Wed, Jul 13, 2011
Stresses Importance Of Future Measures
The Chairman of the GAMA Security Committee and the President
and CEO of Jeppesen, Mark Van Tine, testified Tuesday before the
House Subcommittee on Transportation Security regarding the
authorization of the TSA.
Van Tine reminded the subcommittee how the GA industry has
worked diligently to increase security and awareness of potential
threats to the aviation system. These efforts have led to the
development and implementation of over a dozen mandatory and
voluntary security initiatives. These include enhanced pilot
licenses, the Twelve-Five Security Standard Security program, and
the “See Something, Say Something” program and its
predecessor “Airport Watch.”
To promote further security improvements and for increased
operational efficiencies, Van Tine addressed several areas where
GAMA believes the committee should focus their efforts.
The Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) was first published
in 2008 and it is the TSA’s first attempt at regulating
private air travel. Since the introduction of LASP, the TSA
and industry have agreed upon a framework that will address
legitimate security risks while ensuring the rights of citizens to
fly their own airplanes. “We have made good progress on
LASP and appreciate the strong support from members of Congress who
have recognized our concerns and urged TSA to develop a more
practical and effective approach,” said Van Tine. “GAMA
asks that the Administration move quickly to incorporate the
industry’s input and finalize this rulemaking as it will
enhance security without creating negative consequences for pilots
and operators.”
Like the LASP, Van Tine also took the opportunity to encourage
the completion of aircraft repair station security
rulemaking. “GAMA has stressed the importance of a
risk-based program for repair stations and underscored the effect
inaction has upon exports of U.S. products and expansion into new
markets. This is especially important since the majority of
airplane and equipment sales are to foreign customers. It is
imperative for the TSA and the Department of Homeland Security to
move forward and complete this rulemaking,” said Van
Tine.
Van Tine also spoke about the TSA’s use of security
directives to vastly expand existing security requirements without
consideration of the implementation challenges, operational impacts
and economic burdens these mandates impose on the aviation
industry. “We recognize and respect TSA’s
authority to issue security directives, however, we do not believe
that TSA should use them to make standing policy unless there is a
compelling and immediate national security risk that warrants
them. This is an issue of great concern to the general
aviation community and we urge Congress to implement procedures for
the review of security directives that are not temporary in
nature,” he concluded.
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