No restrictions which makes one ask the logical question-what is served by announcing this with the disclaimer "Authorities say there is no specific or credible terrorist threat for the 10-year anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. ". Why single out GA aircraft when to this date they have never been used in an attack and what precautions can one take in any case? Why not just state to be at a heightened state of alert near Sept. 11 by using viligence for shoe bombs,car bombs, suicide bombers, commercial airliners, asault weapons (all of which have been used repeatedly) and yes GA aircraft (which have not).

A freedom I value is continuing to live and not being killed by a terrrroist - if that means sacrificing something so be it. Terrorism exists and can't be ignored so we have to protect ourselves. As I said previously think about the restrictions that would be imposed on GA if it was used for a successful terrorist attack. Surely it's better to be realistic and accept some restrictions now rather than wait for that? Anyway, what actual restrictions does the original link propose?

It doesn't...except to raise prices....that's the point...lol. Name 1 other restriction that has actually made us safe. Last I checked it's been passengers who caught all the air related bad guys...lol

Geof you are a smart educated man, a successful person by anyones standards and you are an aircraft owners. Attacking GA is akin to the recent verbal harpoon launched at Bizjet owners... they are all convenient "boogymen", because so few are out there. The same could be said of luxury boat and yacht owners. So few folks own them or know someone who does, politicians and bureaucrats risk very little by attacking them. After all successful people in this country and in all others are vilified each and every day. I'm not trying to turn this into any form of political post so I'll stop here and end by saying that I am speaking from experience.

Geof you are a smart educated man, a successful person by anyones standards and you are an aircraft owners. Attacking GA is akin to the recent verbal harpoon launched at Bizjet owners... they are all convenient "boogymen", because so few are out there. The same could be said of luxury boat and yacht owners. So few folks own them or know someone who does, politicians and bureaucrats risk very little by attacking them. After all successful people in this country and in all others are vilified each and every day. I'm not trying to turn this into any form of political post so I'll stop here and end by saying that I am speaking from experience.

Villify me and pay me more...just don't take away from others while doing it!

No restrictions which makes one ask the logical question-what is served by announcing this with the disclaimer "Authorities say there is no specific or credible terrorist threat for the 10-year anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. ". Why single out GA aircraft when to this date they have never been used in an attack and what precautions can one take in any case? Why not just state to be at a heightened state of alert near Sept. 11 by using viligence for shoe bombs,car bombs, suicide bombers, commercial airliners, asault weapons (all of which have been used repeatedly) and yes GA aircraft (which have not).

It's pure politics - DHS is constantly trying to justify their existence and these little missives remind folks they still exist. DHS is an institutional bureaucracy grown out of fear that has never accomplished any of the missions that it was created for. It has, however, succeeded in creating a climate of fear that ensures continued funding. After years of dealing with these folks in various roles, I can tell you they are as clueless as they come - there are some good folks in the department but they are overshadowed and usually overruled by the bureaucracy they work for. The GA community doesn't have the clout to tell these folks to (politely put) go away and get a grip, so they're easy targets - pretty much like the FAA which also is constantly explaining why many DHS demands are nonsense. Look at it logically for a moment... cars, trucks, weapons, and commercial air all have powerful lobbying groups backed by a ton of money so DHS doesn't want to deeply annoy them since congress will be all over them if they do. The AOPA is a nice organization but just doesn't have the same clout as GM, the NRA, and major airlines of your choice - so there it is. DJ

This is a USA mindset... War against Terror, Drugs Obesity, Illiteracy etc etc etc You guys declare war on just about everything.....

Well you know, to the man who has only a gun, all the world looks like a target OK, that's a bit harsh, but the huge US security bureaucracy that built up during the Cold War was left rather high & dry when the perceived Soviet threat suddenly and unexpectedly evaporated, and had to either downsize (with lots of highly-paid and self-important people out of a job) or find (or invent) a new role for itself, hence the various war-ons. This is not to underestimate the threat from terrorist action, but Al-Q are not the Wehrmacht, the Red Army, or the Martians, and a sense of proportion needs to be retained IMHO.

...the huge US security bureaucracy that built up during the Cold War was left rather high & dry when the perceived Soviet threat suddenly and unexpectedly evaporated, and had to either downsize (with lots of highly-paid and self-important people out of a job) or find (or invent) a new role for itself, hence the various war-ons.

So was it the 'huge US security bureaucracy that built up during the Cold War' the ones behind 9/11 then?

So was it the 'huge US security bureaucracy that built up during the Cold War' the ones behind 9/11 then?

Only in the fevered imaginations of 9/11 conspiracy theorists..

Homeland Security has to date captured almost, but not quite, one terrorist. Yet, they continue to exist, and now seek wider powers to continue to justify their existence. Show me any government agency that tries to reduce its size, mission and budget. They are simply behaving (or misbehaving) like any bunch of bureaucrats - building pyramids and empires with someone else's money. Homeland Security was a mistake from day one. I'd like to see a candidate who would promise to eliminate the whole department, and put the various agencies back where they came from, with their original missions. They just announced, by the way, that they are considering getting rid of the "take off your shoes" step of getting inspected, violated and probed before boarding a commercial flight. No date, but I suspect they'll do it a couple of months before the election, for no other reason than to buy votes.

You have to consider the other costs lost to the USA and that is avoidance. I live in New Zealand but travel to Toronto, Canada regularly. I used to travel through LAX but no longer. Now I travel through Vancouver. The reason is to avoid all the hassles of traveling through the USA. Many other people in New Zealand travel back to England and the UK regularly as well. They used to fly the Auckland - LAX - London route as it is the most direct but many choose not to now. Why would they when they can fly back to England though Singapore Changi Airport, one of the best in the world. LAX has become like flying into Columbia under a millitary regime by comparison and they fingerprint and eyescan people passing through and touch their junk....LAX is to be avoided at all costs. Go through Changi Airport and you can take a swim while you wait for you next flight, use the hot tube or just take a shower, or hang out on the rooftop garden and watch the airplanes....So let me see here....Fingerprinting, eyescanning and touch my junk or take a swim and use a hot tub....While that's a no brainer. Sorry USA but your no fun anymore. I believe that part of the falling USA ecomomy today and its inability to get back on track is due to many multi-nationals now avoiding the USA for travel and business. It is not worth the hassle anymore. Creating a wall around yourself is kinda like what the Soviet Union did and they collapsed from within. I no longer travel through or have any investments in the USA and I used to years ago. I have no reason to do business with America anymore. Canada and Australia are the two stong economies right now and are wonderful places to visit.

"Canada and Australia are the two stong economies right now..." Didn't they keep a tighter rein than most on their banking & finance sectors?

"Canada and Australia are the two stong economies right now..." Didn't they keep a tighter rein than most on their banking & finance sectors?

Yes they did as well as they have no shortage of natural resources to continue to export. If you go to New York City today the biggest bank on every other corner is the Toronto Dominion Bank....They rebranded as the TD Bank 'America's Most Convenient Bank' I was in New York last January for a few days and was surprised at the Canadian Invasion in New York. The other is the Royal Bank of Canada rebranded as RBC Bank in the USA... Imagine 20 years ago saying that the biggest banks in the USA are going to be Canadian.......While that's kind of what happened right now. Only they rebranded for the US market so American's don't really know that TD stands for Toronto Dominion or RBC stands for Royal Bank of Canada. The Boston Gardens is now the TD Center and their is also the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina......Imagine that...A 'Royal Bank' in the Carolina's...LOL. Never thought I'd see the day.

The Boston Gardens is now the TD Center

I do feel compelled to remind everyone that TD Bank may have the Garden, but Boston has the Stanely Cup! As for GA and the DHS, the more I think about it, the more I think that they plan to "regulate" General Aviation even more, and that means more taxes and fees on non-commercial flyers, to cover the costs of all the "benefits" of more government interference.

I do feel compelled to remind everyone that TD Bank may have the Garden, but Boston has the Stanely Cup!

True Dat....I was going for Boston from the beginning. Their are more Canadians Players in the Boston Bruins and their are more American Players in the Vancouver Canucks. I think it is 20 Canadians and 5 Americans play for Boston. I am from Nova Scotia originally, and their are a few great Canadian Maritimers playing for Boston. Glad they won it. New York Times has released some transcripts from ATC and the Millitary from 9/11 this morning:http://www.nytimes.c.../911-tapes.html

A freedom I value is continuing to live and not being killed by a terrrroist - if that means sacrificing something so be it. Terrorism exists and can't be ignored so we have to protect ourselves. As I said previously think about the restrictions that would be imposed on GA if it was used for a successful terrorist attack. Surely it's better to be realistic and accept some restrictions now rather than wait for that? Anyway, what actual restrictions does the original link propose?

are you for real? maybe you're from the prc or gdr or north korea so it's cultural/historical. in america, we say 'give me liberty or give me death.' just us.