…While Alphabets Keep Up The Fight

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Still, aviation groups, most notably AOPA, continue to criticize the rule, even though the TSA has delayed or softened some of the more controversial requirements. For instance, rather than keeping a photocopy of a student’s proof of citizenship on file, an instructor can now simply endorse his or her own logbook and that of the student’s with a declaration that the documents have been produced and inspected. Also, foreign students who already have an airman’s certificate can pursue new ratings or other training until Dec. 19 without having to submit to the TSA background check and its attendant $130 fee. It’s progress, but it’s not enough for AOPA President Phil Boyer. Boyer is quoted on AOPA’s Web site as saying the new rules are too onerous, particularly for small operators, and “significant changes” must be made. “My staff and I will never let go of this issue until substantial changes are made,” Boyer vowed. He said they’re lobbying bureaucrats and politicians in Washington on the issue. Boyer said the rule turns flight instructors into “unpaid border guards.”

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