Suspicious calls to your FBO

[Palmpilot]

If you just land here then you proceed directly into the FBO from the ramp, no walking around.

How are transient pilots supposed to know that? There's nothing about it in the Airport/Facility Directory.

 

[Alexb2000]

How are transient pilots supposed to know that? There's nothing about it in the Airport/Facility Directory.

It's really no problem. Most transient pilots don't even know they enforce that. All it means is you can't just go for a walk around the airport. The line guys will tell someone if they try to go for an excursion.

 

[wabower]

Well, not exactly. The hangars and ramps south of T/W Uniform are not on airport property. Gate codes and security are required, but no permits, classes or any of that stuff. You can walk around to your heart's content. A painted white line across the branch taxiways marks the property line.

If someone walked onto KADS they scaled a fence or came through an FBO/Business. It has been an issue in the past. Once a photographer from a local paper decided to get some pictures so they walked out to the runway with a telephoto lens, crouched behind a runway sign, and started taking pictures. Tower thought the camera lens looked like a rocket launcher, so you can imagine was a squabble that was. Now they will stop any vehicle/person without a visible permit (rear view mirror tag and badge). If you are based here you have to go through a class, get permits, etc. If you just land here then you proceed directly into the FBO from the ramp, no walking around.

 

[Garthur]

The FBO isn't going to know the destination unless they look it up on FlightAware, etc, just like everyone else. If the number is blocked, people can still hear airplanes pick up their clearances. If someone has enough patience to sit at the end of the runway watching airplanes take off and land they can certainly have their radio tuned to clearance, or in Addison's case they usually give IFR clearances on ground.

I think you misunderstood my point. The point was that the caller really is not interested in the destinations, the caller was actually interested in when there would not be anybody around so that the caller could decide if the aircraft would be a good target for illegal activities (what ever that could be).

All the postings on this thread have been nearsighted in assuming that it was some government type calling about the plane and I'm just trying to point out that there could be other reasons for the odd call to the FBO.

 

[Dave Siciliano]

How are transient pilots supposed to know that? There's nothing about it in the Airport/Facility Directory.

Richard: transient pilots wouldn't be driving within the gated areas unless they get a rental car that an FBO provides. That would come with instructions not to leave the FBO area. The access, tags and tickets for not having them affects folks based here that drive to and from their hangers.

Let me convey a story. To enter, one has to pull up to a gate and enter a code where I ingress/egress. If you have someone following you in, they're not supposed to tailgate in. That is, the gate is supposed to close between each entry/exit. So I ask the management folks how I'm supposed to bring in a guest. I can't give them the access code. They can't follow me in while the gate's open. Once it closes behind me; there is no pedestrian access for me to get back out to enter a gate code. If I let them in before me by entering the code for them, they are now on airport property unaccompanied--which is a requirement.

Also, when one leaves, all they do us pull up close to the gate and it opens (metal detector under the pavement). But, you can't have more than one car leave without waiting for the gate to close--even though no code is required for it to leave. So, I comment that I thought the point was to keep potential terrorists out--not in. They didn't care for that.

A friend was leaving and a marked police car pulled up behind him. When he left, he didn't wait for the gate to completely close behind him and was ticketed! Now, let's see--it is a marked city police car and no code is required for it to leave.

Oh, and you MUST turn on your flashers while you drive. Of course, that means you can't give a turn signal and for my car, they stay on when you turn off the ignition. So, if you forget to turn them off when you stop, you'll probably remain stopped for longer than expected while you get someone to jump start your car.

Of course, at night we turn strobes off on planes to not affect the vision of other pilots; but we have flashing lights on cars.

Very well thought out security theater stuff.

Best,

Dave