Legitimate concern or simple paranoia ?

Cherokee_Cruiser

Cherokee_Cruiser

Bronteroc
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Trouble!
Just as I had taken my seat I took out my binoculars and continued to write down the registrations of aircraft moving around. And I had to hurry because there were many! Once within the aircraft I didn't act discretely any more...and the result came fast. Though the middle seat next to me remained empty a girl and her mother in the row on the opponent side saw enough. Deeply convinced that they obviously had identified a registration noting member of 'Al Qaida', they must have approached the flights attendants immediately. While I was expecting push back soon, the female purser came to my seat and asked me: "Can you please explain what exactly you are writing down in your book?" I replied it was my hobby and that I collect tail numbers but she didn't understand. Of course I had expected questions like these before and that's why I had taken copies of the "jp airline fleets" and the latest "World Airline Fleets News" issue. I handed it all to her, along with my registration book and my passport. While about all passengers around looked at me she asked: "Would you mind if I take this all to the front and show it to the pilots?". Of course I agreed and then she walked away quickly. For some moments I wasn't sure how they would react but I hoped the captain would be intelligent enough to realize I wasn't a danger to the flight. However I thought about the option that they might take me off the plane. While the purser was gone, people, especially the woman and her daughter, stared at me. I was starting to get pissed about their "heroic courage", I shook my head, grabbed my binoculars and continued spotting and writing down. They must have been shocked about that but I really enjoyed that moment of writing down the next number while they all stared at me.
Definitely the flight was already delayed due to these people's "terror fear" and ongoing "investigation". After some five minutes the purser returned and gave me my stuff back: "The captain said it's alright. I hope you didn't feel offended by that but these people were really scared. Would you mind to answer some questions to anyone who wants to know what you are doing?" "Sure" I replied. I felt really comfortable after that...but guess, the 16-or 17-year old cry baby girl just about started to turn on her panic program. She might had expected I get removed from the flight and when she saw I got my stuff back she started crying and crying and her mother got in panic as well. "Oh my god, my daughter cannot go on this flight!!!" Damn I thought, these crazy people delay the departure even more. The purser addressed the mother: "The captain has said everything is fine, we checked him and there's no danger". It didn't help, the girl didn't stop crying and the purser offered: "Would it help if the captain came down to you? He will tell you it's alright." The mother replied: "Oh my god, tell this to my daughter!". I thought they were joking, would they really call the captain now? And they really did, two minutes later the captain appeared and said some words to the girl. I couldn't believe all the mess going on. He told her: "As soon as we are in the air you might feel better". He then went back and the girl didn't stop crying. Paranoia is something really bad...


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Source sucks: http://www.airliners.net/discussions/trip_reports/read.main/48833/

but regardless, anyone else think it's just paranoia?

It's not like any anonymous person can just go to the FAA website and look up N-numbers ! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif
 
I think it's good they checked the guy out. I'd be a little suspicious of some guy getting on an a/c with binoculors, too. Is he checking a/c or security fences. Although after getting the explanation, and identifying him as someone to sorta keep an eye on, I'd probably put my headphones back on or go back to my book. The people sitting next to him were most definately paranoid.
 
I would have been a little concerned at first as well. These groups are actually very good at collecting intelligence data, and useing the most unsophisticated methods
 
Doesn't matter if it makes sense or not. The President said that there are evil people all over the place, and they want nothing more than to do hard to the people in this country.

I don't know about you, but I'm gonna watch my back. Could be one of you guys in here....

If you disagree with me, well, you're probably not a real American anyway.

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It's not like any anonymous person can just go to the FAA website and look up N-numbers ! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif

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Actually anyone can type an N number into google and get all the infoformation they want on an aircraft.
 
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It's not like any anonymous person can just go to the FAA website and look up N-numbers ! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif

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Actually anyone can type an N number into google and get all the infoformation they want on an aircraft.

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Or on the FAA website /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Was the girl hot?
 
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Trouble!
Just as I had taken my seat I took out my binoculars and continued to write down the registrations of aircraft moving around. And I had to hurry because there were many!

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Legit concern. He's got a weird (we'll leave the discussion as to whether or not it's unhealthy) habit and it made others uncomfortable. Check him out.
 
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Legit concern. He's got a weird (we'll leave the discussion as to whether or not it's unhealthy) habit and it made others uncomfortable. Check him out.

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Disagree. I'm under the opinion that folks should first need to prove that a person is doing something wrong, instead of assuming the worst and needing evidence that the person is doing something that's permissible.
 
Paranoia. Once he explained what he was doing, they should have dropped it.

Planespotting is a big hobby. Not mine, but some people like it.

Once someone has a legitimate explanation of what's going on, it's time to let it go.
 
Paranoia.

I'm probably the only black guy within three square miles and my presence may have made some of my neighbors uncomfortable maybe. If they want to have me investigated, they can kiss my ass until I break a law.

Their need to feel 'comfortable' does not supercede my constitutional rights.
 
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He's got a weird (we'll leave the discussion as to whether or not it's unhealthy) habit . . .

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What's weird about it? Why would it be unhealthy? Is it better than watching illiterate college drop outs play sports in between their lawsuits?
 
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Legit concern. He's got a weird (we'll leave the discussion as to whether or not it's unhealthy) habit and it made others uncomfortable. Check him out.

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Disagree. I'm under the opinion that folks should first need to prove that a person is doing something wrong, instead of assuming the worst and needing evidence that the person is doing something that's permissible.

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I didn't say he was doing anything wrong .... but he needs to exercise some caution with regard to what others may perceive. Over the past three years, as a whole, the population has become much more paranoid. Sitting down on an airplane and pulling out binoculars to write down all the registrations of the different airplanes you can see is harmless, but others who don't understand the hobby may not feel the same way. You're not allowed to watch airplanes from the roofs of most airport parking garages anymore ... common sense should have told the guy that doing it from within a commercial flight might be a great idea.
 
LOL Plane Spotting has quite a following. I have worked with some pretty serious spotters in my time (especially when I worked in ATC) and they were otherwise very normal people /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif. How is spotting going to pose a threat to a flight? In fact, spotters are extremely pro-aviation and would probably notice if something was awry or out of place before most other members of the public would. I suspect the tears were due to embarassment after the Captain said "No Problem".
 
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... common sense should have told the guy that doing it from within a commercial flight might be a great idea.

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So, if another pilot and I are riding, should we refrain from discussing landing techniques for the convenience of those around that may not understand that we're pilots?

Damn that....
 
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I didn't say he was doing anything wrong .... but he needs to exercise some caution with regard to what others may perceive. Over the past three years, as a whole, the population has become much more paranoid. Sitting down on an airplane and pulling out binoculars to write down all the registrations of the different airplanes you can see is harmless, but others who don't understand the hobby may not feel the same way. You're not allowed to watch airplanes from the roofs of most airport parking garages anymore ... common sense should have told the guy that doing it from within a commercial flight might be a great idea.

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I think Doug put it best. A person's comfort level should not supercede my constitutional rights. If I feel like doing something like write down registration numbers, I'll do that all I want. It's not illegal, and a person who doesn't feel comfortable with that can shove it.

I'm a big Orwell fan, and see a strong parallel between people described in the book 1984, and a good amount of people in post-9/11 America. The idea that people are watching everyone else like a hawk for signs of "unorthodoxy" makes me sick to my stomach.
 
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Paranoia.

I'm probably the only black guy within three square miles and my presence may have made some of my neighbors uncomfortable maybe. If they want to have me investigated, they can kiss my ass until I break a law.

Their need to feel 'comfortable' does not supercede my constitutional rights.

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applause
 
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Paranoia.

I'm probably the only black guy within three square miles and my presence may have made some of my neighbors uncomfortable maybe. If they want to have me investigated, they can kiss my ass until I break a law.

Their need to feel 'comfortable' does not supercede my constitutional rights.

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applause

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Hey I was driving in Irvine the other day - it was not my normal route, I was going in an odd pattern - it also was not my normal car.

There is this black guy who comes up along side me, with his hand makes the shape of a gun, and makes a gesture like he is going to shoot. His car had no license plate, so I could not report - scary stuff though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/spin2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/spin2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/spin2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/spin2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/spin2.gif
 
Seriously though.

We're supposed to be tougher and smarter than this.
 
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