[FedCom] listen up (to hear five new BATF aircraft)

[Ed]

http://gsnmagazine.com/

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird...

Actually, if the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives has its way, those objects flying above you
might soon be one of five single-engine aircraft the ATF
hopes to lease from a commercial aviation company "to
obtain aerial photographs to document crime scenes or aid
in planning enforcement operations."

The ATF says it is "exploring the viability" of leasing
five high winged aircraft with good "slow flight"
characteristics on which it could mount surveillance
cameras to enhance its criminal investigations nationwide.

It plans to base these aircraft at airports near Columbus,
OH; Fort Worth, TX; Los Angeles, CA; Washington, DC; and
Miami, FL, and fly each plane at least 34 hours per month.


ATF wants to lease five aircraft to conduct surveillance
over Columbus, Ohio, and other U.S. cities


In a moment of wishful thinking, the ATF contracting
officer, James Huff, asked potential leasing companies to
keep ATF's plans hush-hush.

"Because some of these airplanes may be used in an
undercover or law enforcement sensitive nature, leasing
companies must keep the ATF's involvement as confidential
as possible," Huff wrote, in a "sources sought notice"
posted online by ATF on June 26 and readily available to
anyone with Internet access. "Ideally, the ATF's
involvement would not be known at the airplanes point of
delivery," Huff added.

A law enforcement agency within the U.S. Department of
Justice, the ATF says it's committed to "investigate and
reduce crime involving firearms and explosives, acts or
arson, and illegal trafficking of alcohol and tobacco
products."

If it can find the right leasing company, the bureau
Intends to use the five aircraft on a "dry lease" basis
(which includes all maintenance, but doesn't include fuel
or oil), in accordance with visual day, night and
instrument flight rules.

The aircraft will be used to gather and transport evidence
and to move equipment across the country, explained the
official notice. "The aircraft must be able to operate at a
low noise level in order to avoid detection," the ATF
specified.

Potential leasing companies were asked to contact Huff
(james.huff at atf.gov) by tomorrow, July 10.