Senator James Inhofe (R, Ok.) has remained the world’s most staunch critic of global warming — refusing even minor concessions on curbing pollution to reduce the danger. He appears to follow the same blind approach to flying. New released documents from the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that Inhofe intentionally landed landed his Cessna on a closed runway at a south Texas airport. The move reportedly endangered construction workers who had to scatter from his path as he “hopped” over them and at least six vehicles.
None of this was made public and no criminal charges were brought. That seems highly irregular since the FAA concluded that Inhofe, 76, did it intentionally and saw the giant X painted on the runway.
Inhofe was allowed to “complete a program of remedial training.” Lesson One, do not try to land aircraft on construction sites by hopping over workers and vehicles.
The supervisor at the scene, Sidney Boyd, is recorded as saying the pilot “scared the crap out of” workers and “damn near hit” a red truck. He added, “I think [the truck driver] actually wet his britches, he was scared to death. I mean, hell, he started trying to head for the side of the runway. The pilot could see him, or he should have been able to, he was right on him.” What is also most striking is that Boyd describes Inhofe as showing no sense of guilt. Instead, he seemed angry that his path was not cleared: “He come over here and started being like, ‘What the hell is this? I was supposed to have unlimited airspace.’” In a second call, he added “He was determined to land on that runway come hell or high water evidently.” He added, “I’m still shaking…I was in the middle of the runway, I headed for high country.”
A later report from an air traffic controller put it succinctly: “N115 Echo Alpha landed right in the middle of them doing their work on runway 1331 and damn near killed somebody out there.”
Inhofe is quoted as dismissing the matter as “an old story.”
You can listen to the taped recordings on The Smoking Gun.
There was no public apology. No charge. He did not even get a nickname like “Get Off” Inhofe to warn future workers of his tendency have workers flee from his path.
For environmentalists, the temptation is a bit too great to argue that Inhofe flys the way he legislates: expecting God to make the controls. After calling global warming the “greatest hoax” in history, Inhofe added:
INHOFE: I think I was right on that, and I do believe — first off, let’s keep in mind, though, what the issue is. It’s not whether or not we’re going into a global warming period. We were. We’re not now. . . . You know, God’s still up there. We’re now going through a cooling spell. And the whole issue there was is it man-made gases, anthropogenic gases, CO2, methane. I don’t think so.
It appears you can also close your eyes as a pilot and just hop around obstacles.
Source: Smoking Gun as first seen on Reddit
He’ll have to kill someone…
rafflaw,
re:
“Inhofe should have been grounded. OS, if you or I had one that we would have been flying commercial from then on.”
Ain’t that the truth. Special rules for special people…
The database is current. It only shows currently licensed airmen. Also has a vast database of US registered aircraft. Aviation Medical Examiners, etc. Go to http://www.landings.com/ and at the bottom of the page you will see links to the databases. For example, here is mine:
Class of Medical : 3
Expiration of Class 3 : Feb, 2012
Airman Certificates : Private Pilot
Airplane Single and Multi Engine Land
Glider Aero Tow
Instrument Airplane
I used to have a second class medical, but have no interest in flying commercial, so let that go for the easier to pass third class.
OS,
How far back does that database go? I am referring to the Airman database that you referenced.
Inhofe should have been grounded. OS, if you or I had one that we would have been flying commercial from then on.
BIL, you may be right. His DD-214 would tell the story.
OS,
In re Navy training. I don’t think it’s that odd considering they were still transitioning from the Army Air Force (formerly the Army Air Corps) into the Air Force during the 1950’s. They didn’t become the U.S. Air Force officially until 1947. I can see a situation where that transition may have left them a bit short on trainers and borrowing some from the Navy. The Armed Forces have been known to cross-train.
Lisa, he does indeed hold a Commercial pilot’s license and holds a rating as a flight instructor as well. The following is from the database. However, his current license has been downrated from commercial to private pilot, and his private ticket expires August 2012. That apparently happened when his medical certificate went from second class to third class. One has to have a first or second class medical certificate in order to keep a commercial ticket. All a private pilot has to have is a third class medical. One has to wonder if he failed the strict conditions needed to pass a second class medical but could pass the lower standards of the third class.
Airmen Database Search Result is below:
Name : INHOFE, JAMES MOUNTAIN
Airman’s Address : 2139 E 32ND ST
TULSA, OK, 74105-2213
FAA Region : Southwest
Date of Medical : Oct, 2009
Class of Medical : 2
Expiration of Class 2 : Oct, 2010
Airman Certificates : Commercial Pilot
Airplane Single and Multi Engine
Land
Airplane Single Engine Sea
Instrument Airplane
Flight Instructor (exp: 31-Jul-2012)
Airplane Single and Multi Engine
According to the information I have been able to glean, he was in the Army, but was taught to fly by the US Navy. Whether he was actually in the Navy for a time is not clear from the biographical information I find; however, I find it strange the Navy might have been teaching a member of the Army to fly. It is not unusual for a member of the service to request a transfer to another service, so it is possible he started in the Navy and ended up in the Army. As I said, the biographical data on that is rather sketchy. I suppose one could get a copy of his DD-214 under FOIA.
That is the way the sky-hops over the scientific facts as well.
What kind of folk voted him into office and keep him there?
Time for a vaccime.
http://blogdredd.blogspot.com/2011/04/v-evolution-of-vaccime.html
Thanks OS. You are a voice of reason.
But, somehow it doesn’t sit well with me at all.
Four hours recurrency training is great for all of us, I think.
I did not consider any age ability related factor. I did not think he was that old.
OR, maybe he should just have a co pilot with him for say six months or so or permanently.
Like you say, picture this, IFR down to minimums… No where to go but hell…
@Otteray– Naval Aviator? I don’t think so. He was in the army in the late 1950’s. I also doubt the commercial pilots license. He has always flown small planes, as far as I know and this isn’t his first incident, though it is probably the worst. Something happened at an airport in Norman, Ok a few years ago. Unfortunately, this idiot is my Senator.
Bud, since this would have had to be an administrative law action and not a criminal prosecution, I do not think we would have had a stay at the local Sheriff’s Bed & Breakfast, but I do think we might have been doing any future flying sitting in the back with a paid ticket.
As you probably know, there are occasional runway incursions, and most do not warren revocation. A lot depends on circumstances and how persuasive the pilot is in explaining his or her actions to some folks in suits who do not seem capable of smiling. After all this shakes out, perhaps the four hours of recurrency safety training might be appropriate. If the CFI thinks he will be this arrogant again, perhaps the CFI will make a recommendation that his license be jerked.
I read a study a couple of days ago which showed as people grow older, they slowly lose ability to multi-task. At 76 years of age, should he be flying a high-performance complex twin? Maybe or maybe not. He was VFR, but if he screws up like this on VFR, what happens if he is flying an IFR approach to minimums?
Anonymously Yours 1, April 14, 2011 at 8:03 am
Was he drinking?
—————————————————————-
Maybe he was just enjoying life’s ummm Higher Powers?
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/04/13/ontario-judge-strikes-down-marijuana-laws/
OS,
Sounds like to me the weather was VFR.
Sounds like to me he should have looked out the window,
before he was on a short final.
Sounds like to me, he should have listened to Corpus approach when they told him their was a NOTAM out for Port Isabel Airport(?). He said he had that NOTAM, but he continued. He saw the “X” on the runway, but he continued.
OS, how often do you land on a runway when it is obstructed by man, vehicles or aircraft? I bet never.
This guy put people’s lives in danger because he thought, correction he knows he is above any law.
I am sure if you or I did this same stunt we would be the guests of the poorest Texas jail for life.
When I first posted this story on the corrections page I flashed back to this.
First transmission (between FAA and worker at airport):
What’s the name again?
Inhaw.
How do you spell that?
I-N-H-A-W…
Second transmission:
“He was determined to land, come hell or high water…”
AY, re: distractions
‘When questioned by FAA investigators if there had been any distractions in the cockpit before he landed on the closed runway, Inhofe “did volunteer that he was showing a new hire employee seated in the right seat how the technology of the cockpit instrumentation worked.”’
So, I’m just sayin’ that he’s just sayin’…
Anyway, that’s Inhaw….INHAW…
Rudolf Hess, AY. His official title was “Deputy to the Fuhrer.” I’m not sure if his rank was General though. Probably was.
All FAA actions are under administrative law. The FAA does not prosecute criminal cases. Only if a crime has been committed under some statute is a case referred to either the US Attorney or local prosecutor. General aviation rules fall under Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR). All violations of Part 91 are handled under administrative law procedures.
Scaring the pants off a ground crew falls under the heading of Not A Good Thing, but unless some specific criminal statute has been violated, there is no criminal proceeding possible.
When a runway is closed, they paint a giant “X” on each end of the runway. Sometimes instead of painting it on the runway, if the closure is temporary, a huge lighted “x” sign on the back of a truck or trailer is parked at the end of the runway facing incoming traffic. Those are somewhat similar to the ones we see directing traffic around construction sites on the highway, just a lot bigger. These symbols, whether painted or upright lighted signs, are impossible to miss.
Inhofe is a former Naval aviator and holds a commercial pilot’s license. He has had top-notch training as a pilot and knows very well the meaning of a closed runway sign. You do not just hop over vehicles on the runway and land further down. The plane he was flying, as Cessna 340, is a twin engine airplane that is easy to fly. He did this deliberately.
As an administrative action, the FAA had three options: 1. revocation of license; 2. suspension of license for a specified time, usually 90 days; 3. ordering mandatory retraining with a Certified Flight Instructor. If the third option is exercised, at the end of the mandated instruction time the CFI will make a recommendation for further action by the FAA if warranted.
To give you a better idea of the “sight picture’ Inhofe was seeing, the short video below is a normal landing under VFR conditions in a Cessna 340, identical to the one Inhofe was flying. This pilot is landing on a runway that has an overrun, which is the section marked by the arrowheads. It is a violation to land on an overrun except in emergency conditions. The legal landing zone begins with the strip painted across the runway. The pilot in the video lands a ‘squeaker’ right on the numbers and is an excellent landing. Had he seen a big “X” where the numbers are supposed to be, all he had to do is grab a handful of engine control levers, shove them to the firewall and go around.
Isn’t this how the Nazis concluded that they owned the airspace? What was the Geneals name that fled to the UK?
76 and flying…. Was he drinking?
There are important people and there are unimportant people?
Unimportant people are not to bother important people?
Those unimportant workers should be jailed for bothering an important person by wrongully being on that runway when the important person needed it?