The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would strengthen general aviation security, reducing the potential of private airplanes being used for terrorist acts.
The Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) would require all U.S. operators of corporate and personally-owned aircraft exceeding 12,500 pounds maximum take-off weight to implement security programs that would be subject to compliance audits by TSA. The proposed regulation would also require operators to verify that passengers are not on the federal government’s terrorist watch list.
“The LASP is a significant component in the Department’s plans to enhance domestic general aviation security. It would require currently unregulated general aviation operations over a specific weight threshold to adopt security measures,” said the TSA.
“This will give them (general aviation) a strong common framework for security that will reduce risk while supporting the open nature of the general aviation industry,” said TSA Administrator Kip Hawley. The proposed rule is open to public comment for 60 days.
According to the TSA, the proposed rule seeks to require:
- Flight crewmember criminal history records checks and security threat assessments
- Watch list matching of passenger manifests
- Basic aircraft security procedures
- Security training for flight crewmembers
- Designation by each aircraft operator of a Security Coordinator
- Biennial third party audits of each aircraft operator
- New security requirements for reliever airports and other airports that service large aircraft
The proposed security rules for the first time impose security programs on thousands of privately operated general aviation aircraft and ultimately seek to combine a number of security programs currently in place for general aviation into a single, uniform program.
“We have been eagerly awaiting the release of the LASP for some time,” said NATA President James K. Coyne. “We are currently reviewing the content of this new, ground-breaking security measure, and we look forward to continuing our work with Department of Homeland Security and TSA officials to ensure that the LASP’s makeup appropriately addresses legitimate security concerns while recognizing the unique operating tendencies of the general aviation industry.”
GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce said “we will be reviewing this NPRM to ensure that it addresses potential security risks with methods of compliance that do not restrict the utility of general aviation aircraft.
“Measured against this standard, our initial read of the NPRM concerns us in that some very burdensome requirements may not provide commensurate security benefits to an already safe and secure industry,” he stated.
National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen said:
‘We’ve been discussing the TSA’s security plans with our members, and keeping them apprised of our ongoing efforts to maintain that vital balance between the need to strengthen aviation security and to preserve the mobility and flexibility that are at the foundation of business aviation.
“The TSA proposed rulemaking contains 260 pages. We will review it carefully, consulting with NBAA’s Security Council and coordinating with our members to comment on this plan. Based on an initial review, we expect to file substantial comments on the proposal,” said Bolen.
“We look forward to continued participation in this deliberative process, constructively working with TSA and other stakeholders to meet legitimate security concerns in effective, practical ways.” Bunce added.
According to the NPRM, “With few exceptions, TSA does not currently require security programs for GA aircraft operators. As vulnerabilities and risks associated with air carriers and commercial operators have been reduced or mitigated, terrorists may view general aviation aircraft as more vulnerable and thus attractive targets. If hijacked and used as a missile, these aircraft would be capable of inflicting significant damage.
“Large GA aircraft are most often operated by corporate entities, though some large GA aircraft are operated by individuals. Corporate aviation, with a population of approximately 10,000 operators flying 15,000 aircraft, is largely unregulated for security purposes. Yet many of these aircraft are of the same size and weight of the air carriers and commercial operators that TSA regulates, and they could be used effectively to commit a terrorist act,” TSA believes.