The Deadline For FSAA Is Fast Approaching
By ANN Correspondent John Ballantyne
As of next Tuesday, all
US flight instructors must complete Transportation Security
Administration Security Awareness training (FSAA). There are three
options: individual flight schools may develop an in-house training
program (per 49 CFR 1552), CFIs can take a course offered by
AOPA or take the (free) on-line program produced
by TSA. [Guess which choice most will take?]
The purpose of FSAA training, which applies to Sport Pilot
instructors as well as general aviation instructors, is to
raise general security awareness levels of employees who are
working in the flight training industry. TSA wants employees in
this industry to be able to question and respond appropriately to
any behavior or activities that may present a threat to aviation
security.
What's in the Course?
After a few introductory screens, your first step is to decide
which of two tracks most apply to you: a Flight School with
Aircraft or Flight Training Center with Simulators. I took the
Flight School with Aircraft track on which the rest of this report
is based.
The 36 screen program raises obvious, but important, security
awareness issues such as knowing your customers, being aware of
surroundings, and not being afraid to ask questions when suspicious
actions are going on. It then offers four primary actions to take:
Question the individual, Report to a supervisor of the facility,
Contact law enforcement, and finally Contact the General Aviation
Hotline or Transportation Security Operations Center (703
563-3240).
All students applying for flight training must show to their CFI
a US Passport, US Birth certificate or US Naturalization document.
The program makes clear that a driver's license is not qualifying.
CFIs are also required to keep copies of all documents for at least
5 years. Students must also complete a "company-approved
application" containing personal financial and work
information.
Then the program presents a 22 question quiz involving various
scenarios for which you decide the appropriate action. Choices are
to take no action, ask questions, report to a facility supervisor,
or call law enforcement.
When the test is completed, TSA provides a review and list of
security actions including locking airport gates, use of propeller
and throttle locks, keeping aircraft keys secure and so on. TSA
concludes that "You are now able to: Identify potential indicator
behavior that should raise suspicion, Decide what response or
action, if any, is necessary to take for activities or behavior
that may be considered suspicious, Identify 'Best Practices and
Recommendations' to aid in increased security by reducing threats
and illicit behavior and/or activities."
Comments
I share with many other CFIs an objection to becoming boarder
patroller. It is not clear to me how we are supposed to tell if
documents are forged nor is it clear if I will be held responsible
for a seemingly sincere student who later conducts terrorist
activities in an airplane. What of free-lance CFI with no school on
which to lean? For example, where are they supposed to get the
"company-approved application?"
On the other hand, like many Americans, I do not object to
somewhat increased security at commercial airports and am willing
to increase my awareness of the surroundings. Having mean people
blow up our buildings and murdering people is not acceptable.
Perhaps just promoting such awareness will make potential
terrorists avoid flight training. Also, however, the additional
hassle surely will discourage some legitimate folks from seeking
instruction. Just who is being terrorized?
In favor of the TSA program it is easy and quick, perhaps only
one-half hour. It brings focus to many obvious and common
situations to which instructors are exposed. On the down side, I
took the course a second time and deliberately turned the sound
off, quickly clicked through each screen without reading or hearing
it, then deliberately failed every test question (why is that so
much easier than providing correct answers?) and still was allowed
to print the completion certificate-multiple times with multiple
names. Odd that a security program would allow such an easy
security breech.