AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2010 - 60

AircrAft finAncing

What you can do
Aircraft thefts in the United States are pretty rare. Colton Harris-Moore may have been a statistical anomaly, but there are concerns that the notoriety he has received could inspire copycat crimes. “Our biggest enemy is complacency, and the perception of general aviation cannot afford complacency,” said Brittney Miculka, AOPA manager of security and borders. “General aviation remains secure because we are a close-knit community that looks out for each other. It is important to take the proper measures to secure your airplane—every time. Security is everyone’s responsibility.” There are simple, economical steps aircraft owners and pilots can take to deter potential thieves. Prop locks, easily secured around and removed from the propeller, can be purchased for as little as $60. Throttle locks cover and immobilize push/ pull and vernier-type throttles and mixture controls; they can be purchased for less than $100. Wheel locks and locking wheel chocks also are available, for a variety of prices, but may not be the best choice if an FBO may have to move your aircraft. All are available from Sporty’s Pilot Shop, Aircraft Spruce, and other pilot-supply outlets. Assess the security of your hangar, and if necessary, consider upgrading the walkin door or installing a steel latch cover. —MPC

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“The airplane was taken, it’s estimated, sometime around 6 a.m. The crash occurred roughly three, three and a half hours later. The plane was put down in a large wilderness area just to the east of Mount Rainier,” on the Yakama Indian Reservation. “It looked like a badminton birdie, with its tail sticking up in the air.” From a distance it didn’t appear damaged, but the prop, nose gear, and struts were destroyed, and the fuselage was damaged by brush. “You can tell that the plane did not impact the ground—it was not nearly as damaged as you would have expected for that sort of terrain,” Rivers said. People who arrived shortly after the crash said the wind was blowing so hard it was difficult for a man to stand up. “This was in hills and mountains varying from 2,000 to 14,000 feet. That must have been a very rough ride. This was confirmed by the presence of vomit all over my plane.” Rivers said he was struck by feelings of fear, failure, and loss—all at once. “What kind of scary person would do something this reckless? Drug runners? The tranquility of this quiet little island airport, where so many nice people had encouraged and helped me learn to fly, was shattered,” he said. “I couldn’t get it out of my head that my airplane had crashed. Even though I didn’t have anything to do with it, I felt that I had somehow let the airplane down.” Rivers’ airplane was totaled, and he replaced it with a similar 2000 Cessna
AOPA PILOT •

182, bought as surplus from the Pennsylvania State Police. “Something about having a bad-ass police plane felt right,” he said. “And I had no plane for six months. The feeling of suddenly being grounded was an unexpected lifestyle change.” It took that long for Rivers to negotiate the insurance settlement and then find a replacement airplane. ••• Although Rivers had never heard of Colton Harris-Moore before his airplane was stolen, Gardiner got a warning of suspicious activity nearby before his Cessna was taken. (In the meantime, Harris-Moore was suspected of stealing a Cirrus SR22 in Friday Harbor, Washington, and flying it to Orcas Island on September 11, 2009.) An airport board member had heard several hangars were broken into at Creston Airport in British Columbia, Canada, not too far north of Bonners Ferry—and a Cessna 182 probably would have been stolen there, except the thief ran its battery down. Fast-forward to the hangar breakin. Gardiner said his hangar had a sign warning of an electronic surveillance system, and he thinks the thief broke in, then left to see what would happen. (There was no system then, but one has been added.) “At that point there was no clue it was the ‘Barefoot Bandit’,” he said. “We figured that he broke in at night, and sat in the plane and read the POH. He had stolen a bicycle from the FBO, down at the end of the runway, and

60 • NOVEMBER

2010

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AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2010