TSA snafu @ ORD

[N2625U]

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5613502&page=1

TSA Snafu Damages Nine Planes at O'Hare Field
Pilots Furious with Misstep
By JOSEPH RHEE, BRIAN ROSS, and ERIC LONGABARDI
August 19, 2008—


Nine American Eagle airplanes were grounded Tuesday after a TSA inspector, conducting an overnight security check, used sensitive instrument probes to climb onto the parked aircraft at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, aviation sources tell ABCNews.com.

A TSA official confirmed the incident.

At least forty regional commuter flights were delayed throughout the day, according to American Airlines. "We think it's an unfortunate situation," American airlines spokesperson Mary Frances told ABCNews.com.

The TSA agent, as part of spot inspection of aircraft security, climbed onto the parked aircraft using control sensors mounted on the fuselage as handholds, according to a TSA official in Chicago, Elio Montenegro.

"Our inspector was following routine procedure for securing the aircraft that were on the tarmac," Montenegro told ABCNews.com.

The TSA agent was attempting to determine if someone could break into a parked aircraft, according to Montenegro.

Pilots were furious at the TSA misstep.

"The brilliant employees used an instrument located just below the cockpit window that is critical to the operation of the onboard computers," one pilot wrote on an American Eagle internet forum. "They decided this instrument, the TAT probe, would be adequate to use as a ladder," the pilot wrote.

Another pilot wrote the TSA agents, "are now doing things to our aircraft that may put our lives, and the lives of our passengers at risk."

The TSA has been conducting such overnight spot checks at airports around the country.

Another airline, Mesa Air Group, told its employees earlier this month that "48 percent of all TSA investigations involving Mesa Air Group involve a failure to maintain area/aircraft security."

Mesa said it was imposing a "zero-tolerance" policy for such violations, threatening employees with dismissal.

[Robert Eilers]

Gentlemen in my opinion TSA needs to review their hiring and training standards. With the possible exception of Child Protective Services I have not encountered a greater heard of idiots than those habitating TSA. Quite frankly, TSA has too little to do and is beginning to become concerned about justifying their continued existance. There is nothing more dangerous than a Federal Buraucracy trying to justify its' continued funding. Before you know it they will be showing up at the local airports inspecting Aeronca Champs on the pretense the aircraft might be used by a terrorist and probably cutting holes in the fabric looking for bombs - God save us from idiots.

[Robert Eilers]

I'll let you know if I wind up on the Airline watch list!!!!

[jrenwick]

I'll let you know if I wind up on the Airline watch list!!!!

How will you know?

[johneeb]

I'll let you know if I wind up on the Airline watch list!!!!

How will you know?

He will know when this Guy

Black Spy.JPG (11.71 KiB) Viewed 9952 times

keeps showing up everywhere he goes!!!

[N2625U]

American Eagle Airlines Statement About TSA Actions In Chicago

American Eagle Airlines agrees with the TSA that the inspection process is an important layer of security detail.

American Eagle is confident that it followed all proper security procedures for securing aircraft overnight at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Discussing specific security procedures in detail in a public forum could compromise the security process.

On the morning of Aug. 19, a TSA transportation security inspector used a sensitive piece of equipment on nine American Eagle aircraft to hoist himself up from the ground onto several jet bridges at O'Hare. Such unorthodox inspection techniques required additional maintenance inspections per FAA procedures, causing delays to approximately 40 flights and inconveniencing hundreds of customers.

If not observed by vigilant Eagle employees in Chicago, the actions of this inspector would have been unknown and could have jeopardized the safety of our customers and crew because of potential damage to the sensitive equipment mounted on the aircraft fuselage.

American Eagle is also concerned that the TSA inspector's method of physically hoisting himself up to the jet bridge using a part of the aircraft could have placed him in physical danger.

FMI: http://www.aa.com
aero-news.net

[flyguy]

This is a pretty big story since yesterday on AP News. Comments regarding this story, on several online papers, rightly have been blasting the TSA and it's really lax management for this obvious stupidity . The administrators claim "that to use outside sensor probes, possibly pitot and other atmospheric probes (and lord knows what else) to climb up the sides of a parked airplane, follows proper training procedure". This has to be the stupidest thing of all. TSA officials deny that there could be any possibility of damage to airplanes because of "stupid" actions by their "well trained" inspectors. Witness have now come forward to say they have seen these guys doing this more than once. If anything comes of this I will be surprised but it has the Pilot Blogs in a real uproar. Maybe they can stir up enough concern that some senseless, out of touch administrator will get his seat hot enough to rescind this kind of "dumbing down" of so called airport security.

[c170b53]

Possibly even worse are the cabin inspections, where they nose into various areas oblivious to the components they are stepping on or crawling over. But I'm sure their training regime is through so don't worry, once they learn what they're doing and they have a bit of luck, they may move up to a higher paying job like burger flipping. Yes I believe the terrorist are stumped and I'm alot safer with this security scheme. Yikes

[c170b53]

Err.. sorry about the last comments I should try to be a bit more positive

[AKGrouch]

Err.. sorry about the last comments I should try to be a bit more positive

Don't apologize one bit. These idiots are a danger to us all!!!!!! They just prove that TSA stands for "Too Stupid for Arby's"

[N2625U]

TSA also stands for "Taxpayers Screwed Again".

[flyguy]

Err.. sorry about the last comments I should try to be a bit more positive

Don't apologize one bit. These idiots are a danger to us all!!!!!! They just prove that TSA stands for "Too Stupid for Arby's"

KNOW WHAT'S ANOTHER BUMMER IN THIS THING? WE ARE PAYING THEIR SALARIES. DOUBT WE ARE GETTING BEST VALUE FOR OUR HARD EARNED TAX DOLLARS.

[Robert Eilers]

Oh this only gets worse! Now TSA is claiming that Aemrican Eagle is somehow at fault because TSA's IDIOTIC employees where able to enter the aircraft. The best Bureaucratic tactic is to attack those who question you. Now American Eagle is under investigation by the iditots that climbed on the probes. I don't intend to go over the bend on this, but I think history provides us with an excellent lesson regarding bureacarcy driven by fear negating civil liberties and civil rights during Hitler's rise in pre-world war Germany. The TSA would have earned my respect by simply acknowledging that an employee did something stupid and stating that they are taking corrective measures. This attack on American Eagle as a defense of their own idiocy is just bureacratci bullying. I intend to spend all my efforts, as they are, with all the aviation organizations I belong to and the new administration, who ever they are, to eliminate or signiganctly cutail TSA's power. TSA clearly has demonstrated it is more concerned with self preservation that it is with performing the task it is responsible for.

[GAHorn]

... I don't intend to go over the bend on this, but I think history provides us with an excellent lesson regarding bureacarcy driven by fear negating civil liberties and civil rights during Hitler's rise in pre-world war Germany. ...

Not to mention the our own govt's reaction following 9-11, WMD's, and the Patriot Act. What a misnomer. (And it's what resulted in the creation of TSA.)

[N2625U]

I have a few problems with all of this. 1. You can't lock a Emb 145. 2. If the aircraft is away from the gate why try to get in it? If the door is open it's easier to get in straight through the doorway. The door sill is about chest high. 3. If the aircraft is at the gate then go up the jetway and enter the plane via the stairs. This whole deal sounds like TSA has a hardon against AA.

TSA Retaliates Against American Eagle

Says Agency Has "Consistently Found Problems" With Carrier At ORD

The US Transportation Security Administration, apparently embarrassed last week for supporting an inspector who climbed aboard American Eagle regional jets at Chicago O'Hare by using air temperature probes as grab handles, has retaliated against the airline with charges and fines.

The Transportation Security Administration told CNN Thursday it will investigate "multiple security violations," and may fine the airport as much as $175,000.

TSA says airlines are allowed to park planes with unsecured doors overnight, provided they're not too close to jetways, but American Eagle is leaving its planes both unlocked and too close. The agency told CNN it has "consistently found problems" with American Eagle at O'Hare, adding that this is an isolated problem unique to this airline at this airport.

As reported, on the morning of August 19 a TSA inspector reported he was able to gain access to seven of nine parked American Eagle planes... by grabbing the fragile air temperature probes on the outside of the fuselages to pull himself up to unlocked doors. The airline delayed 40 flights to check for damage, after its own employees observed the inspector, and warned maintenance officials.

The airline says neither TSA nor the inspector said anything about the dangerous stunt ahead of scheduled takeoffs, putting crews and passengers at risk.

The TSA now admits its inspector erred, and says he'll be retrained. But the agency says he was, "...seeking to close a real danger to the traveling public... The TSA stands behind the inspector and that effort."

It's hard not to wonder if they'd still back the inspector if this was all part of an NTSB report.

FMI: http://www.ntsb.gov, http://www.tsa.gov
aero-news.net