CROP DUSTERS Grounded In FBI Probe

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Crop Dusters Grounded in FBI Probe

By PETE YOST Associated Press Writer

September 24, 2001, 2:21 AM EDT

WASHINGTON -- The federal government ordered a one-day grounding of crop-dusting planes nationwide, and newspapers reported possible links between the aircraft and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The stand-down Sunday marked the second time that agricultural pilots have been told not to fly since the attacks.

Asked about the new grounding, the FBI said it was one of the steps the bureau has taken out of "an abundance of caution" and "in reaction to every bit of information and threats received during the course of this investigation."

James Callan, executive director of the National Agricultural Aviation Association, said he got a call from a Federal Aviation Administration official about 8 o'clock Sunday morning.

"They said it was a national security issue," said Callan. "I made some calls and the indication was that there still is no specific threat, but the FBI apparently ordered this and they just want to make sure that everyone in the ag aviation industry is keeping their eyes and ears open."

Three Middle Eastern men inquired about crop-duster planes during visits earlier this year to a single-runway airport in Belle Glade, Fla., The Washington Post and the Miami Herald reported in Monday editions. One of the men has since been identified as Mohamed Atta, believed to be one of the suicide hijackers in the terrorist attacks on New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon in Virginia.

The Post also reported that government investigators found a crop-duster manual among the possessions of Zacarias Moussaoui, who is in federal custody.

FAA spokesman Scott Brenner said, "The intelligence community came to us and encouraged us to shut down the crop dusters."

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld outlined the potential threat Sunday on CBS' "Face The Nation," saying that countries sponsoring terrorism have "very active chemical and biological warfare programs."

"We know that they are in close contact with terrorist networks around the world," he said.

Crop dusters also were grounded Sept. 16 and for the past week have been barred from flying over metropolitan areas, with some exceptions. The crop dusters were grounded along with all other civilian aircraft after the attacks, with flights resuming Sept. 14.

Callan said there are probably about 3,500 agricultural aviators and that this is a crucial time of the year for aerial spraying of crops.

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On the Web:

National Agricultural Aviation Association: http://www.agaviation.org/ Copyright © 2001, The Associated Press

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

Answers

Cropduster Manual Discovered

Sources tell TIME that U.S. officials suspect that bin Laden conspirators may have been planning to disperse biological or chemical agents from cropdusting planes

BY MASSIMO CALABRESI AND SALLY DONNELLY

Saturday, Sep. 22, 2001 New York -- U.S. law enforcement officials have found a manual on the operation of cropdusting equipment while searching suspected terrorist hideouts, government sources tell TIME magazine in an issue out on Monday, Sept. 24th.

The discovery has added to concerns among government counterterrorism experts that the bin Laden conspirators may have been planning — or may still be planning —to disperse biological or chemical agents from a cropdusting plane normally used for agricultural purposes.

Among the belongings of suspected terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui, sources tell TIME, were manuals showing how to operate cropdusting equipment that could be used to spray fast-killing toxins into the air.

The discovery resulted in the grounding of all cropdusters nationwide on Sunday Sept. 16th. The dusters have been allowed back up, but are not allowed to take off or land from what traffic controllers refer to as Class B airspace, or the skies around major cities.

One senior official cautions that because corroborative evidence is lacking the FBI does not place "high credibility" in the notion that the hijackers were in fact exploring the idea of stealing or renting cropdusters. However, the FBI is advising members of a crop-dusters' group to report any suspicious buys of dangerous chemicals in the wake of last week's terrorist attacks.

Last week, the National Agricultural Aviation Association, a crop dusters trade group, posted a message from the FBI to its membership: "Members should be vigilant to any suspicious activity relative to the use, training in or acquisition of dangerous chemicals or airborne application of same including threats, unusual purchases, suspicious behavior by employees or customers, and unusual contacts with the public. Members should report any suspicious circumstances or information to local FBI offices."

—With reporting by Elaine Shannon/Washington

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001


Makes one consider all the 'traffic helicopters,' too.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

And don't forget Med Flight! One of the hospital guys said that all Med Flights now had to be cleared with the FAA, which initially only slowed them down by two minutes, but now the process is taking as long as five minutes.

Med Flight is in use daily around here. Frequently, victims of freeway crashes are air-lifted to the hospitals. In some cases, there is either no good way to get an emergency vehicle to the spot, or the victim is so badly damaged that mere seconds can determine whether s/he is going to live or die.

I wonder how much longer Med Flight will be required to "check in." I suspect this'll be one of the first security procedures to go by the wayside in the weeks to follow.

I don't know how difficult it would or would not be for a terrorist to snitch a Med Flight Helo. I would suspect that one from a radio or TV station would be easier, depending on whether the pilot was an ex- vet or not. I, for one, wouldn't mess with an former 'Nam pilot.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001


Probe Shines Light on Crop Dusters

By JOHN PORRETTO AP Business Writer

September 25, 2001, 5:02 AM EDT

JACKSON, Miss. -- They buzz over farmland across the nation, the enemy of weeds and insects. They affect what goes into millions of mouths.

Yet Americans rarely get to see the nation's 4,000 crop dusting planes in action or realize their importance to the nation's agricultural health and economy.

For many, the aircraft conjures up a scene in Alfred Hitchcock's 1959 thriller "North by Northwest" in which one chases Cary Grant across a field.

The reality is that the average agricultural pilot protects between $12 million and $15 million in farm products each year, according to Pat Kornegay, president of the National Agricultural Aviation Association.

Two government bans on their use since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks -- the last of which was lifted early Tuesday -- have already affected the industry.

Crop duster pilots say they understand the need for national security measures, but they're frustrated because this is the time of year many pilots make the bulk of their income.

"I need to be spraying cotton right now because once it's mature and picked, there's no more work to be done," said Mike Wade, a duster for 24 years. "After that, you can do maintenance on your planes or go hunting -- but you're not going to make money doing either."

The aerial application of chemicals dates to 1921 when lead arsenate dust was spread over catalpa trees to kill moth larvae in Ohio. A year later, biplanes in the South killed boll weevils in cotton fields.

In those days, the planes were known as "crop-dusters" because they sprayed dry chemicals. Today, most use liquid products to control a variety of pests and diseases.

The planes have complicated computer systems that monitor guidance and chemical applications. A pilot must receive extensive training and typically works for several years on a ground crew before being able to fly one of the aircraft.

Kornegay said the chances of someone hijacking a crop-duster are remote because they're extremely difficult to fly. "Just getting one off the ground would be difficult for a general aviation pilot," Kornegay said.

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On the Net:

National Agricultural Aviation Association: http://www.agaviation.org

American Crop Protection Association: http://www.acpa.org

Copyright © 2001, The Associated Press

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001


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