Sen. Inhofe Strikes Back at FAA After Runway Run-In

[Purveyor]

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published July 10, 2011
Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- After Sen. James Inhofe landed his small plane on a closed runway at a rural South Texas airport last October and sent workers on the ground scrambling, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered him to take remedial piloting lessons.

Now it's FAA officials who are getting a lesson from the 76-year-old Oklahoma Republican on the pitfalls of crossing a senior lawmaker.

Inhofe, who's been flying for 50 years, is sponsoring a bill to strengthen the position of pilots when contesting FAA enforcement of safety regulations in cases like his.

"With any bureaucracy that has the power to take action against an individual, it's our job in Congress to ensure there are appropriate safeguards in place to prevent agency overreach," Inhofe said in a speech to the Senate before introducing the bill last week.

Alternate Source of this AP article at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/07/10/national/w052926D95.DTL

I only used the Fox link because I liked their headline better...

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/07/10/sen-inhofe-strikes-back-at-faa-after-runway-run-in/

[Drale]

1. Sounds like the "good" Senator is using his position to gain personal revenge

and if that is not grounds for investigation then nothing is.

[freshwest]

28. Yup, he's like the royalty that ran over the peasants in the old days. How dare they object?

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[hlthe2b]

4. MaryMary... if you believe that BS.... I've got land for you...

pristine land, with a view for a tiny price....:eyes: Defending Inhofe? Give me a damned break. He can't say hello without spewing RW lies.

[Pilotguy]

5. He didn't "accidentally" land at the airport.

He didn't "accidentally" land at the airport. He landed on a runway that was clearly marked as closed with giant yellow "X's" at either end. There were men working on the runway and he chose to land on the runway anyway, endangering the men working and then denied having done anything wrong. If you think any of that is acceptable for the pilot of a general aviation aircraft you have no business flying/owning a plane.

[jmowreader]

7. Small planes have windshields, right?

If the reports are correct, people were working on the runway Inhofe landed on.

Most people who look out the windshield at the runway and notice there are people working on it would not land there. Inhofe is not most people.

[Enrique]

9. he previously said its too much trouble to read those notices n/t

[trud]

10. I have a pilot's license

The rules for aircraft are fine with me. Inhofe is so stupid I sometimes mistake him for a Republican.

[Pilotguy]

12. Question for you Mary...

Where was it reported that the NOTAM was issued AFTER the landing incident? I just reread several reports and articles and none mention that piece of information.

[JBoy]

17. Answer: Nowhere, because the NOTAM was posted prior to the incident.

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/inhofe_senator_closed_runway_texas_faa_investigate_203537-1.html

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) says he won't guarantee he'll be more vigilant about checking NOTAMs after he landed on a closed runway occupied by maintenance workers ten days ago in Texas. "People who fly a lot just don't do it," Inhofe told the Tulsa World. "I won't make any commitments." Inhofe added that while "technically" pilots should "probably" check NOTAMs, it would be impractical for him to do so on the many flights he makes to small airports in Oklahoma each year.

TulsaWorld.com reports that Inhofe said he was unaware of the runway's closure NOTAM because of "a bad relationship he has with one individual, who the Senator said declined to take his phone calls before the flight and did not tell him about the NOTAM." In the Washington Post's coverage, Inhofe said an airport official "hates me, I don't know why." The FAA's current interest is why the landing happened while the runway was clearly marked with the requisite oversized Xs. It will attempt to determine why Inhofe was apparently not aware of a NOTAM about the closure and investigate the circumstances of the taxiway departure.

----

So, to summarize:

- there was a NOTAM issued about the runway closure
- Inhofe admits he didn't check for NOTAMs and offers a number of ridiculously lame excuses why
- Inhofe doesn't understand the rules applicable to pilots
- Inhofe is a total dick.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

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[rpannier]

26. No it doesn't matter

The only thing that matters is that he made an illegal landing and he's (in typical Republican fashion) playing the wounded martyr

[PSPS]

32. Now you're either lying or regurgitating lies

1. There are actually 24 co-sponsors.

2. Except for Pryor of Arkansas, they are all republicans.

Inhofe is just a jerk who thinks "rules are for the little people." He should have his ticket yanked for good. If he were really on the GA pilot's side, he'd bring back the FAA's Flight Service Station network. The decision to "privatize" it to Lockheed-Martin (a big GOP "contributor") was a disaster.

[izquierdista]

33. Mary's just here for the pizza

Should be ready in about 3....2....

[PSPS]

34. Yeah, I was going to throw in a pizza reference. Maybe should ask about liking fishing too!

[Pilotguy]

22. That's what Inhofe claims. It is not true.

That's what Inhofe claims. It is not true.

[awoke_in_2003]

41. "People who fly a lot just don't do it,"

the Senator is full of shit. I work in a business jet training center, and plenty of my co-workers also have their private pilot licenses. If you wish to keep your license, you do lots of homework before hopping behind the controls.

[Cirque du So-What]

19. Not off to an auspicious start, I see

Making up shit & defending RW assholes is not the best way to earn respect 'round here.

[Joey Liberal]

23. Rules against landing on closed runways are unbelievable?

You believe Inhofe?

[freshwest]

29. Screw Inhofe and the plane he rode in on.

[PSPS]

30. Somehow, I don't believe you

Or maybe you "have" a small plane but don't fly it. Maybe it's a really small plane, like a model or R/C type!

The "notice of closure" certainly wasn't "posted after he landed there." If you were a pilot, you'd know that a big X on a runway means "runway closed." The X was there but he landed anyway.

[greiner3]

31. Enjoy your stay;

:hi:

[tularetom]

3. I voluntarily gave up my license at age 55 when I lost the sight in one eye

But recently we've had a rash of small plane accidents around here involving elderly pilots.

Maybe it's time to tighten up the enforcement of safety regulations, not weaken it.

This is nothing more than the vengeful act of an asshole.

[trud]

11. let's not trash the elderly

We're a heck of a lot safer on the road, for example, statistically than teenagers. If you want to tighten up regs, do it for everyone.

[pa28]

6. He didn't notice the big "X" over the numbers and trucks on the runway?

Liar.

[Enrique]

8. its ok to nearly kill airport workers if youre a republican n/t

[onehandle]

13. A small, bitter man. nt

[no_hypocrisy]

14. Safety isn't overreach.

His family would beat a path to courthouse if he had died from his careless flying.

[Populist_Prole]

15. Cons sure do love the enforcement side of "big government" until it's them being collared

God damned hypocrites. The only part of government these authoritarian thugs have any use for, until they themselves run afoul, then suddenly they're rebels.

[indepat]

16. We can be so thankful this is the only instance of agency (governmental) overreach in the post 9-11

era. :patriot:

[DFW]

18. And if Inhofe had killed anybody...

He might even change his stance on the death penalty!

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

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[Cirque du So-What]

35. Nevermind

Thanks

:hi:

[Hubert Flottz]

25. James Inhofe figures that rules are made for poor people and democrats.

[Cereal Kyller]

27. Go back to that stupid fucking igloo you built for Al Gore, Inhofe!

And stay there.

[DRoseDARs]

36. "Sen. Inhofe Arrested; Charged with Multiple Counts of Attempted Murder" has a nice ring to it. nt

[kiranon]

37. Perhaps he is flunking or not taking his remediation course and won't be flying

much longer no matter what changes he tries to make to the rules. Landing on a closed runway is just plain incompetent and dangerous for him, his passengers, if any, and those on the ground IMHO. The rules are for safety not to irritate a Congressperson.

[neverforget]

38. A mere mortal of a pilot would've had his certificate revoked but since

he's a Senator, a slap on the wrist. It's good to be king...if you're a politician.

[Bandit]

39. The guy who was "outraged" that anyone would be outraged over torture.

He will NEVER get what he deserves..and for that I am sorry

[Uncle Joe]

40. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Purveyor.