Third Time The Charm For Post-9/11 Legislation?

Although federal regulations now require US flight schools to submit information on prospective flight students -- that is checked against terrorist watch lists -- the New York State Senate approved a bill Thursday that would require finger printing and criminal background checks of would-be student pilots... before they could take their first flight at New York flight schools.

Senate Bill 4493 was passed and returned to the State Assembly (as Assembly Bill 2122) on June 22. If enacted, prospective students would be grounded until blessed by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services.

American City Business Journals reported that this legislation was first introduced in 2002 after lawmakers learned that the 9/11 hijackers had trained at US flight schools. The measure wasn't approved by the state Senate in 2002 or when it passed the Assembly again during the 2003-2004 legislative session.

Craig Dotlo, northeast regional representative for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), said that the delay involved in doing criminal background checks before taking flying lessons would drive students away from New York flight schools and cost the schools customers.

(Editor's Note: An ANN review of the state bill indicates New York criminal justice officials would have 15 business days to grant or reject new pilot screening requests.)

According to Richard Kaylor, director of Richmor Aviation's four New York flight schools, all the bill would do is make it harder for flight schools to enroll students. Federal regulations already have student screening covered, he said, a state law isn't needed.

Brian Shaughnessy, spokesman for the New York Aviation Management Association agrees with Kaylor. This kind of regulation needs to be done by the federal government, not state government, he said. If approved by the Assembly, his group may ask Governor George Pataki to veto the legislation.

FMI: www.aopa.org, www.nyama.com