TSA

One of the highlights of each airshow season for the Dixie Wing of the CAF is the annual trip to Andrews Air Force Base. Typically, Andrews commits to the presence of many of the aircraft in the Dixie Wing inventory or owned by Dixie Wing members. Frequently the trip is made in formation with other aircraft which lends itself to a spirit of camaraderie and mutual support.

While some members of the aviation community congratulate themselves and each other based on the belief that threats represented by the TSA to the general aviation community are subsiding, the author of Flightwatch does not agree with their assessment. If you think the TSA is getting out of the general aviation business, please consider...

The reason for the investigation by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) was described as follows: Our objectives were to identify Transportation Security Administration security requirements for general aviation reports, threats to general aviation, measures taken to secure general aviation, steps nonfederal stakeholders have taken to enhance the security of general aviation, and any “incidents of concern” with security at general aviation airports. In addition, we evaluated allegations of security vulnerabilities at three Houston-area general aviation airports.

The TSA has visited two oppressive initiatives directed toward the United States general aviation community that will curtail aircraft operations in the United States, curtail the manufacture of general aviation aircraft in the United States, and put hard-working American citizens out of work. These questionable initiatives of the TSA come at a time when America is struggling to survive amidst the ravages of a deep economic recession.

On January 8, 2009, Alan Armstrong appeared before a Transportation Security Administration panel in Atlanta, GA and told the panel members that the entire premise of the proposed rule dealing with the Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) is that large aircraft are more dangerous than small aircraft. Furthermore, the TSA arbitrarily selected a triggering weight of 12,500 lbs. which just happens to be the definition of a large aircraft in 14 C.F.R. §1.1. However, a Piper Cub could be equipped with a nuclear device which is far more devastating than the crash of a Boeing 747. For that reason, weight, the sole criterion in the TSA proposed rule, is invalid. Accordingly, the TSA proposed rule is based upon mere conjecture and hypothesis and has no rational, scientific or logical basis. For the foregoing reasons, a court of appropriate jurisdiction could find that the TSA proposed rule is unconstitutional as a violation of substantive due process guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.