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.

FMI: www.house.gov