Friday, January 12, 2007

Ohio's Shame!

posted by Dave Higdon

OK, here's a state I'm not refueling in or, if possible, even landing in until this crap is reversed...McCarthy must be dancing in his coffin:

From AOPA's Weekly ePilot:

OHIO ANTI-TERRORISM EFFORT TARGETS AIRCRAFT OWNERS
Ohio aircraft owners have been singled out by the state to sign a declaration with their annual aircraft registration renewal that they are not involved in terrorist activity. They are the only license holders under the state's department of transportation required to do this. AOPA and aircraft owners are extremely displeased at this discrimination. The association, on behalf of member pilots, has requested that the state remove this requirement. "Frankly, it is offensive to Ohio's pilot population to suggest that they are more suspect than people who own boats, trucks, or automobiles," wrote Greg Pecoraro, AOPA vice president of regional affairs, in a letter to the state's department of public safety. "Ohio's aircraft owners and pilots are committed to do their part to support our nation's security." Pecoraro cited pilots' voluntary participation in Airport Watch. Download AOPA's letter to the state.

New York's illegal screening law, now this...since when was being a federally licensed pilot an invitation for state-government crackpots to become the arbitors of patriotism and loyalty? No way I'd sign...even if it meant moving my aircraft out of state...

Buck-heads...

# posted by Dave Higdon @ 11:57 AM

Comments:

Thanks for highlighting this inane regulation. I'm a pilot in Ohio, and I received this notice in the mail with the letter from Ohio telling me that I needed to register my airplane of face a $500 fine if caught, and then that I needed to swear, upon felonious pain of perjury and jail time that I have not, nor will ever be affliated with, talk with, do business with, look at or consider talking to anyone who must possibly be suspected of being involved with terrorism in any way shape or form. How can anyone sign this? We hear that ignorance of the law is no excuse, but I also believe that the Constitution protects citizens from being forced to testify against themselves.

I recommend that pilots in Ohio check out the Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4561 and read it carefully to determine for themselves whether they need to sign this form or not.

# posted by

Anonymous : 1:13 AM

Check out the Ohio Department of Transporatation Aviation page at http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Aviation/

# posted by

Anonymous : 1:14 AM

Yeah, I wrote this up earlier in the month: http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archives/bizav/776-full.html

It hasn't gotten any better...

DCr

# posted by

DCr : 7:10 AM