Five Meetings Scheduled Nationwide In January

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) announced Wednesday the Transportation Security Administration has scheduled five official public hearings in early 2009 for the business aviation community to provide the agency with feedback on its proposed Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP).

"We appreciate this effort by the TSA to hear from the people in our industry whose operations stand to be greatly affected by this proposal," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "NBAA Members have been understandably frustrated by the proposal because it seems to lack a true understanding of how a general aviation airplane fits into a company’s operations and security culture. I strongly encourage anyone able to participate in these meetings to mark their calendars and plan to attend."

The meetings -- which will each begin at 9 am local time -- will be held at the following locations:

• White Plains, NY, January 6, 2009: Winchester County Airport (HPN), Building 1 Airport Road, White Plains, NY 10604
• Atlanta, GA, January 8, 2009: Renaissance Concourse Hotel Atlanta Airport, One Hartsfield Centre Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30354
• Chicago, IL, January 16, 2009: Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare Hotel & Convention Center, 5440 North River Road, Rosemont, IL 60018
• Burbank, CA, January 23, 2009: Burbank Airport Marriot Hotel & Convention Center, 2500 North Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505
• Houston, TX, January 28, 2009: Hilton Houston Hotel-North Greenspoint Conference Center, 12400 Greenspoint Drive, Houston, TX 77060

Bolen will attend the meetings in White Plains and Burbank, and NBAA staff will be on-hand at each of the meetings. The Association is also exploring the feasibility of whether a recording of one or more meetings would be possible, for later online broadcast to NBAA Members who are unable to attend.

"NBAA has been working in Washington to explain to TSA officials the industry’s concerns about the LASP program," Bolen continued. "But as with other policy proposals, it is important that input on the TSA plan be provided by our Members, who will be directly impacted by the government’s decisions. It is appropriate that TSA has provided these venues for our Members, and I trust the information provided by our Members will be compelling."

As ANN reported, TSA unveiled the 260-page LASP on October 9 to strong response from the business aviation community. The plan would cover all Part 91 operations and operators of any aircraft over 12,500 pounds maximum takeoff weight (MTOW).

The original, 60-day period for comment on the proposal was doubled after NBAA and other industry groups told the TSA that the plan appeared so broad in its potential implications, and raised such a large number of questions, that acquiring a full understanding of the document, and providing a complete response within the traditional 60-day period would not be feasible. Public comment on the proposal must now be received by February 27, 2009.

FMI: www.nbaa.org/ops/security/programs/lasp/, www.tsa.gov