In the story ”Jet with 84 aboard avoids crash at 7,000 feet,” The Tribune reported on yet another near-collision between a small plane and a jetliner.
You made the statement, ”Small planes entering restricted airspace near airports are required to get tower permission and to carry transponders.”
That`s just fine for the responsible private pilot but what about the irresponsible bozo who`s drunk or simply couldn`t care less? He`s going to forget about requesting permission and pass on turning on the transponder.
I`m concerned about aviation safety but every time I step on a commercial jet I understand that there`s at least some element of risk involved with respect to equipment or pilot error. But it galls me to think that I, along with a large number of other innocent people, could be taken out by a lone, dim-bulb private plane pilot.
Private aircraft should be kept out of restricted airspaces, period.
