Security
As 9/11 Nears, Government and Industry Emphasize Security Vigilance
September 5, 2011
As the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks approaches, government security officials are highlighting the need for continued vigilance. Industry representatives, who agree with the need for heightened awareness, are also pointing out the GA community's record on security measures.
On September 3, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued an advisory with general guidance and resources for reporting suspicious activity.
Download the TSA advosory for the GA industry (572 KB, PDF)
The document noted: "While there is no specific or credible intelligence that al-Qa'ida or its affiliates are plotting attacks in the United States to coincide with the ten year anniversary of 9/11, we remain at a heightened state of vigilance and security measures are in place to detect and prevent plots against the United States should they emerge." The advisory provided several specific recommendations and a link to the agency's Security Guidelines for General Aviation Airports.
"Government officials have not said that the 9/11 anniversary represents a specific general aviation concern," said Doug Carr, NBAA Vice President for Safety, Security & Regulation. "The TSA's document simply reminds industry to redouble the focus on a number of precautions we're taking."
Following the issuance of the advisory, NBAA highlighted general aviation security measures for local news outlets. "Security has always been a top priority for general aviation, which is the use of private airplanes for business, recreation and other reasons," NBAA spokesman Dan Hubbard told Los Angeles NBC TV affiliate KNBC Channel 4. "And after 9/11, the industry has adopted a host of measures to help ensure that pilots, passengers, airplanes and airports are safe and secure."
In the years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, NBAA has continually worked to remind national and local policymakers and news outlets of the host of the business aviation community’s work to harden itself against terrorist threats.
For example, just last year, when a pilot in Austin, TX crashed his Piper Dakota into an IRS building, NBAA was quick to respond when the Associated Press published an article contending that, “Little has been done to guard against attacks with smaller planes” in the years after 9/11. The story described the pilot's home airport as having "the casual atmosphere of a sleepy parking garage."
"That's inaccurate," responded NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "We have petitioned for new regulations and additional surveillance tools, initiated security demonstration programs and promoted security best practices. Our efforts have been effective." Bolen's comments, included in a letter sent to newspapers that published the AP story, appeared in newspapers across the country.
The initiatives Bolen pointed to, which were outlined in an account of the Austin event detailed in the May-June 2010 edition of NBAA’s Business Aviation Insider, include:
- Regular checks of all FAA-licensed pilots against lists of known or potential terrorists;
- Requirements for plastic pilot certificates with counterfeit-resistant holograms;
- Stringent background checks for foreign flight students and required proof of citizenship for U.S. flight students;
- Procedures to report suspicious financial transactions during the purchase or sale of an aircraft;
- Requirements for initial and recurrent security training for all flight instructors and airport personnel;
- Mandatory improved flight school security, and;
- The creation of Airport Watch, an industry program similar to Community Watch, which offers a toll-free, 24/7 hotline to a TSA agent (1-866-GA Secure, 1-866-427-3287).
For a full list of measures instituted for general aviation since 9/11, review Legislative & Regulatory Issues: Enhancing General Aviation Security.
