1. LOCK THE AIRCRAFT WHEN YOU PARK.

2. DO NOT LEAVE THE LOG BOOKS IN THE AIRCRAFT AT ANY TIME. In many cases, the logs are more valuable than the aircraft.

3. TAKE A PICTURE OF THE PLANE NOW AND HAVE COPIES MADE FOR USE IF THE PLANE IS STOLEN OR DESTROYED. Exterior & Interior. Photograph your control panel.

4. MAKE A LIST OF SERIALIZED PARTS INCLUDING YOUR INSTALLED ELECTRONICS. KEEP IT WITH YOUR AIRCRAFT PICTURES. This means your engine, props, moving parts, avionics, ELT, etc.

5. SEND A COPY OF THE LIST AND AIRCRAFT PICTURES TO YOUR INSURANCE AGENT OR THE INSURANCE OFFICE YOU DEAL WITH. If your aircraft is stolen, the information will be immediately available to law enforcement and your insurance company. The recovery process can then begin immediately.

1. Gather the log books, pictures and equipment list.

2. Contact the police department that has jurisdiction over the airport where the theft has occurred. Request the police immediately have the theft entered into NCIC (National Crime Information Center). This will alert all law enforcement agencies, border locations and ATC to the theft.

3. Contact your insurance agent or claims department of your insurance company.

4. Call ACPI at 800-969-5473 to report the theft. Here's the good news... pilots can now know when their aircraft is violated and where it is headed using new technology never before available to General Aviation. Read on...

THE SITUATION GENERAL AVIATION FACES TODAY

Field intelligence received by ACPI offers a changing picture of tactics being used by drug smugglers to increase their fleet of stolen aircraft. The bottom line is that these planes are being used to distribute illegal substances to staging areas in Latin America or into the United States.

The drug traffickers in Mexico and South America have been operating long-range turboprop aircraft to move their product, personnel and supplies to and from distribution centers. Armed personnel including some rebel groups operate and protect these bases. There is virtually no chance for inspection or verification of the status of the aircraft found at these bases. Many stolen U.S. registered turboprops and other models make up the traffickers' fleets.

However, changing politics, pressure on allied Latin American military by the U.S. and other reasons pressure the traffickers into adapting to the interdiction process they face.

The military in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia will shoot down any plane which refuses orders to land. These shoot downs occur with our own U.S. Customs Service Aircraft observing the action. In most cases, it is U.S. radar that spots the suspect aircraft and directs the Latin military to the intercept point.

When the suspect airbase is located, the Latin Air Forces conduct strafing and bombing sorties aimed at destroying aircraft on the ground and facilities at the bases. In many cases, it's too dangerous to conduct a ground raid on the airbase because many of these facilities are protected by rebel groups or are too deep into the jungle.

The "shoot down" policy is having its effect on the traffickers. Now, traffickers are switching to packhorse aircraft like the Cessna 206 for hauling their loads instead of the turboprop aircraft. The Cessnas are making tree top level flights between labs and other facilities. Pilots who once received $5000 per flight now demand, and receive, up to $50,000 per flight. The situation has become very dangerous for the traffickers.

Mexican traffickers are also after Cessna singles to haul marijuana out of harvesting areas in the mountains of western Mexico. Also, other aircraft including Cessnas are in demand for regular use in Mexico. There are still problems with stolen U.S. aircraft ending up in the Mexican registration system. As usual, money talks.

An aircraft parted out is worth much more than a whole aircraft in the U.S., Latin America or anywhere. Some illegal chop shops have been not only selling parted aircraft but they have also crated and shipped planes outside the U.S.

All this means we can expect more theft of aircraft in the future and the thefts will be of various models from single engine Cessna to turboprop models. A well-informed aircraft owner is the best defense in stopping the thief.

THE TARGETS & METHODS

The smugglers' preferences in the last eight years have been for Beech King Airs, Commander 900, 980 and 1000 models and an occasional Piper Cheyenne IIIs or Maule, and other aircraft which meet their requirements as the situation changes. More recently, the thieves are taking Cessna 210s, 206s and 207s for use in operating out of short, hidden points in the jungle regions or in Mexico. The Piper Navajo is also making a reappearance as a target.

In most cases, the stolen aircraft never land in the U.S. again. This makes the chances of recovery virtually nonexistent. Further, if one of the trafficker's aircraft malfunctions or needs parts, another aircraft is stolen to make the replacement. Crews, working part time and for big money, stand by waiting for an opportunity to steal a prime plane. This is especially true in the Bahamas and other island locations outside the U.S.

The following is a scenario of the theft methods used by aircraft thieves:

1. Once a target is identified, usually a transient plane in a resort area, a phone call is placed to the FBO from the "owner" with orders to fuel, and ready for flight. The caller specifies that the crew will arrive later, sometimes after hours. The thieves arrive at the target aircraft and simply depart. If line personnel are waiting, services are paid for with cash, stolen credit cards or a request to "bill the company".

2. Another method used is the phony demo-ride. A purportedly major company or "Hollywood" type contacts a sales rep with a request for a pre-sale demo. Once the target aircraft arrives at the destination, the crew is diverted from the ramp for a meal or other diversion while others steal the aircraft. The demo-ride scam will be well planned and executed.

Beware! CHECK DEMO REQUESTS THOROUGHLY!

3. Sometimes the crew of thieves will simple walk onto an airport, go to a tie-down or into a hangar and attempt to steal the target aircraft. In one case, alert line personnel noted the activity and challenged the thieves. When no explanation was given by the persons in the cockpit, the line crew moved a vehicle in front of the hangar blocking the aircraft. They then locked and abandoned their truck. This action saved the theft of a King Air 200.

4. Then there is the fraud situation where an owner cannot sell his plane, and arranges for it to be "stolen". Any suspicion of this type activity should be referred to ACPI for further guidance.