Several of the September 11th hijackers received pilot training at flight schools in the United States. As a post-9/11 measure of national security, the United States Transportation Security Administration developed the Alien Flight Student Program (AFSP) to scrutinize non-US citizens who apply for FAA certification the US. Following a candidate's application to the AFSP, which includes disclosure of identifying documents and other information, the TSA conducts a lengthy background review process and issues the flight school or instructor either a letter of authorization or disapproval to commence with the candidate's flight training.There is little doubt that this as another expensive government program, and I have first-hand knowledge of how this approval process can place a flight school's training operations on hold, costing both the business and the candidate more money.Now, because of your knowledge of flight simulation software and hardware available to home users, I would like your opinion on the necessity of the Alien Flight Student Program. Please consider the following:- You can learn to fly a commercial airliner at home via a homebuilt cockpit or other hardware/software interface. So, who's performing your background check to determine if your pilot skills pose a threat to national security?- The 9/11 terrorist attacks were funded by large sums of money, so a homebuilt cockpit or desktop setup would be a financially feasible source of training that could be conducted on the terrorist's own soil or in US confines under the radar of the TSA.- If the AFSP is established to screen foreign pilot candidates training in the US, who is screening the thousands of pilot's receiving simulator and aircraft training abroad?I have an open mind to your opinions on this matter, but at this time I feel that the AFSP is another of the TSA's smoke-and-mirror programs to make the American public believe they are more safe. The thousands of foreign pilots who are scrutinized here daily is only a drop in the bucket to those elsewhere in the world who are learning to pilot large and small aircraft. I hope to write an in-depth article on this issue and post it on my web site, www.InnocentSkies.com. I may wish to cite your opinions and will ask for your approval on an individual basis. Here's a link to an interesting NY Times article on our evolving hobby, with commentary from the FBI on the hobbyist's degree of threat to our security. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...75AC0A9659C8B63 I look forward to your feedback on this topic!

Normally this subject would be in the Hangar discussion section, but since you mention home cockpits, it may be not be out of subject here.But before I analyze my thoughts, which many may not like, would you mind signing in your name?Thanks,George DorkofikisAthens, Hellashttp://online.vatsimindicators.net/811520/1704.png

Hi George. Travis is my name. I'm no longer able to add my name to my original post however. Thanks for your reply.

To be honest Travis, I dont think, or even care what the powers that be think of this hobby. I know Im not doing this for anything other than my own enjoyment. The article you refer too is 5 years old now and I think the fact that not one of us has been arrested or even told to stop building proves that we are not a threat too anybody but ourselves with our big power tools.If the government has chosen to implement a program that will help stop a repeat of the past then so be it. God knows they have been wasting trillions of dollars on this stupid war so anything they are spending on this program is a drop in the ocean compared to that.I believe the intelligence agencies around the world are doing a great job. They obviously know we exist and do keep a close eye on what we are doing but the fact of the matter is, too learn to fly a plane for real you really have to go to one of those flying schools.JMOGary

Thanks for your feedback Gary. Your perspective on this is well-received. I was hoping to generate discussion like this. IMO this topic is an interesting example of how our hobby in simulated aviation can affect or be affected by real world aviation and other current events. Travis

if home cockpits are banned, does that mean the terrorists have won? ;)

Well...If you think a bit about it, I think they already won!Why? Because they made a whole nation be afraid of their own shadow.They used to say that USA is the most free country in the world.But lately, all I hear and read about is that several personal freedoms are being negotiated or violated due to "national security" issues.More and more we see that the innocent until proven guilty has been turned around to guilty until proven innocent. Meaning that everybody is treated like a supposed terrorist making the life of simple people more difficult and less free with the excuse of protecting them.So, who won?As far as the home cockpits are concerned, I don't think it makes any difference or even logical sense to ban them.As said, the terrorists have vast amount of financial support, so why build a home cockpit, which would require time and still not be accurate enough, and not hire a real simulator for 10, 20, or even 50 hours?I'm not going further deep. There are plenty of sites on the internet and plenty of very interesting documentaries and videos you can watch and make your own decisions.After all this I wrote, why do I have this strange feeling that I will face problems if I ever decide to visit the US in the future?! :-)George DorkofikisAthens, Hellashttp://online.vatsimindicators.net/811520/1704.pngPS. Moderators, feel free to delete this reply if you think it may create any kind of problems. At least, then I'll know.

you'll be fine, filos mou, what you wrote is what is being said by everyone nowadays.And when Hillary becomes president, hopefully a lot of our freedoms shall be restored :)