Private Aircraft Quietly Being Subjected to Surprise Searches Prior to takeoff and after landing at Nation’s Airports: AOPA | WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER 3,374,995 VISITS IN ONE YEAR---65,000 VISITS A WEEK BY 985,281 VISITORS

WPCNR AIR CHECK. From compiled reports. April 28, 2014:

Imagine rolling to a stop at say, Block Island Airport, and your plane is suddenly surrounded by law enforcement vehichles, or security officers with guns drawn. You’re asked to step out of your cockpit with you and your passengers and asked for permission to search your plane.

This is happening at airports, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. News articles in the Toledo Blade http://www.toledoblade.com/business/2013/09/09/Private-pilots-chafe-at-surprise-searches.html and Los Angeles Times http://articles.latimes.com/2014/apr/14/local/la-me-aircraft-searches-20140415 recount two such incidents in Dallas and Detroit.

This weekend the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association published a report documenting this new effort by national security agencies that may be read at

http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2013/June/19/AOPA-demands-answers-on-aircraft-searches.aspx

The government has not offered any explanation for these incidents, according to AOPA.

Private pilots should be aware apparently, that despite “unlawful search and seizure” protections by law, these searches are being conducted.