William Wales causes panic at White House

Darren · Last edited by Darren on Thu Apr 30, 2009 6:35 pm; edited 2 times in total

That is William Wales of Maine, USA and not the William 'of' Wales. Mr Wales fell foul of the extended 'no-fly-zone' surrounding the White House last week as he transited the U.S. capital en-route to North Carolina.

Military jets intercepted the single engine Cessna being flown by Wales and escorted him to a nearby airport where he was met and interviewed by agents from the U.S. Secret Service.

The airport manager said he had spoken to a very shaken Mr Wales who had blamed an intermittent GPS problem for his navigational error. The arrival of two F-16s and a pair of Coastguard Helicopters had given him a very big scare.

President Obama had been relocated 'briefly' during the incident and the U.S. Senate was recessed. One can only wonder what action was taken (if any) against the people responsible for the low level flyby of Airforce One this week in New York.
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Darren Griffin

eyeQue · Lifetime Member Joined: Aug 27, 2008 Posts: 235

Darren · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 3:28 pm Post subject:

Very good, it is the Americans we are talking about and anyone who has gone through the humiliation they call immigration as a tourist now knows that humour is noticeably absent. I think they keep it locked away someplace.

The Swine flu epidemic is yet more reason not to spend any of my cash there until they stop treating me as a second class citizen every time I choose to enter the country.
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Darren Griffin

eyeQue · Lifetime Member Joined: Aug 27, 2008 Posts: 235

But are you registered as being from 'Wales'? Very Happy

This 'Wales' pilot has not done me any favours when they see my relatives addresses as being all Wales inside the passport!! Very Happy

That is Wales jest rather than Military jest.
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aerotec · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 6:30 pm Post subject:

What a numpty!

I have done some flying out of Potomac Airfield which is just south of DC and flying back in to the airfield you would have to be near blind to not realise you were flying towards somewhere that you really shouldn't be flying towards!

To even be allowed to fly within the DC restricted zone you have to go to Dulles for an interview and Reagan National to be fingerprinted and background checked so he really should have know better!

Lucky he didn't have a hot missile up has a**.

Shocked

Darren · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 6:37 pm Post subject:

To be fair the exclusion zone is now 20 miles radius so it's rather easier to stray into than it used to be.
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Darren Griffin

revmrf · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 15, 2009 Posts: 36

Darren · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 10:32 pm Post subject:

Whilst I accept the security is necessary I don't not accept the manner in which it is delivered. What I do object to is the manner in which it is handled.

This is not a gripe against the American people, just the system that operates at borders, the one that is unable to operate without acting like some officious prison warden.

We've not been without our own terrorist attacks yet we still manage to apply security and border controls without making all who visit here feel like something you need to scrape off your shoe!
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Darren Griffin

pendlemac · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 11:08 pm Post subject:

Darren, which airport did you fly into? I went out there in 2006 and saw no evidence of an attitude problem at all. Mind you, I did go to Sacremento via Chicago from Manchester.

Darren · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 11:17 pm Post subject:

Most recent were Orlando, Las Vegas & Chicago (last 18mths), all were sadly equally bad experiences.
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Darren Griffin

revmrf · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 15, 2009 Posts: 36

Darren,

The responsibility of each person online at airports to watch for potentially dangerous people is large. What I've found is that my own attitude at these places helps me and those responsible. I've been confronted at U.S. airports as well as Munich and Frankfort, and Israel. You're the one that said you weren't going to spend any more cash in the U.S. b/c of humiliation. Describe, please?

Darren · Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 8:02 am Post subject:

Look I'm sorry if I have caused you offence, it was not intentional. I'm a frequent and experienced air traveller and I've served in our Armed Forces and been a Police Officer so I'm more aware than most of security and terrorism.

We have long queues on occasion and I was flying out of London the day we had the panic over liquid based bombs which caused absolute havoc as we were ordered to check in all baggage inc cabin bags. But even then, when instructions and the possible threat was changing by the minute, staff managed to remain courteous.

In contrast on far too many flights to and from the US I have been met by surly TSA operatives, Border agents who looked like you were one step away from a strip search and interrogation and a general and pervasive impression that you were less than welcome.

Once I've gotten through this and landside we're back to the normal, friendly and almost overwhelmingly welcoming America that we all adore but I'm not going to apologise for my impressions of the hurdle that needs to be jumped to get that far!
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Darren Griffin

jblackmore · Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 9:27 am Post subject:

I have to agree that getting into the US is an ordeal, and puts me off travelling there !

This is well known and publicised, even by Americans :-):

http://www.breakthroughusa.co.uk/us-immigration-disney-training-77921/

"Following reports that aggressive immigration officials are responsible for 70 per cent of tourists dropping the US as a vacation spot, US immigration workers at airports are to be given lessons in charm from Disney."
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revmrf · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 15, 2009 Posts: 36

jeta1 · Posted: Mon May 04, 2009 7:37 pm Post subject:

I'm afraid I have to agree with Darren.

I have worked in aviation industry for 18 years, three of which were in the USA, I was working at Dulles (IAD) on 9/11 and have links to flight 77 on that dreadful day ... I therefore understand the need for airport security.

However there is no getting away from the fact that entering the USA is generally a rather unpleasant experience. With a number of very good American friends (as a result of working over there) then we have a great incentive to visit them and 'put up' with the unpleasant reception that is so often the norm. However I know others in the UK who have decided enough is enough and don't travel to the USA anymore.

I don't think it is impossible to have an efficient border control system that is also polite and friendly. In ten years of regular travel to the USA I have had one pleasant (and for that reason memorable) experience at immigration which was at Boston 2006!

Back to the reason for the thread, I'm gob smacked that the Cessna pilot could get it soooo wrong!

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