Myopic Media Reaction Didn't Help Matters

The National Business Aviation Association's President and CEO Ed Bolen issued the following statement concerning news coverage of a government aviation security report compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Homeland Security and made public, Monday.

Statement From NBAA President/CEO Ed Bolen Regarding News Coverage of General Aviation Security

The recent government report on aviation security may have made for sensational news headlines, but most coverage mischaracterized the report's conclusions, and the true record, on general aviation security.

The government's 24-page report devoted only two paragraphs to the issue of general aviation security. Those paragraphs restated a long-standing, well-known concern: general aviation, like many other portions of the national transportation system, must remain vigilant in providing security protections.

Reporters treated this as news, focusing much of their coverage on general aviation. But, little or nothing was said about the host of voluntary and regulatory changes the general aviation community has implemented in recent years to harden the industry against threats from terrorism.

The entire general aviation industry has worked with TSA's Aviation Security Advisory Committee - consisting of government and industry security experts - to develop best practices and recommendations to strengthen security at general aviation airports. Aircraft manufacturers and salespeople now have procedures to report suspicious financial transactions during the purchase or sale of an aircraft. Measures have been taken to ensure that flight training and license issuance are more secure. An airport watch program has been created that encourages general aviation pilots to report suspicious activity to a toll-free number staffed by government officials.

NBAA has worked with government officials to take even further action on general aviation security. The Transportation Security Administration has sought our guidance on the development of a TSA program with new procedures for security over personnel, facilities, aircraft and in-flight operations. The program, which is in a test phase, is called the Transportation Security Administration Access Certificate, or "TSAAC". Full implementation of TSAAC would enhance security and restore access to airports and airspace for our industry.

But, TSA's parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, has yet to expand the initiative, or explain what is needed for its further implementation.

The more than one million people whose work depends on general aviation have made significant progress in bolstering general aviation security, and our efforts continue to date.  It is unfortunate that news organizations have left the public ill-informed about the security of our industry by choosing to focus instead on a report that merely re-hashes well-documented security concerns.

FMI: www.nbaa.org