CBS Report Costs Airport Mgr's Job

[2000flyer]

AIRPORT MANAGER LEARNS HARD LESSON IN WAKE OF TV REPORT
CBS News' recent report on the "lack of security" at general aviation airports and how the story took shape offer a strong warning to pilots contacted by reporters. The CBS report used Eagle's Nest Residential Airpark in Waynesboro, Virginia, to illustrate its premise—that GA airports have no government-mandated security. But it wound up hanging both general aviation and airport manager John Trissel out to dry—something that a call to AOPA's Communications Department might have helped avoid. "I told them that we're a gated community with tire spikes at the gatehouse for protection," Trissel told AOPA. "I told them about AOPA's Airport Watch and that we'd implemented virtually all of its suggestions. I told them that I live right beside the runway, and talk to the planes from my bedside, if necessary, no matter what time of night they leave, to verify who's in the aircraft." But none of that made it into the report. And Trissel ended up victimized twice—once by CBS and again by hundreds of pilots who sent him some scorching e-mails. "Almost all of the e-mailers wrote back apologizing when they had heard the full story," Trissel said. CBS also got a flood of mail from pilots. Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.), a pilot, AOPA member, and member of the House aviation subcommittee, wrote CBS saying that security at general aviation airports has improved dramatically since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. See AOPA Online for more about this story and what to do if you are contacted by the media for an interview.

 

[LJDRVR]

I think I've said this before, but it probably bears repeating: Do not ever talk to anybody from the media about aviation ever!

The reporter may seem well-meaning, and you probably veiw yourself as an intelligent adult able to communicate responsibly, but rest assured, whatever you say will be butchered and used out of context by the media. Even if the reporter or writer had good intentions, their stories are sometimes edited to the extremes.

I heard John Nance give a brillliant, understated commentary of low speed aerodynamics for the layman after the AA Jamaica Bay Airbus accident. John is a very smart guy who chose his words carefully, imparting in a non-sensationalistic manner what he emphasized MAY have occured. His commentary was interspersed with statements concerning the superlative training afforded professional airman, and how "pilot error" was most certainly not a factor here. I, for once was feeling pretty good about how the media was handling the crash, until several minutes after Captain Nance went off the air, one of the talking head idiots authoritatively paraphrased Mr. Nance's comments along the lines of: "Like John Nance said, when the airflow over the wings of these jets gets too slow, the just plummet out of the sky and there's no saving them!"

The moral of this story is simply don't do it. If a guy whose background includes on-air expert, airline pilot, and lawyer gets taken WAY out of context, just imagine what will happen to you or I. The public and media do not understand aviation, never will, and their opinions concerning the safety of flying will most likely be negatively influenced by anything you say. So don't.

 

[furloboy]

I concur. Think about every newspaper article that you've ever been associated with, or where you were intimately familiar with the material. It's generally been about 75% right hasn't it? And the other 25% can destroy you.

The writer or editor often have a "hook" they're trying to present, or a point they're trying to make. They'll bend the information any way they can to get where they want to go.

I do quite a bit of writing myself and understand the temptation well.

A good rule of thumb if you can't resist talking to the media is never, ever, ever, never, let them record, write, or broadcast who your employer is. You can find yourself out on the street quicker than it takes to read this.

Regards,
Furloboy

 

[labbats]

This guy should get his job back.

Hundreds of pilots wrote him scathing e-mails?! I don't see how anyone could miss the cut-and-paste job CBS did to that guy.

 

[Brett Hull]

Did he really lose his job?

I've read the story 3 times now, and nowhere do I see anything about him being fired. The only thing I see is that he got a butt-load of not so nice e-mails from pilots. Am I missing something?

 

[dmspilot00]

I was wondering the same thing... where does it say he was fired?

 

[AV1ATRX]

He was not fired. He owns the airport. I don't know where the oringinal poster got that information from, but it is incorrect (the fired part). He also answered each and every one of those nasty email, too. He's a guy who got screwed by CBS, plain and simple.

 

[2000flyer]

My Apologies

He was not fired. He owns the airport. I don't know where the oringinal poster got that information from, but it is incorrect (the fired part). He also answered each and every one of those nasty email, too. He's a guy who got screwed by CBS, plain and simple.

Folks, it was my error in reading the article, the line "hung out to dry twice" and my jumping to conclusions. You are all correct in the fact that the manager didn't lose his job. I regret the error and rushed conclusion.

Regards,
2000Flyer

 

[Ty Webb]

Mr 2000Flyer, on behalf of CBS, we'd like to offer you a job!

 

[jball2]

I was just at Eagle's Nest today and John himself showed me the video then gave me his account. CBS should be held liable, in my opinion, for any damages. THEY BLATANTLY MISREPRESENTED THEMSELVES.

I am so PO'd. I learned to fly there. What a great place to fly!

 

[2000flyer]

Mr 2000Flyer, on behalf of CBS, we'd like to offer you a job!

Well, apologizing for an honest mistake and deliberately misleading a story are two different things. I can only stand up and do the right thing and apologize for my misunderstanding the story before posting. For that, if I'm to be hung out to dry and being mixed with a deliberate attempt to sensationalize a story as CBS did, then so be it. However, I feel the majority accepted my apology for my error.

If I were really sinister and tried to hide my mistake I could have easily gone back and edited the title of the post and not looked back. However, thats not me. I made a mistake and others picked up on it and pointed it out. I made an error and tried to correct it the honest way.

2000Flyer