AOPA On GA Security Panel

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GA has a seat at the table as the TSA begins the inevitable discussions on security at smaller airports. AOPA, at the TSA’s invitation, will become part of the agency’s working group to develop security guidelines for GA facilities. Note the use of the word “guidelines.” As a condition of its involvement, AOPA insisted on guarantees that no mandatory regulations would result from the group’s work. “We do not want to see the general aviation community and our members further harmed by any of these security recommendations,” said VP Andy Cebula. The TSA agreed. The TSA is trying to keep individual states from dreaming up their own security measures (like New Jersey’s infamous two-lock rule), resulting in a patchwork of regulations across the country. AOPA noted that its Airport Watch program, based on the Neighborhood Watch residential crime-prevention program, has been employed at hundreds of airports and will be urging the TSA to use it as a model in any GA security initiatives. AOPA says security measures have already burdened GA and its job on the working group is to make sure any further measures are reasonable.

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