How to not steal a Challenger...

[rframe]

This happened last week but I just got around to finding the article.

This is my home airport and I do most of my instructing here, though I rarely step foot in this FBO.

Apparently, this dude hid in a closet in the FBO until they closed, then about 3AM he made his way to a hangar, opened it up, tugged out a Challenger, and was working on trying to start it up before airport ops decided to question him.

I had also heard that he stole money and things from inside the FBO and had his girlfriend swing by to pick that up before he had attempted stealing the jet.

http://cdapress.com/news/local_news/article_7ead50be-a43f-55e6-bd8e-a8d32a960c8e.html

 

[scooter2525]

Those preflights will get ya!

 

[troopernflight]

It would interesting (or terrifying) to know how close he could have come to getting it off the ground if he hadn't been stopped.

 

[GypsyPilot]

Not the first time a business jet has been stolen... Anybody remember that idiot in Tampa a few years ago?

 

[mshunter]

Just the black eye GA security doesn't need.

 

[MikeD]

This is why TSA is needed at GA airports.

Along with user fees to pay for it.

 

[TFaudree_ERAU]

Yeah. Gonna go out on a limb and say there's no way in hell a PPL student could get a Challenger, or anything with an air turbine starter, started.

 

[SeanD]

Just think, if he was taking a lesson there he could have simply canceled the lesson, used the cash it would have cost for the lesson and bought a plane ticket to Mass.

 

[MikeD]

Yeah. Gonna go out on a limb and say there's no way in hell a PPL student could get a Challenger, or anything with an air turbine starter, started.

Unless maybe an A&P also.

 

[Planeologist]

This is why TSA is needed at GA airports.

Along with user fees to pay for it.

All that would do is allow a 9 year old runaway kid a chance a boosting the jet.

 

[Area 5150]

Yeah. Gonna go out on a limb and say there's no way in hell a PPL student could get a Challenger, or anything with an air turbine starter, started.

Yeah they can. If you hit the F7 button like in FSX, works every time. Does a challenger have a "F7" button on it somewhere?

 

[rframe]

This is why TSA is needed at GA airports.

Along with user fees to pay for it.

 

[Crockrocket94]

Wasnt there that guy that stole the Citation VII out of SGJ and flew it up to Georgia a few years back?

 

[pnwchief22]

Was he barefoot ?.... oh wait I think he's still serving a sentence up in Friday Harbor and working on the movie deal

 

[derg]

This is why TSA is needed at GA airports.

Along with user fees to pay for it.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaeigh! Google's gonna index this and we're going to be chock full o' panicky new users!

 

[rframe]

Was he barefoot ?.... oh wait I think he's still serving a sentence up in Friday Harbor and working on the movie deal

That's what I was thinking when one of my students was telling me this story (he keeps his plane in one of their hangars)... the Barefoot Bandit has raised his standards!

 

[deadpixel]

Bet the FBO hid the keys to the jet.

 

[Screaming_Emu]

Yeah. Gonna go out on a limb and say there's no way in hell a PPL student could get a Challenger, or anything with an air turbine starter, started.

Eh, I bet with enough research on the interwebs they could figure it out.

 

[SteveC]

Bet the FBO hid the keys to the jet.

We lock the cabin doors and also unplug the batteries and lock the equipment bay door. Even in our own hangar.

 

[Area 5150]

We lock the cabin doors and also unplug the batteries and lock the equipment bay door. Even in our own hangar.

Jesus, will you guys ever quit using common sense?
Hate when people lock stuff up, it usually keeps the boogie man, out! It's a great concept!