Striking the wrong plane

Florida Representative Scott Plakon and Senator Carey Baker are drafting
legislation.pdf to grant airports immunity from state and local liabilities to deter wildlife following the Hudson River landing of a US Airways Airbus A320 caused by a bird strike last month.

"You don't want to put your employees in legal jeopardy for trying to keep airline passengers safe. It's just not right," Plakon tells me. 

The issue is somewhat personal for the Central Florida politician (pictured).

Last summer his wife was on an aircraft that experienced a bird strike while departing Newburg, New York's Stewart International airport, Plakon says.

Susie wasn't sure if the wheels were off the ground when it happened, but the strike caused enough damage that passengers had had to switch aircraft, he explains.

"It's interesting working on something  that affects you personally," he says.

Both Plakon and Baker say they are confident The Airline Safety and Wildlife Protection Act will pass this year.

(The photo of Scott and Susie Plakon is from Plakon's election Web site).