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!