Los Angeles, CA — As we reflect on air travel discomforts and the tragedies of 9/11 and consider how to handle similar threats in the future, let us revisit a long-forgotten story with a very different outcome. The only hijacker ever shot aboard a U.S. airliner was stopped on September 15, 1970, aboard Trans World Airlines (TWA) Flight 15, a Boeing 707. The flight, originating in Chicago and bound for San Francisco, had just completed a stopover in Los Angeles when Donald Irwin, a 27-year-old armed hijacker, seized control of the aircraft. Irwin, brandishing a firearm, threatened flight attendants in the aft galley and demanded the plane be diverted to North Korea. Unbeknownst to Irwin, the aircraft was neither equipped nor capable of such a journey. His plan was doomed from the start. However, the actions of one courageous individual ensured the safety of everyone onboard. A Captain’s Quick Thinking The pilot, Captain J.K. Gilman, was quickly informed of the hijacking and remem...

Let me begin by saying my views on this subject are my own and doing what I suggest could result in prosecution. The risk however is very low… Being an avid photographer for most of my life, the amazing drone technology has become an exciting addiction.   Ive been flying them for over four years now getting images I could only dream about before.   Placing great musical soundtracks on my videos has been pure joy.   I fly really safe having never once damaged property or caused injury. I follow sound advice like staying away from other aircraft, flying well below 400 feet (flying higher does not aid in capturing great images).  I fly sober and watchful and accordingly I have never needed crash repairs. I won’t ever ask permission to flyover or photograph private property.  That’s constitutionally protected activity that fixed wing and helicopters have enjoyed for years and there is plenty of settled appellate law that guides me.   As for th...

Washington, DC- -it's a painfully slow process for politicians and FAA bureaucrats to accept the need, legitimacy and relative safety of those little civilian drones.   There was the initial hysteria of passenger jets crashing, mass privacy invasion because of those little drones.     The panic reaction was bolstered with thousands mistaken or deliberately false reports of sightings claiming drone misbehavior.     Thankfully as the number of drones in civilian hands increased by leaps and bounds, the bogus reports quietly subsided considerably.  Very recently progress has been made in allowing the commercial use of drones under a somewhat loosened set of rules and guidelines.    Along with the more realistic drone rules the FAA created the Part 107 licensing exemption with a written test for commercial drone pilots.   They have allowed for considerable expansion of drone use in urban areas for news gathering, filmmakin...

Santa Barbara, CA--Private Security is really more about deterrence, and loss prevention.  Bringing in drones is a perfect application for security contractors to rid their clients of burglars, sex offenders and vandals.  Of course homeowners associations can create their own in house program but it's generally not needed.  However there are times when criminals show up in soft target communities then it's time to call in a qualified security contractor with drones.   Wether it's a burglary or vandalism problem drones operated and flying at less than 300 feet can can easily observe and record the deeds.  Ground security and police can be quickly alerted to handle enforcement activities. Drones are excellent for all industrial security applications.  They can be sent up as needed to examine areas or for responding to various alarms and such.  Drones have been used to smuggle contraband into correctional facilities.  Actually those kinds of faciliti...

Washington, D.C .—We have a full-blown crisis!   We are being told that government must suddenly regulate and register the well over two million drones used by hobbyists, photographers, filmmakers and other ordinary civilians. For over two years now we’ve heard the media tell us how these little pesky devices will bring down airliners, invade privacy and destroy our way of life.   Pulling the puppet strings of the media has been the FAA and DOT .   Chicago’s Mayor, Rahm Emanuel said it best back when he was Obama’s Chief of Staff, “ Never let a good crisis go to waste! ”   This drone crisis is nothing more that a manufactured one. The FAA has showered the media with their “facts” in that they claim there are well over 700 cases of near misses with airliners and other conventional aircraft. Missing from these statistics are a single fatality, serious injury or even a report of notable property damage.   Because drones have driven news stories like w...

Town of Paradise Valley, AZ —Some of this small but wealthy community’s politicians bought into the baseless idea that multi-rotor camera drones were a threat to safety and privacy.   Ignorance and the novelty of the drones themselves motivated politicians here to make an effort to ban drones. They thought that their residents would somehow appreciate their efforts. Things backfired when local relators complained that the use of drones showcased the homes and community like never before.   Banning or over-regulating them could damage property values and of course property tax collections. The Town Council considered the ban but cooler heads in that body tabled the idea at least until they had more valid guidance and information.   How they revisit this issue remains to be seen. As for the somewhat popular Drone Invasion, there were no less than 700 reports of near misses with conventional aircraf t investigated by the FAA . Not a s...

Los Angeles, CA —Many people consider the airspace  above the property that they own or lease is theirs.    Some have actually used firearms to shoot at drones somehow thinking that was somehow justified. Federal and state laws universally ban shooting at aircraft.   There are heavy penalties for shooting at drones or any aircraft, even UFOs.   Many drone operators operate on ignorance and have bought into the idea that there is or may be private ownership rights to airspace above private property. The law is simple, our airspace is shared public property.   Exclusively, the FAA regulates aircraft including drones operating in our airspace.   State and local governments cannot make or enforce laws regulating aircraft in our airspace.   Many local jurisdictions have tried out of the simple ignorance of their lawmakers.   Those laws they have already placed on the books are unenforceable due to the FAA preemption. Have the helicopt...