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Someone stole a plane from the airport in my city.
- Thread starter sycho
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"I got Goosed in Wawa" sound much better then "I got Gianted in Thunder Bay"
I am just finding there isn't much to do here anymore besides drinking and drugs. I can't even find a decent job or a nice place to live. My brother Ice Races in the Winter, but beyond that, there is really not too much to partake in here, it's either too cold out, or to wet out.
I am just finding there isn't much to do here anymore besides drinking and drugs. I can't even find a decent job or a nice place to live. My brother Ice Races in the Winter, but beyond that, there is really not too much to partake in here, it's either too cold out, or to wet out.
According to an article I read today, he was aloft for nearly six hours (not nine, as previously reported), and he was trying to kill himself -- hoping to be shot down. And he wasn't caught because he stopped to buy a Gatorade, he waited for the authorities to show up. This was one unhappy fellow. Fortunately nobody was hurt and even the airplane seems to have been undamaged.
Planes like this don't have an "ignition". The spark plugs are run by two redundant magneto systems that are always "on". They can be grounded out by a key switch but it is designed such that if any of that groundig system breaks the spark plugs go "hot". Because of the fail-safe design you can steel any airplane by simply pulling one wire. Everyone (how is trained to fly) knows this so there is little point hiding the key especially in a rental aircraft that is use in a school for many flights a day.
Cars have locks that prevent the engine from running unless several parts of the lock work. Plans are designed to continue to run even if some wires are cut. So, you can "hot wire" a plane with a wire cutter.
This person was a student pilot and had access to the keys. I doubt he'd have had the knowledge to start it otherwise. I own an airplane but don't know how to start it without the key.
This Skyhawk has a key for the mags, but most airplanes have keys to
lock the airplane and switches to start that are not keyed.
That's why airports have locked gates and patrols.
You can't get very far today in a stolen airplane before you get an escort anyway.
lock the airplane and switches to start that are not keyed.
That's why airports have locked gates and patrols.
You can't get very far today in a stolen airplane before you get an escort anyway.
Most airplanes have door locks, they just aren't very sturdy (especially on older Cessna airplanes). They prevent causal prying but won't deter a thief. Most of them also start with a key, but the best way to prevent airplane theft is a throttle lock (a piece of steel over the throttle locked with a padlock). Airplane theft is not a very common event. Most airplane owners are more concerned about avionics theft, which is far more of a risk.