Cites Reports Stating Canadian College Left Keys In Plane
If no other lesson is taken from
Monday's odd incident involving a stolen Canadian aircraft
overflying US airspace without permission, it's that everyone in
the general aviation industry must remain vigilant for suspicious
activity at their airports. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association encourages pilots to review current security guidelines
and recommendations, intercept procedures, and other resources.
As ANN reported, a naturalized Canadian
citizen from Turkey -- identified in news reports as 31-year-old
student pilot Yavuz Burke, also known as Adam Leon -- stole a
Cessna 172 from a flight school in Ontario Monday and penetrated US
airspace, flying south to Missouri before landing on a dirt road
later that night. Police apprehended the man after he attempted to
flee on foot from the downed aircraft; CNN reports the man walked
to a nearby store, and waited for authorities to arrive.
F-16 fighter jets from NORAD tailed the suspicious aircraft, as
did a Customs and Border Protection aircraft. Although the pilot
apparently made no vocal contact with authorities, NORAD ultimately
determined Burke displayed no hostile intent, and allowed the
incident to play out rather than using lethal force to take the
Skyhawk down.
AOPA notes many layered security measures in place for the
incident worked seamlessly and flawlessly, but one did not: that
Burke -- reportedly a student at Confederation College in Thunder
Bay, Ontario -- was able to gain access to the aircraft without
permission. According to reports, the keys had been left inside the
aircraft, as was apparently common practice at the school.
The pilot advocacy group notes flight schools in the United
States follow strict security guidelines -- including securing keys
to aircraft not in use -- which would have gone a long way towards
preventing such an incident from occurring from a US facility...
but that doesn't mean there isn't more to be done.
"This incident highlights the need for US schools to follow the
flight school security guidelines and for pilots to participate in
the joint TSA-AOPA Airport Watch Program," said Craig Spence, AOPA
vice president of regulatory affairs. "Airport Watch reminds pilots
to lock their aircraft and look for and report suspicious activity
at their airports."
AOPA points out such rare incidents -- only six aircraft were
stolen in 2006, compared to 1.2 million vehicles that year --
nevertheless paint general aviation in a negative light... the last
thing the industry needs right now.
"This situation could easily have been prevented by following
Airport Watch guidelines," Spence reiterated, "and it should prompt
every GA pilot, airport, and flight school to review their security
procedures and make sure they are voluntarily doing their part to
keep our airports and aircraft secure."
FMI: www.aopa.org/airportwatch/,
Call 866/GA-SECUR[E] To Report Suspicious Activity At Your
Airport!