FC: Feds ground crop dusters amidst worry about biochem attacks

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Mon Sep 24 2001 - 05:50:36 PDT

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    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14087-2001Sep23.html
    "warning 
    s about potential chemical or biological weapons attacks from crop-dusters"
    
    ***********
    
    Date: Sun, 23 Sep 2001 16:36:34 -0700
    From: "Karsten M. Self" <kmselfat_private>
    To: cypherpunksat_private
    Subject: Re: TIME.com: Nation -- TIME Exclusive: Cropduster Manual
       Discovered in Suspected Terrorist Hideout
    Message-ID: <20010923163634.C12117at_private>
    
    on Sun, Sep 23, 2001 at 08:01:10AM -0500, Jim Choate (ravageat_private)
    wrote:
     > http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,175951,00.html
    
    A GA (general aviation) pilot friend has been bitching endlessly about
    various FAA regulation restrictions imposed in the wake of 9/11.  I've
    suggested a reality check.  rec.aviation.piloting makes for some
    interesting reading, not without a few blowhards (not that we'd know
    what these are).
    
    http://www.aopa.org/ tracks NOTAMs (notices to airmen).  Among the first
    restrictions imposed, and still somewhat in force, are restrictions on
    agricultural flights.   These are far less organized than might be
    expected, and citations by those unfamiliar with the NOTAM format are
    hard to come by.
    
    However, the page currently lists the following NOTAM:
    
         FAA bans Part 137 agricultural operations
         09/23/01 4:39:10 PM, ET - FAA banned Part 137 agricultural
         ("cropduster") operations [link] once again on Sunday. The ban
         includes all aircraft "capable or equipped for agricultural
         operations," whether they are flying under Part 137 or any other FAR
         (for example, Part 91). The ban remains in effect until 12:05 a.m.
         local time Sept. 24.  AOPA again reminds pilots that they must check
         all notams immediately prior to starting any flight.
    
    The link points to:
    
         http://38.200.9.137/010915tfr.html#0398
    
         !FDC 1/0398 FDC ATTENTION ALL OPERATORS - SPECIAL NOTICE. EFFECTIVE
         IMMEDIATELY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. PURSUANT TO 14 CFR 91.139
         (EMERGENCY AIR TRAFFIC RULES), FOR REASONS OF NATIONAL SECURITY ALL
         PAR 137 (AGRICULTUREAL/CROPDUSTER) OPERATIONS ARE PROHIBITED ON
         SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 23,2001, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND UNTIL 12:05 A.M.
         LOCAL SEPTEMBER 24,2001, IN EACH TIME ZONE. IN ADDITION, NO AIRCRAFT
         CAPABLE OF OR EQUIPPED FOR AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS MAY OPERATE UNDER
         ANY OTHER F.A.R.  PART CERTIFICATION DURING THIS TIMEFRAME. THE ONLY
         EXCEPTION IS FOR PART 137 FIRE FIGHTING TANKERS FLYING UNDER PUBLIC
         USE AND EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION FOR FIRE FIGHTING PURPOSES. THIS
         NOTAM APPLIES TO THE 48 CONTIGUOUS STATES IN U.S.DOMESTIC AIRSPACE.
    
    (Yes, the FAA, in its infinite wisdom, uses highly unreadable AOL CAPS
    TO ANNOUNCE CRITICAL MESSAGES).
    
    I've also heard rumors that cropdusters are being told to *disable*
    their aircraft or equipment, though I cannot substantiate this.
    
    Peace.
    
    --
    Karsten M. Self <kmselfat_private>        http://kmself.home.netcom.com/
      What part of "Gestalt" don't you understand?              Home of the brave
       http://gestalt-system.sourceforge.net/                    Land of the free
        Free Dmitry! Boycott Adobe! Repeal the DMCA!  http://www.freesklyarov.org
    Geek for Hire                      http://kmself.home.netcom.com/resume.html
    
    
    
    
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