Posted on 04/17/2008 5:51:30 AM PDT by CodeToad
A pilot and his family were in their Cessna Stationair on Tuesday, preparing to take off from a dirt runway in Baja California, when they were forced at gunpoint to abandon the airplane, Bob Collins, president of the Aircraft Crime Prevention Institute, told AVweb. "Three men jumped the fence, then three others in a Nissan Sentra pulled onto the runway, blocking it," Collins said. "One of them had a gun, and they broke a window in the airplane and forced the family out. They pushed the Sentra off to the side and torched it, then all six of them climbed into the airplane. There was baggage in there too, and it barely made it into the air," Collins said. ACPI had issued an alert recently that aircraft thefts are rising in the border region. "Mexican officials are seizing aircraft, so smugglers are out looking for new ones," he said. They prefer U.S. airplanes, he added, because they tend to be better-maintained and newer than local aircraft. The pilot and his family were not hurt, Collins said. The Mulege Airstrip is a general aviation dirt airstrip that is located two miles northeast of Mulege, near the Hotel Serenidad in the northern part of Baja California Sur.
(Excerpt) Read more at avweb.com ...
No need to jack the planes, just go to the local airport after hours and take your pic. They are normally full of fuel, and 2 minutes with black duct tape changes the “N” number.
I wouldn't leave the good old U.S. of A. if you paid me.
Famous last words ... "I have a good idea ... let's all fly to Mexico and see how the third worlders are doing."
La Vida Loca en Mejico.
This sort of thing has a snowball effect on their tourism industry.
You can bet this couple will never go back and niether will any of their freinds or hometown people where this makes news. Recently, the McMillen family of off-road racing fame, were car-jacked in one of their racecar haulers and lost everything but their lives. McMillen I hear, has suspended all Mexican offraod racing.
I only have gray duct tape...what next
I don’t know whether to be shocked or impressed.
Spend your travel and vacation dollars HERE, in the U.S.
Most American's haven't begun to experience what our great country has to offer.
Americans who have never seen the Tetons, the Grand Canyon, Bryce or Monument Valley, just cant wait to get insulted and maligned in Paris.
Go Figger?
“I only have gray duct tape...what next”....
.
Just use electrical tape. Not as pretty, but it works.
“No need to jack the planes, just go to the local airport after hours and take your pic.”
Unfortunately, that is true and will help ruin General Aviation. The FAA/TSA and DHS have been talking about picture IDs for pilots and security gates along with ramp checks. One reason I fly GA is to get around the strip searching mentality of the high-school dropouts of the TSA at commercial airports.
“I had the good fortune of being sent to various parts of the world when I was in the U.S. Navy.
I wouldn’t leave the good old U.S. of A. if you paid me.
“
Same here. I also had the good fortune of seeing much of the US and realize there is so much more to see. I don’t need to go to Mexico to get to a good beach. I also have as a good friend and fellow pilot a first generation American from Mexico. Half his family is still in Mexico and he swears he will never go back there to visit.
“This sort of thing has a snowball effect on their tourism industry.”
Pilots are of good money and good money talks.
“I don’t know whether to be shocked or impressed.”
It is actually sad how low the bar is for a pilot’s license. I know a guy from Brazil that is scary to even listen to him talk about flying, yet, he is a pilot. The difference between a barely passable pilot and a competent one is staggering.
“It is actually sad how low the bar is for a pilot’s license. I know a guy from Brazil that is scary to even listen to him talk about flying, yet, he is a pilot. The difference between a barely passable pilot and a competent one is staggering.”
Did he get his license in Brazil? Getting a US license isn’t like getting a driver’s license there’s quite a bit of study involved. My instructor was ex-military and was very strict, he wouldn’t give a break to his mother, which is as it should be. Getting my A&P license was even tougher.
“Did he get his license in Brazil?”
Nope. Here. Some people have tough instructors and examiners and some get a total pass.
“Getting a US license isn’t like getting a driver’s license there’s quite a bit of study involved. “
P.S. Remember that only a 70% is required to pass the written. 70%. Anyone can pass that test with a 70% with just a few night’s worth of study. I know several who have.
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