Says Article Presents An "Inaccurate" Portrayal

An Associated Press article which appeared last month in The Long Island Press, and other publications which subscribe to AP around the country, portrayed general aviation airports as having a "casual atmosphere" where pilots are not required to undergo baggage checks, pat-downs, or so many other inspections that have become SOP for people flying on airliners. The article appeared the day after Joe Stack flew his Piper Cherokee into the side of a building in Austin, TX, killing himself and one person in the building.

In a letter to the editor of The Long Island Press published Thursday, NBAA President Ed Bolen (pictured) said that portrayal of security at GA airports is "inaccurate", and that the General Aviation community has security as one of its principal concerns.

"We have petitioned for new regulations and additional surveillance tools, initiated security-demonstration programs and promoted security best practices," Bolen writes. "Our efforts have been effective in hardening the industry from security threats. Numerous federal officials—most recently, the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security—have found that general aviation '…does not present a serious homeland security vulnerability.'"
 
Bolen points out, correctly, that what happened in Austin February 18th was a tragedy, but one that no amount of regulation or other airport security measures could have been guaranteed to prevent. He cautions that it should not be the catalyst for new regulations that will place unreasonable burdens on pilots, FBOs, and airports.

FMI: www.nbaa.org