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Federal border security agents have sharply reduced intercepts of general aviation aircraft, following complaints by pilots that excessive police action at small airports is restricting the freedom to fly.
An official with U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Office of Air and Marine Operations told NPR his agency has heard pilots' grievances and the program is being altered so as not to needlessly affront law-abiding pilots.
Federal border security agents have sharply reduced intercepts of general aviation aircraft, following complaints by pilots that excessive police action at small airports is restricting the freedom to fly.
An official with U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Office of Air and Marine Operations told NPR his agency has heard pilots' grievances and the program is being altered so as not to needlessly affront law-abiding pilots.
I've read several articles over the past year about this. I'm on my phone and can't find the links now. They can apparently be very intimidating, obtrusive and heavy-handed. And I've read they are doing this with increasing frequency. Wish I could find those links; they were very eye opening to read and quite alarming.
I've read several articles over the past year about this. I'm on my phone and can't find the links now. They can apparently be very intimidating, obtrusive and heavy-handed. And I've read they are doing this with increasing frequency. Wish I could find those links; they were very eye opening to read and quite alarming.
Not only have they been heavy handed, but they have been breaking numerous Federal and Constitutional regulations. One, they have no right to conduct these intercepts. The only probable cause is the route of the flight. Two, and this is the really scary one, at numerous incidents local cops and DEA removed plane parts. This is strictly verboten and in violation of FAA regulations. About two years ago a private plane crashed in Florida with an executive and his family aboard. The rumors that have been circulating since then is that this plane was stopped after it landed from a flight from the Bahamas and the DEA took panels off the plane to perform one of these illegal searches. The cause of the accident was determined to be structural failure. Of course, there was no follow up investigation in to whether illegal tampering was to blame or not.
Not only have they been heavy handed, but they have been breaking numerous Federal and Constitutional regulations. One, they have no right to conduct these intercepts. The only probable cause is the route of the flight.
If you are flying a domestic flight I agree 100% that these searches are ridiculous.
There are no constitutional rights a border crossing. Intentional flights are border crossing. If you fly from the Bahamas to Florida I.C.E. and Border Patrol and only them, are allowed to search your plane and luggage all they want without one ounce of probable cause.
If you are flying a domestic flight I agree 100% that these searches are ridiculous.
There are no constitutional rights a border crossing. Intentional flights are border crossing. If you fly from the Bahamas to Florida I.C.E. and Border Patrol and only them, are allowed to search your plane and luggage all they want without one ounce of probable cause.
They're allowed to search the plane's passenger compartment, but there are FAA rules when it comes to touching other parts of the plane. They are not suppose to be removing things like wing panels without proper supervision. This is not a laughing matter or something to be over looked. Any small mistake can result in fatal results. These goons are not certified mechanics, they have no business trying to tear apart an aircraft on a fishing expedition.
Good point. Reminds me of when the overzealous tsa agents were trying to climb into rjs using the pilot tubes, resulting in expensive repairs. Imagine if that weren't caught on a preflight.
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