AOPA Responds Immediately To Inflammatory Ad In Time Magazine

The blithering idiocy of the so-called "mainstream media" continues on... inexplicably.

AOPA President Phil Boyer responded quickly when Time magazine this week tried to reignite the argument over whether or not general aviation aircraft pose a threat to nuclear power plants.

In a full-page ad, Time showed two small aircraft tied down with cooling towers in the background. The caption read, "Remember when only environmentalists would have been alarmed by this photo? Join the conversation." In a letter to the editor, Boyer responded, "By using such an inflammatory caption, you have chosen to begin the conversation by yelling 'Fire!' in a crowded movie house. You preclude any further rational discussion."

Boyer pointed out the physical improbability of a light GA aircraft causing any kind of significant damage to a hardened nuclear power plant. In addition, he directed Time's editors to an independent study commissioned by AOPA confirming that general aviation aircraft simply don't have the destructive potential to harm a nuclear power plant.

"AOPA welcomes a conversation about aviation security," Boyer told the magazine editors. "Our 389,000 members simply ask that if Time, Inc. would like to begin that discussion, you do so responsibly."

Text of the Boyer Letter to Time

Letters to the Editor, Time
Time Life Bldg., Rockefeller Ctr., Ste.
New York, NY 10020-1393

In a full page advertisement paid for by Time, Inc. (page 70, Dec. 20, 2002), you showed a photograph of two small general aviation aircraft parked at an airport with two power plant cooling towers in the background, with the caption "Remember when only environmentalists would have been alarmed by this photo?" and invited readers to "Join the conversation." By using such an inflammatory caption, you have chosen to begin the conversation by yelling "Fire!" in a crowded movie house. You preclude any further rational discussion.

The typical general aviation aircraft fully loaded weighs less than a base-model Honda Civic weighs empty, and carries only about as much fuel as an SUV. Numerous reports, including an independent study commissioned by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which is enclosed, have found that general aviation aircraft have neither the mass, the kinetic energy, nor the load-carrying capability to cause significant damage to a nuclear power plant.

AOPA welcomes a conversation about aviation security. Our 389,000 members simply ask that if Time, Inc. would like to begin that discussion, you do so responsibly.

Sincerely, Phil Boyer

Editor-In-Chief's Note: The most rudimentary type of fact-checking would have easily revealed that the potential danger posed by a small aircraft impacting a nuclear power plant was so miniscule as to be beyond the possibility of raising a credible alarm. Such fact-checking should certainly be within the professional ability of the average Time magazine staffer. The mischaracterization of GA aircraft, in this case, seems irresponsible and alarmist... and certainly below the professional standards I have come to expect from Time. It is our opinion that Time has a responsiblity to apologize to the GA community for their dangerous misrepresentations and should certainly do so with the same weight (full-page ad) with which they disparaged our entire industry. 

FMI: www.time.com, www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2002/02-2-159_report.pdf