Napolitano announces general aviation security measures

Despite a keen terrorist interest in the use of aircraft as missiles to strike targets, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has done little to date to secure general aviation fields, which house private jets and planes.

DHS inched closer to strengthening general aviation security measures Monday, extending a transportation public awareness campaign to the airfields and standardizing the vetting process for passengers and crewmembers on general aviation aircraft.

The campaign, known as "If You See Something, Say Something," encourages private citizens to report suspicious activities around various modes of transportation. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano borrowed the motto from New York City's passenger rail system and introduced it to passenger rail systems nationally July 1.

Napolitano announced the extension of the campaign to general aviation while visiting the 2010 Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, Wis., earlier this week.

"This new component of 'If You See Something, Say Something' will enable general aviation passengers and crew to better recognize and report behaviors and indicators associated with new and evolving threats," Napolitano said in a statement. "We are also transitioning to a streamlined system for vetting travelers on general aviation flights to and from the United States to provide a single, electronic screening process while maintaining robust security standards."

Congress and the Obama administration have voiced a renewed interest in general aviation security standards in recent months after a distraught software engineer flew a small private plane into a building housing IRS offices in Austin, Texas, in the spring.

The expansion of the "See Something, Say Something" campaign involves the use of public education materials, advertisements, and other means to reach out to travelers, businesses, organizations, and transit employees to encourage them to call authorities if they spot suspicious behavior.

DHS also will begin to use the Electronic Advance Passenger Information System (eAPIS) to screen passengers and crew of general aviation airplanes by checking their names against a terrorist watchlist by Sept. 1. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) manages the eAPIS system rather than the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which is responsible for screening commercial aviation flights out of major US airports.

General aviation stakeholders have fought strict security measures such as those used for screening passengers and crew on commercial aircraft. But in joint statements, private industry groups embraced the latest DHS measures, calling them efficient and reasonable.

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association President and CEO Craig Fuller said, "We are encouraged to see TSA and CBP collaborating to streamline the process for our members and eliminate unnecessary paperwork and redundant procedures. This decision demonstrates their commitment to improving the efficiency of the system for all users, and we look forward to working with both agencies to identify additional opportunities for improvement."

Added National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen: "Security has always been a top priority for the business aviation community, and these two new security enhancements reflect an understanding of how our industry operates, and also how government and industry can enhance security without sacrificing mobility. We thank the TSA and DHS for working with industry on these measures, which will be fully effective and workable as a result of our collaboration."