If the TSA was expecting the business aviation community to embrace its Large Aircraft Security Program proposal, issued on Thursday, it is in for a major reality check. NBAA members posting to NBAA’s Air Mail forum are nearly unanimous in their call for an outright rejection of the proposal, with many asking the association to ally with other aviation alphabet groups to form a united front against the entire program. The consensus among the members speaking up is that the TSA program for GA aircraft weighing more than 12,500 pounds is unnecessary since business aircraft operations are inherently more secure because their passengers are known entities, unlike those flying with commercial operators, and because these aircraft are unsuitable for use in a terrorist attack and have never been used in an actual or attempted attack. These NBAA members also believe the TSA program would not increase security because compliance with the security rules would be verified by biennial third-party audits, meaning up to 24 months after flights are completed. One operator, striking a chord that resonated with others, wrote, “This will only create more ‘busy work’ for the law-abiding operator. I do not see how it will, or can, prevent any terrorist act,” adding that the only thing it might be able to do is “document who committed a terrorist act after the fact.” AIN wants to hear
your comments about the TSA NPRM.