rsmith6621a
04-01-2003, 09:11 PM
I wrote this to Amy Clancy of KIRO TV in Seattle Washington this afternoon in concerns to a story posted on the KIRO website regarding Shoulder launched Missles.
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Dear Amy,
This morning I made my morning stop on the KIRO website and was disturbed to read the story about Shoulder Launched Missles.
The reason that I am concerned about this story is because it could possibly affect a hobby/passion of mine and many others in the Seattle area as well as across the country. This hobby is to a great degree misunderstood by not only local airport authoritys but also by the Federal goverment as well. What is this hobby you might be asking yourself, it is called SPOTTING or otherwise known as aviation photography by aviation enthusiest.
Spotting is generally done in close proximity to the airport normaly off sideroads where there is a view of the runways, in Seattle that would be 154th and 188th Streets. at some more spotter frendly airports it is done in provided observation decks much like the old one at Sea-Tac and pre-9/11 out at the jetgates. As you know between 9/11 the new airport expansion as well as the third runway options for the spotter at Sea-Tac are very low almost non-exsistant.
As you can now grasp with the nature of the 60 Minutes story the findings how ever they are reached could have a lasting/permanent effects on this passion. In the story the cameraperson zoomed and panned eastward towards some apartments I guess it leaves me wondering if the FAA comes back with a finding showing that Sea-Tac is a high risk would they ask the Port of Seattle to begin moving the residents of those apartments and homes and the many residence North and West near Burien, they are just as much of a potential risk as someone who sits under the runway with a digital camera and a Pepsi are they not????
Spotter by the dozens daily are being stopped,questioned, and in some cases ask to leave the location they are at. Us spotters around the world in a effort to preserve our passion are very cooperative with authoritys and do as they ask. Spotter can be a great frontline defense in fending off these possible Missle attacks as we are always watching the areas we are at.We as a community wish to work with the local airport and many are willing to submit to limited background checks to get proper authorization to do photography.
I guess Amy what I see happening with aviation is that it seems as though the hay days are over. Look to Chicago this past week the Mayor in a sneak attack closed and demolished Meigs Feild after agreeing with the AOPA not to put it out of service...how much easier would it be to not allow photograpers around airports????
Amy feel free to check out the following sites to get an idea of what this letter is all about. I think that this would make a great story for the 5:00 news one night.
http://www.airliners.net/
http://www.jetphotos.net/
Amy Thank you for your time in reading this e-mail.
Sincerely
Randall Smith
**********************************************
Dear Amy,
This morning I made my morning stop on the KIRO website and was disturbed to read the story about Shoulder Launched Missles.
The reason that I am concerned about this story is because it could possibly affect a hobby/passion of mine and many others in the Seattle area as well as across the country. This hobby is to a great degree misunderstood by not only local airport authoritys but also by the Federal goverment as well. What is this hobby you might be asking yourself, it is called SPOTTING or otherwise known as aviation photography by aviation enthusiest.
Spotting is generally done in close proximity to the airport normaly off sideroads where there is a view of the runways, in Seattle that would be 154th and 188th Streets. at some more spotter frendly airports it is done in provided observation decks much like the old one at Sea-Tac and pre-9/11 out at the jetgates. As you know between 9/11 the new airport expansion as well as the third runway options for the spotter at Sea-Tac are very low almost non-exsistant.
As you can now grasp with the nature of the 60 Minutes story the findings how ever they are reached could have a lasting/permanent effects on this passion. In the story the cameraperson zoomed and panned eastward towards some apartments I guess it leaves me wondering if the FAA comes back with a finding showing that Sea-Tac is a high risk would they ask the Port of Seattle to begin moving the residents of those apartments and homes and the many residence North and West near Burien, they are just as much of a potential risk as someone who sits under the runway with a digital camera and a Pepsi are they not????
Spotter by the dozens daily are being stopped,questioned, and in some cases ask to leave the location they are at. Us spotters around the world in a effort to preserve our passion are very cooperative with authoritys and do as they ask. Spotter can be a great frontline defense in fending off these possible Missle attacks as we are always watching the areas we are at.We as a community wish to work with the local airport and many are willing to submit to limited background checks to get proper authorization to do photography.
I guess Amy what I see happening with aviation is that it seems as though the hay days are over. Look to Chicago this past week the Mayor in a sneak attack closed and demolished Meigs Feild after agreeing with the AOPA not to put it out of service...how much easier would it be to not allow photograpers around airports????
Amy feel free to check out the following sites to get an idea of what this letter is all about. I think that this would make a great story for the 5:00 news one night.
http://www.airliners.net/
http://www.jetphotos.net/
Amy Thank you for your time in reading this e-mail.
Sincerely
Randall Smith