Testifying before the House Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection, Chairman of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and the President and CEO of Jeppesen, Mark Van Tine, expressed that if the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), industry, and Congress work together on general aviation security issues, an effective security system can be put in place that does not inhibit the freedom people enjoy today to use general aviation aircraft.
In his remarks, Van Tine emphasized that since Sept.11, 2001, the general aviation community has worked diligently to increase security and awareness of threats to the aviation system. This effort has led to the development and implementation of over a dozen mandatory and voluntary security programs.
He also specifically addressed two major recent security issues affecting general aviation. The first was the Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) proposed in October 2008.
“The general aviation community does not oppose enhancing security,” said Van Tine. “However, we believe that the notice of proposed rule making (NPRM) was unnecessarily burdensome and did not reflect an adequate understanding of general aviation operations.”
He commended the TSA for its commitment to reworking the initial NPRM and considering concerns and suggestions from aviation interests that will lead to a more practical and effective approach to general aviation security.
Van Tine also spoke about the TSA’s use of security directives to circumvent the normal rulemaking process.
“We have seen the TSA repeatedly use security directives to vastly expand existing security requirements without consideration of the implementation challenges, operational impacts and economic burdens these mandates impose on the aviation industry. GAMA strongly supported an amendment offered by Congressman Mica (R-Fla.) to the TSA Authorization Act, which would require the agency to initiate a rulemaking process for security directives six months after implementation unless there is an emergency situation. We supported this amendment because it struck the right balance between national security and due process.”
View the full testimony at: GAMA.aero/node/9058
All we hear is more security. All that means is more GOVERNMENT rules, regs and personel that just get paid for simply nothing. How about security at the mexican border? How about road blocks every 50 miles on all the interstates and major highways. You can not protect the world from individuals bent on destruction of someone or something.
Are the Airlines any safer now? Not really. some bozo muslim could still get on a plane as a ground employee!
All this security stuff is simply about growing the government and taking rights and freedoms away. Just look back at Nazi Germany!