News and advocates of Big Brotherism could very well be psychotic paranoia with an extreme lack of basic, common sense. The common denominator with the General Aviation world and the airlines center around both having wings. If that’s your basis for harassing a law-abiding community that polices itself, then I invite you to leave your biases and paranoia in New York and come check out the rest of America… that is, before Big Brother forces the complete shutdown of our freedom to private transportation…

Curtis D. Ammons III

Dear CBS News Editor

I saw on the cbsnews.com website the teaser for the Wednesday Jan 14 edition of CBS Evening News concerning security of General Aviation (GA) at small airports. The woman in the image says pilots "fly in, fly out with no restrictions", then the announcer goes on to say with alarm in his voice "That's right, no security".

As a licensed Private Pilot and owner of a small plane, I find this promotion out of context, very misleading and potentially damaging. There are many, many restrictions and rules regarding where and when a GA pilot can fly. Pick up a copy of the annual 500+ page FAR/AIM (Federal Aviation Regulations/Aviators Information Manual) and you will find that GA is very carefully regulated and there are hundreds of rules governing flight activities. Pilots are required to know, understand and follow all these rules, plus the frequent TFR's (Temporary Flight Restrictions) that pop up all over the country every day, and are subject to severe penalties for infractions. Just yesterday in my home town of Portland Oregon, a TFR was in effect to restrict all air traffic from a specific area surrounding Portland International Airport during a visit from Vice President Cheney, unless permission to enter was granted by Air traffic Control (ATC). This effectively closed several small fields (and businesses thereon) for several hours so the VP could hold a campaign fund raiser in Portland. There were no infractions reported, so it sounds to me like the system works.

I am curious what threat is perceived by your story? Please note that in the US, no GA aircraft has ever been used as a weapon of terrorism. Would you advocate that the operation of rental trucks and purchase of diesel fuel and fertilizer be strictly regulated in the wake of deadly truck bombings in Oklahoma City and at the WTC several years ago? What about suicide bombers who board and destroy busloads of civilians in the Middle East, should we provide Federal security for busses here in America, "just in case"?
There are several GA airport security programs in force today nationwide, due to efforts of private groups such as AOPA and others, where the pilots and businesses on fields monitor the activities of visitors and report suspicious persons to authorities. Pilots and aircraft owners take safety security very seriously.

The next time you need a package delivered or an emergency flight to the hospital, or simply need to get yourself to a specific place to cover a story, I hope the freedom of General Aviation is still alive to serve your needs. Most professional pilots learn to fly at their own considerable expense, and if GA is restricted much beyond current levels, there will be no adequate pool of future pilots to fill the vacancies.

America is country where we enjoy, respect and protect our freedoms. The freedom to come and go as we please in aircraft, as well as cars, busses, bicycles and skates should not be threatened by sensationalist journalism and fear-mongers who are ill informed.

Here's to hoping your program tonight will be "fair and balanced" and you will provide access for rebuttal by qualified persons-- pilots, airport operators and GA businesses.

I am BCC'ing and encouraging all my fellow pilot friends to forward this email, watch carefully tonight or record your program, and write to CBS News afterwards with their reactions. I also encourage them to contact your sponsors with their feelings on this matter. I'll bet many of your sponsors rely on GA to serve their businesses, and would suffer if they could not have access to the free skies of America which support commerce.

Glen C. Geller

FMI: www.cbs.com