Originally published at: FAA Warns Red Lake Nation Over Seized Aircraft Dispute
Agency threatens enforcement action after tribe refuses to return a pilot’s aircraft following an emergency landing.
If I were the pilot/owner I think I would have paid the towing fee and the youth contribution to retrive my aircraft if the costs were reasonable. That would be better than having the aircraft tied up for 8 months. After all he would have had to pay to retrieve the aircraft and perhaps even storage fees even if not on tribal land. That just goes along with an off airport landing. Personally I would have been happy that there were no injuries and that there was no damage to the aircraft.
Wingmanxd:
Essentially you are accepting the Tribe’s illegal theft of an aircraft. Several tribes have, over the past several years, asserted illegal ownership of airspace. Tribes, as in this case, have committed illegal extortion by impounding of aircraft landed with legitimate emergencies. Forced “donations” amount to additional theft. Several aircraft are seriously damaged in the illegal impounds resulting in large costs to restore airworthy conditions. Your suggestion merely encourages tribes to continue these grossly illegal practices.
Perhaps the State of Minnesota should play the same game–threaten to cut off the “special status” of the tribe regarding any State funding–and making the tribe conform to all the laws that the tribe claims they are exempt from. The millions of dollars from the state and “special exemptions” from laws to the tribe that affect the rest of the residents far outweigh the cost of a nearly 80 year old airplane.
The tribe is well within their rights as a closed reservation to confiscate the airplane. Where was the outcry of unfairness when non natives were destroying thousands of dollars worth of nets and taking away the livelihood of many? Why not just pay the fine?
Clearly not, as this article states in plain English.
Just because a band of thieves wants something to be true, doesn’t make it true.
It was inevitable that someone would make this argument. What a brilliant idea no one’s ever thought of before: let’s inflict pain on the innocent civilians who are the members of this tribe. Gosh, that’s so original. I’m sure no one in U.S. history has ever done that to a tribe before.
Doing it because some dude had his airplane tied up for a few months would definitely be justified too.
As for tribes taking legal positions that are not supported by the law: again, gosh, I have never ever heard of a state or municipality ever doing that elsewhere in the United States. It just never happens. It’s only this tribe that has erred. So now, let us destroy it.
what law do you base this on? In the US airspace is regulated by the FAA and that includes emergency operation ie forced landing. NOW towing and storage can be assessed to clear an area for safety reasons but that is all. and again THAT Aircraft should not have been moved except for a minimum required until the NTSB allowed such as per all aircraft accident.
JUST because a non FFA entity passes an ordinance doe not mean it tis lawful. Huntington Beach tried this a decade ago and had it hat handed to them w an FAA action.
This topic was automatically closed after 7 days. New replies are no longer allowed.