Greetings all,
http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2006/09/11/daily1.html
First it was Michigan, then New Jersey, and now New York want ALL flight students to undergo their state's own special background checks. The law, freshly signed by the NY State Governor, is, as always, confusing, ill-defined, expensive to comply with, a tremendous burden on the agencies required for compliance, and has steep punishments if a single piece of paper is missing.
Once again we're treating innocent people as guilty first. Their crime? Wanting to learn how to fly.
We're creating new criminals. The starving flight instructor that misses one piece of paperwork while trying to comply with two separate, yet duplicate, checks for everyone. Miss one single item and the starving flight instructor's career is ruined.
We're ruining businesses without reason. More than one flight school reported to various agencies the potential terrorists of September 11, 2001. The proper agencies did NOT respond. So we're punishing the flight schools for the government's failure to respond.
The best part about this new law? It's been SIX YEARS since the terrorists attacks. What are we going to do about all of the terrorists, sorry, new flight students and pilots, that have been trained in the last six years? Are all pilots now criminals?
The terrorists have won by the NY State Legislature allowing fear and knee-jerk politics override sound decision-making.
If you happen to reside in NY, let your elected reps know what you think about this new law:
http://www.ny.gov/governor/contact/index.html
Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein
http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2006/09/11/daily1.html
State to require background check for airplane pilot training
The Business Review (Albany) - 8:38 AM EDT Monday
Students attending flight schools in New York will be required to undergo background security checks under legislation Gov. George Pataki has signed into law.
The state Division of Criminal Justice Services must verify the security clearances of the applicants under the new law.
Pataki said his signature on the bill was a tribute to the victims of the terrorism of Sept. 11, 2001. The terrorists who hijacked the four commercial air liners that day received their training in American flight schools.
"We'll now have the vital information that can help prevent people harboring bad intentions from gaining access to this critical knowledge, an important part of our firm commitment of doing everything we can to help keep New Yorkers as safe as possible," Pataki said in a statement issued by his office.
In addition to the background criminal checks, the new law will also require flight school applicants to receive clearance to receive flight instruction from the director of DCJS.
On Monday, Pataki planned a full day of Sept. 11-related commemorative events including attending the commemorative ceremony from Ground Zero in Manhattan. He also planned to attend the funeral of State Trooper Joseph Longobardo in Saratoga County. Longobardo was shot and killed last week while searching for a fugitive in western New York.
First it was Michigan, then New Jersey, and now New York want ALL flight students to undergo their state's own special background checks. The law, freshly signed by the NY State Governor, is, as always, confusing, ill-defined, expensive to comply with, a tremendous burden on the agencies required for compliance, and has steep punishments if a single piece of paper is missing.
Once again we're treating innocent people as guilty first. Their crime? Wanting to learn how to fly.
We're creating new criminals. The starving flight instructor that misses one piece of paperwork while trying to comply with two separate, yet duplicate, checks for everyone. Miss one single item and the starving flight instructor's career is ruined.
We're ruining businesses without reason. More than one flight school reported to various agencies the potential terrorists of September 11, 2001. The proper agencies did NOT respond. So we're punishing the flight schools for the government's failure to respond.
The best part about this new law? It's been SIX YEARS since the terrorists attacks. What are we going to do about all of the terrorists, sorry, new flight students and pilots, that have been trained in the last six years? Are all pilots now criminals?
The terrorists have won by the NY State Legislature allowing fear and knee-jerk politics override sound decision-making.
If you happen to reside in NY, let your elected reps know what you think about this new law:
http://www.ny.gov/governor/contact/index.html
Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein