Sat, Mar 06, 2010
Says Article Presents An "Inaccurate" Portrayal
An Associated Press article which appeared last month in The
Long Island Press, and other publications which subscribe to AP
around the country, portrayed general aviation airports as having a
"casual atmosphere" where pilots are not required to undergo
baggage checks, pat-downs, or so many other inspections that have
become SOP for people flying on airliners. The article appeared the
day after Joe Stack flew his Piper Cherokee into the side of a
building in Austin, TX, killing himself and one person in the
building.
In a letter to the editor of The Long Island Press published
Thursday, NBAA President Ed Bolen (pictured) said that
portrayal of security at GA airports is "inaccurate", and that the
General Aviation community has security as one of its principal
concerns.
"We have petitioned for new regulations and additional
surveillance tools, initiated security-demonstration programs and
promoted security best practices," Bolen writes. "Our efforts have
been effective in hardening the industry from security threats.
Numerous federal officials—most recently, the Inspector
General of the Department of Homeland Security—have found
that general aviation '…does not present a serious homeland
security vulnerability.'"
Bolen points out, correctly, that what happened in Austin February
18th was a tragedy, but one that no amount of regulation or other
airport security measures could have been guaranteed to prevent. He
cautions that it should not be the catalyst for new regulations
that will place unreasonable burdens on pilots, FBOs, and
airports.
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