Wants Detailed Information On Pax Flying To And From US On
Private Planes
On the sixth
anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the US Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) announced new efforts to keep tabs on
passengers traveling onboard private aircraft to and from the
United States.
DHS hopes to strengthen security associated with private
aircraft by publishing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) which
will require more detailed information about arriving and departing
private aircraft and persons onboard within a timeframe necessary
to assess any risks that certain flights may pose to national
security.
DHS is working through US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to
identify and vet passengers and crew on inbound and outbound
international private aircraft, generally defined as non-commercial
flights, the agency said.
The proposed rule is designed to provide an additional layer of
security for international private aircraft operations, according
to the Helicopter Association International. An estimated 400
non-commercial aircraft enter the US from a foreign location every
day, excluding helicopter operations in the Gulf of Mexico.
"This rule is designed to further protect the nation by
improving our ability to identify threats on flights to and from
the United States," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael
Chertoff. "We have a similar rule in place that allows us to assess
the risk of commercial aircraft passengers on these flights and we
are now taking steps to expand that capability to include
passengers on international flights by private aircraft."
The NPRM, Advanced Information on Private Aircraft Arriving and
Departing the United States, expands existing regulations that will
require pilots of private aircraft to provide electronic manifest
data for all persons traveling onboard to the United States
Government one hour prior to departure to and from the United
States by filing manifest data via CBP's eAPIS system or an
approved alternate system.
The NPRM would require operators of private aircraft to provide
the following information no less than 60 minutes prior to
departure from or to a foreign port or place: advance notice of
arrival, complete passenger and crew manifest data and aircraft
information to foster aircraft identification, tracking and
communication.
DHS is reportedly considering a phased approach to implement the
proposed security measures. Under Phase I, DHS will publish the
NPRM to elicit public comments prior to issuance of a final rule
and implementation of the new requirements.
Under Phase II, and in close cooperation with the private
aircraft owners and operators as well as foreign partners, DHS will
develop methods and processes to address additional security
vulnerabilities for international private aircraft operations at
their last point of departure prior to entering US airspace.
Comments on the NPRM must be submitted within 60 days.