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Now You Know Why He Flunked Out

Employees at a flight school at the Compton, Calif., airport said a former student came by the first thing in the morning — and took an airplane’s keys at gunpoint. When he ran out, they called 911. Sheriff’s deputies arrived to find the man sitting in the pilot’s seat of a Cessna 152. They simply walked up to the plane and — at gunpoint — motioned for the man to shut down and surrender. They were able to do this even though the plane was running at full throttle since the pilot forgot to remove the chain holding the plane’s tail to the ground. “Eventually he shut off the plane, took off the headset and surrendered,” Capt. Mike Parker noted. Troy Daniel Long, 25, was charged with aircraft piracy, a federal felony that can result in life in prison. (RC/Los Angeles Times) ...Which would still probably not be long enough for him to learn to complete the checklist before takeoff.