So, more than six years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the same loophole that allowed some of the hijackers to train on flight simulators still exists, Sen. Charles E. Schumer said Sunday. That includes 45 tri-state area flight school and more than 8,000 foreign student pilots who have not been cleared by the Transportation Security Administration -- foreign students who have been able to obtain pilot's licenses, Schumer said.
Which should make all of us wonder how, in this day and age, such a thing could happen.
In the wake of 9/11 news laws were put in place to require background checks that were to be completed prior to students receiving flight instruction. Seems logical to us. After all, advocates have argued for years for waiting periods for those attempting to buy guns. Why not background checks for folks wanting to become pilots.
But, of course, once again we see the problem with bureaucracy.
The TSA was supposed to crackdown onflight schools to make certain all the necessary background checks were completed -- and all the necessary documentation was in place. Instead, that hasn't happened. And who knows just how many potentially threatening scenarios now exist because of safety lapses that were supposed to protect America -- and Americans.
Now, Schumer is calling for spot inspections, fines for flight schools that knowingly accepted "barred students" and for new universal background checks.
Which seems like a good place to start.
But, officials who knowingly disregarded the mandates designed to protect us need more than just a slap on the wrist when all is said and done. They need to receive fines and serious jail time if found to have disregarded the law. Only then will the authorities be able to make certain these important anti-terrorism based laws are followed -- instead of simply being ignored in the age-old pursuit of profits.
Odds and ends . . .
Boyd Coddington could be gruff and even irrational. But the legendary wheel and hot-rod builder built some of the coolest rods and rims around -- becoming a TV personality in the process. The automotive sports world suffered a loss late last week when Coddington, 63, died unexpectedly -- apparently as the result of complications following a fall in January. He is probably best known to casual fans for his show and for building the legendary "Cadzilla" for ZZ Top rocker Billy Gibbons. But anyone who was a real motorhead knew his rim designs were ground-breaking -- and that the cars built in his shop were works of art . . . An airline passenger from Texas was sentenced recently to 10 months in jail -- after he threatened the crew of a JetBlue flight who refused to serve him alcohol. The 27-year-old man had made comments about shooting and killing the crew after the plane was diverted to Buffalo last June. There's dumb -- and there's dumber. But this one has to be right up there. Consider that in addition to the prison time, the man was also fined $2,800 . . . Our service announcement of the month goes to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for this one posted in February. Under the heading of an urgent service alert, MTA Bus posted this note: "All service is running normally." Ah, so if that is so urgent then we have to wonder if it's just normal when service isn't running normally . . . By the way, the Long Island Rail Road appears to be sliding further into the abyss with each passing day -- and it no longer is uncommon to see "mechanical trouble" leading to the cancellation of trains on a near-daily basis. In fact, within the past week alone, there have been a handful of cnacellations -- and even more delays -- due to mechanical and maintenance issues. It's seriously time for state and federal officials to step in and figure out what's going on with the railroad -- and get it fixed. The LIRR is, after all, the largest commuter railroad in the nation and the current state of operations is unforgivable. From gaps to problems with its diesel fleet to rail problems to an assortment of mechanical problems and troubles the railroad is sliding into a state of catastrophe. Something needs to be done to save it. Instead, the only thing commuters have received is a fare hike. That's just not fair.