The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) last week scrapped its plan to initiate its Computer-Assisted Passenger Prescreening System, known as CAPPS II … after spending more than $100 million to plan for it (ah, the power of taxation). The system was widely criticized for trampling on the rights of ordinary citizens while being easily circumvented by anyone with a terrorist agenda (which may sound familiar to GA pilots frustrated by proliferating TFRs). The TSA also announced last week that Deputy Administrator Stephen McHale will step down from his post later this month. McHale served as deputy of the agency since January 2002 and was in charge of the transfer of the TSA from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Homeland Security in March 2003. An editorial in USA Today on Thursday said the TSA should have listened to critics of the CAPPS II project two years ago. “It could have saved $102 million, much angst and an erosion of its own credibility,” the newspaper said.
