I'm glad we fly tethered planes

[sleepy gomez]

CNN about 5:00 pm:  Two model jets were intended to bomb the Pentagon and the Capitol.

[Joe Just]

Well, it was going to happen sooner than later.  Let's hope media gets the story right.
Joe

[Matt Colan]

Here's the link to the story:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/28/us/massachusetts-pentagon-plot-arrest/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

[Clint Ormosen]

The report says he was going to use an RC Saber Jet, but the photo shows an F4 Phantom 2. Just a photo or can't "they" tell the difference?  Then, to them, most all private aircraft are Piper Cubs.

"They" can't tell the difference when describing weapons either. All rifles become "AK-47's"

[Garf]

The big problem is that the government has no idea that there is a difference between R/C and C/L models.

[M Spencer]

dosnt  the builder of the model rule apply .  

[John Stiles]

Sounds sorta like the government operatives supplied him with everything he needed....wonder how much they were paying him? 

[donald raab]

The problem is multi faceted.  I talked about this to the AMA 6 months ago.

1.  Anybody can likely fly many types of RC models today.  The Chinese foam and balsa stuff coming in works and works well.

2.  This is an open market so anybody can buy it.

3.  Adopting 2.4 G HZ technology has removed the frequency problem.  No more locked and limited frequencies.

4.  The stuff from China is cheap and reliable.  200 bucks can get you a lot of airplane.  The next time it will be a large piper cub type airplane with larger load carrying capability.

5.  GPS technology coupled with rc allows start,fly, and forget.  A very large likelyhood that a programmed route would be successful.

6.  The biggest problem is terrorism.  America since 9-11 has made it an existentialist threat.  Terrorism is viewed as a threat to the existence of the state called America itself.  it is NOT.  A model airplane smashing into a building  or other kinds of targets is NOT going to overthrow the US and the government.  It is simply a nuisense.  It obviously is a threat to individuals and targets but that  will NOT affect the existence of the state.  In fact 9-11 was NOT in any shape manner or form an existential threat.  Until America and its people gain some perspective terrorism will loom larger than life.  The sky will NOT fall because of multiple model airplane hits or even airliners crashing into large buildings.  Sending SEALS with a dog to a specific identified threat is a lot more effective that 2 large crackpot wars against chosen enemies that don't even know where NYC is.  And last but not least regulating every inch of personnal life will NOT stop an incipient terorist.  Waging wars of choice will NOT deter determined individuals from terrorist acts.  Good investigations and thinking out of the box along with a large dose of patience works magic much more effectively that global wars on terror.

5. 

[john e. holliday]

Well leave it to our illustrious media and they will tell all the terroists how to do it and not get caught.   No telling, but behind the scenes the government knew of the threats to the towers and kept it under cover.   If you watch any of the movies of today that many think are fiction, wouldonly realize how much is probably fact.   Even the story of the CIA going in to rid us of Castro.  VD~If only the media would take time to tell the true story and the true facts.

[Tim Wescott]

http://blog.robballen.com/images/saam/journalistguide.jpg

[Michael Boucher]

Hey Tim, That last one is a Ford Cortina! 

[John Stiles]

The problem is multi faceted.  

Exactly, and not the least part due to, the silliness of homeland security and the current administration! Lets define it: a.model R/C plane, flown by idiot,  with c-4 added, crashes into a tree right before hitting the White House, causing a big limb to come crashing down on the presidents bullet proof tour bus.......causing un-calculable damage. b. Two jumbo jets flown by arab terrorists crash into the World Trade Center, killing thousands of innocent civilians, while another crashes almost simultaneously into the Pentagon, and still another crashes short of intended target killing all aboard, all on the same day! Now lets see if we can make a comparison: a. A farm animal was recently attacked by a blood sucking bat....leaving the animal dazed but otherwise un-harmed...but: b. the poor animal didn't survive losing it's total hind quarters to a rogue alligator that escaped through the big hole in the fence at the San Diego Zoo! Duhhhhh......Hellooooooooooo?

[Hoss Cain]

In my rather insignificant opinion, I don't think the news media will remember this incident next week. I don't think either government or FAA will remember it either. The FBI now has another, "Look at us, we saved the world." Just another incident to add to "That GUY" in the Whitehouse searching for news media spots, as evidence that he is really into the "War on Terror".

However I do believe the words from FAA are already sealed away until they decide to open their Pandora's Box later in the year or about, maybe next year. I suspect that from things now happening, that FAA is not the only one that knows exactly what the so-called NPRM contains re; model aviation. 

I predict that all RC flying outside the defined "Park Fliers" will have to belong to the Community Based Organization, (CBO), which will be AMA. Either the CBO's regular rules, or on their own, the FAA Rules which will be much stricter and demanding.

Now AMA has some 140,000 members. In comparison RCU has over 465,000 members, almost 3.3 times AMA. If AMA membership should increase just to RCU numbers, then AMA gets over 3 times the monies pouring in for the next year. What a jump in spending capability!!!   3 times more money and NO DUES INCREASE!   

I predict that using the RCU number is small stuff as compared to the real number of RCers in the USA. I'm thinking there must be a million or more. It takes a bunch to support all the mags and the advertising therin.

So for once I don't worry about this specific incident, as far as AMA and/or aeromodeling is concerned.

OH Yes, I read the AMA's output! 

[Peter Nevai]

In my rather insignificant opinion, I don't think the news media will remember this incident next week. I don't think either government or FAA will remember it either. The FBI now has another, "Look at us, we saved the world." Just another incident to add to "That GUY" in the Whitehouse searching for news media spots, as evidence that he is really into the "War on Terror".

However I do believe the words from FAA are already sealed away until they decide to open their Pandora's Box later in the year or about, maybe next year. I suspect that from things now happening, that FAA is not the only one that knows exactly what the so-called NPRM contains re; model aviation. 

I predict that all RC flying outside the defined "Park Fliers" will have to belong to the Community Based Organization, (CBO), which will be AMA. Either the CBO's regular rules, or on their own, the FAA Rules which will be much stricter and demanding.

Now AMA has some 140,000 members. In comparison RCU has over 465,000 members, almost 3.3 times AMA. If AMA membership should increase just to RCU numbers, then AMA gets over 3 times the monies pouring in for the next year. What a jump in spending capability!!!   3 times more money and NO DUES INCREASE!   

I predict that using the RCU number is small stuff as compared to the real number of RCers in the USA. I'm thinking there must be a million or more. It takes a bunch to support all the mags and the advertising therin.

So for once I don't worry about this specific incident, as far as AMA and/or aeromodeling is concerned.

OH Yes, I read the AMA's output! 

CNN has been repeating this twice an hour every hour for the past 2 days. Won't matter if the media forgets it by next week people will have it tatooed into thier brains. So if when you are loading or ounloading your models from your car and you get nasty or suspecious looks don't be surprised.

[Darkstar1]

F-14 Phantoms Really! But once upon a time I have seen the real F-4's and F-86's used as remote targets at China Lake.
Now that was a awesome sight!

[donald raab]

To Ty:

There is some aspects that also need to be considered.  For years the underlying drive among modelers was to shed the toy image.  Big is better,faster is better, etc.  Most of this centered around RC but also developed from CL.  grown men did not want to be associated with toy airplanes.  I remember getting one flight a day from my single channel rc was an accomplishment.  The flyers did advance and made everything better.  One of the new areas since Maynard Hill (deceased) was long distance flight preprogrammed.  Another was UAV's.  At first reconnaisance and then weaponized.  We have been too successful. 

You might want to visit a site called diydrones.com.  The advances there with things like an arducopter and Android/Iphone controlling of buy it-fly it is amazing.  That is an open site and has members from all over the world.  ANYONE can tap into that knowledge and much of it can be bought very cheaply.  24 bucks for the basic ardupilot board.

The article is really behind the actual curve.  And the idea of using C4 is strange.  4 oz of PETN in an airplane would bring it down.  A lb of THAT stuff would bring down a city block.

The larger point I was trying to make that the crackpot wars on global terror are truly crazier than the the terrorist themselves.  One might remember that in the 1900's global terrorists managed to kill a US president and a Russian czar.  They blew up bombs on wall street.  They DID NOT destroy the USA even with the damage they caused.

And if one really wants to get off on this terorist kick the narco subs (some carrying 20 TONS of weight) are a lot more scarier.  Some well placed Al Queda money for space on the sub ;if not underwriting it; packed with conventional explosives and dirty bomb materials could really cause a US port city tove a really bad day.

Myself I will retreat to my new .15 Acromaster and a CS (Chinese-ugh) diesel for some fun.