another government fishing expedition?

Disturbing Phone Call?

I own a hanger in the South Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. The airport manager just called me demanding the N number of all the aircraft hangered their. She said the FBI had requested this information. She claims to have sent me a letter requesting this information but is now calling me since I have not responded, due to never reciving any such letter.

Does any one know why the government is engaged in another fishing expedition for info about general aviation or what this request is really about?


Bostontea

Our county requires all the n-numbers of the airplanes hangared at our home base so they can assess the yearly property tax on the owners. I would seriously doubt the FBI had anything to do with this.

If the feds were looking for something they would just get warrants (or make up some lame excuse for probable cause) and go through the hangars.

Jamie said:

Our county requires all the n-numbers of the airplanes hangared at our home base so they can assess the yearly property tax on the owners. I would seriously doubt the FBI had anything to do with this.

If the feds were looking for something they would just get warrants (or make up some lame excuse for probable cause) and go through the hangars.

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Ditto for North Carolina. Make the FBI get a warrant if they want to know what's in that hangar.

Remember, it is your right to be free of unreasonable search and seizure. Should the FBI produce a warrant, great them at the door, open it, and stand back. It would also be good to have your attorney there along with a camera, just in case something gets damaged.

Weird

N941WR said:

Make the FBI get a warrant if they want to know what's in that hangar. Remember, it is your right to be free of unreasonable search and seizure.

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Illegal search and seizure? Not any more, at least if they call you a security risk, eg suspension of writ of habeas corpus and all. What happen to privacy. Be careful when that all black Gulf Stream jet pulls-up; they may grab you and fly off to a foreign land to water board you for those N numbers. (I'm kidding if anyone in the FBI is monitoring, oh no, who is that at my door? Doha!)

I agree with you Bill, who knows if it's the FBI or TAX man? Make them send you a certified letter or serve a warrant. If they are using the FBI to get taxes, that seems like a misuse of manpower or abuse of power. What is the FBI's charter? Tax collection?

Who knows, but its weird. They know who owns the hanger and what airplanes you own and everything about you and your family. They have ways to find out.

normal condition...

Where we used to fly out of, the CAP routinely used to copy N-Numbers down, on both based aircraft and transients, and the sheriff almost always was given a copy of that list. What they did with them, I don't know. I don't think there's anything to keep 'em from that, but I don't think you are under any obligation to report what's in your hangar unless your lease spells it out...

There is no such thing as privacy, or unreasonable search and seizure. It's only an illusion in our minds. It was incremental, we didn't fight it, and now it's a moot point.

There's still hope!

Bob Brown said:

...

There is no such thing as privacy, or unreasonable search and seizure. It's only an illusion in our minds. It was incremental, we didn't fight it, and now it's a moot point.

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Don't give up - There's still hope for America!

FBI

sounds like this "airport MGR" is full of ****. Just call the local Fbi and ask them if they want to look in your hangar,they will say No. Then go ask this Mgr why she is giving you a line of ****....If you dont mind me asking ,what airport is this?

did you. . .

tell the person anything?

bostontea said:

The airport manager just called me demanding the N number of all the aircraft hangered their. She said the FBI had requested this information.

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I'd ask to see a copy of the letter from the FBI. I doubt such a letter exists, but if there is one, it would be interesting to see the legal basis behind their request.

Law?

gmcjetpilot said:

Illegal search and seizure? Not any more, at least if they call you a security risk, eg suspension of writ of habeas corpus and all. What happen to privacy. Be careful when that all black Gulf Stream jet pulls-up; they may grab you and fly off to a foreign land to water board you for those N numbers. (I'm kidding if anyone in the FBI is monitoring, oh no, who is that at my door? Doha!)

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Lincoln - via Congress - did suspend Habeas Corpus, and Congress again OK'd it in 1996 and again, for enemy combatants, in 2006. Something like it was done by executive order in 2001. I don't think a US Citizen within US borders is subject to that suspension. I don't think that being called a security risk is necessarily equal to being an enemy combatant. I'm sure none of us likes any increase in government power, but I'm equally sure most of us would not like the results if our government could not fight the war.

We would not heed advice from someone who, for example, could not tell airspeed from groundspeed. I suggest we take equal care with legal terminology. George, I know part of your stuff was in jest, but I want to ensure the first part either was in jest or would not be taken seriously by others. I also don't see how the 4th amendment regarding search and seizure is contained within habeas corpus.

James,
Wait until the City of Savannah or Chatham County comes knocking on you door for personal property tax! I would suggest Ridgeland.