Comments on: Aircraft Theft = Media Attention http://blog.aopa.org/leadingedge/?p=2009 A place to discuss safety-of-flight issues, procedures, techniques, and judgment. Tue, 21 May 2013 15:17:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Richard http://blog.aopa.org/leadingedge/?p=2009&cpage=1#comment-31479 Richard Sun, 21 Aug 2011 17:43:00 +0000 http://blog.aopa.org/asfblog/?p=2009#comment-31479 Most of the earlier Cessna’s can be unlocked using any other Cessna key. Not all, but most. We show guys that around our airport all the time. You might have to “jiggle” the key a little, but most of the time it can be unlocked.

]]> By: grumpy http://blog.aopa.org/leadingedge/?p=2009&cpage=1#comment-31470 grumpy Sat, 20 Aug 2011 02:12:57 +0000 http://blog.aopa.org/asfblog/?p=2009#comment-31470 It’s called sarcasm.

]]> By: Angelo Forte http://blog.aopa.org/leadingedge/?p=2009&cpage=1#comment-31469 Angelo Forte Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:56:50 +0000 http://blog.aopa.org/asfblog/?p=2009#comment-31469 You do not need permission to fly from the Gov when flying VFR from an uncontrolled airport.

]]> By: Eric Leuty http://blog.aopa.org/leadingedge/?p=2009&cpage=1#comment-31468 Eric Leuty Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:04:43 +0000 http://blog.aopa.org/asfblog/?p=2009#comment-31468 Good article. I know of an aircraft owner who doesnt lock his aircraft for 3 reasons. 1- the locks are broken and he doesnt want to spend the huge $$ to replace them. 2- If someone wanted the radios, the cost to repair the door / window would exceed the cost of the radios. 3- the a/c is insured for theft.

]]> By: Anonymous http://blog.aopa.org/leadingedge/?p=2009&cpage=1#comment-31467 Anonymous Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:00:08 +0000 http://blog.aopa.org/asfblog/?p=2009#comment-31467 I thought throttle locks would be effective, so I bought one and used it. After 9/11, the local airport governing board was interested in improving aircraft security. The FBO owner asked that I loan him my throttle lock so that he could show it to the board at their next meeting. While the FBO owner had my throttle lock, my airplane was stolen and hasn’t been seen since. (I did get the throttle lock back, however.)

The local police were pretty convinced that the theft was an inside job. One investigator did come up with an easy way to solve the crime. She called the FAA to see what destination the thief listed when he filed his flight plan. The police were also totally miffed that a stolen airplane could get “clearance” to take off. (EVERYONE knows that you cannot just get in an airplane and go flying without first getting permission from the government!!!)

]]> By: Alan http://blog.aopa.org/leadingedge/?p=2009&cpage=1#comment-31465 Alan Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:21:32 +0000 http://blog.aopa.org/asfblog/?p=2009#comment-31465 Airplanes are EASILY secured with very limited low tech methods. We use throttle locks and lockboxes to secure keys. Even if you could get in our planes, you could not start them without heavy duty bolt cutters.

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