It's one thing to do something that earns you the
praise of your peers... its another to earn a Commendation from the
US House of Representatives... and AOPA's ground-breaking work on
the Airport Watch program has done just that. Congressman James
Oberstar (below) shared an advance copy of his House Resolution
with ANN so that we can share the salient portions with
you. If this isn't proof that AOPA isn't kicking some serious
behind on behalf of aviators everywhere, nothing is.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. OBERSTAR submitted the following resolution...
RESOLUTION
To commend the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association on its
proactive commitment to the security of general aviation.
Whereas the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is the
largest civil aviation organization in the world with more than 60
percent of the pilot population in the United States of
America;
Whereas the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association was founded
in 1939 by five businessmen in Philadelphia to represent the
interests of general aviation pilots;
Whereas general aviation represents all flying except scheduled
airline service and military flight;
Whereas the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has worked
diligently to inform and instruct its membership and the pilot
population on proactive security measures since the terrorist
attacks of September 11, 2001;
Whereas these measures undertaken by the Aircraft Owners and
Pilots Association have included a set of recommendations to
enhance security at flight schools and fixed base operations and a
successful petitioning of the Federal Aviation Administration to
require pilots to carry a government issued identification in
conjunction with their pilot and medical certificates;
Whereas the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has partnered
with the Transportation Security Administration to develop a
nationwide aviation initiative known as the "Airport Watch Program"
that includes a toll free hotline with a centralized system for
reporting and acting on information supplied by general aviation
pilots;
Whereas the Airport Watch Program will enlist the support of
some 550,000 general aviation pilots to watch for and report
suspicious activities that might have security implications;
and
Whereas the
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has enlisted the support of
the Government and aviation community at large and will distribute
Airport Watch Program materials to the 5,400 public use airports in
the Nation, pilot groups, and individual pilots: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is
hereby commended for its excellence in taking proactive measures to
solve the new security challenges that face the Nation and for
partnering with the Transportation Security Administration and the
Federal Aviation Administration to create immediate, innovative,
and common sense solutions to those challenges.
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