Biggest threat to airshows and warbirds yet?

[HogDriver44]

In case you thought the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) were done messing with aviation for a while after the LASP comment period ended and several aviation media outlets reported that public response had been "strong and effective," think again.

The TSA might just close down recreational aviation a different way -- by requiring the pilots of all planes, regardless of weight or size, to have special security badges and background checks when operating at airports served by air carriers. No one without either a badge or an escort would be allowed on the ramp. The badges and background checks will be paid for by the pilot, and you'd have to have a different one for each airport. If you don't pass the background check for whatever reason, your flying days are over at that airport, or any airport served by the airlines. Implementation of this plan is apparently coming very soon, and the Security Directive that invokes it is still secret!

Say goodbye to Oshkosh, Sun-n-Fun, the CAF's Airsho, and many of the other large airshows you've ever been to. No more Open Houses at joint-use, civil/military airports, either, presumably. We can't have unknown people inside the fences for any reason...

This is an affront to our freedoms and most likely, our Constitution.

I'm making a personal plea for U.S. residents to contact their lawmakers and protest this security directive. There's more info on our site, if you're interested.

Warbird operators, owners, pilots, fans, photographers, and interested parties, and every person on this forum should be VERY interested in making sure this doesn't happen.

Sorry for the impassioned diatribe, but time is short and this situation is gettting out of hand. Call or e-mail your representatives tomorrow!

Buck Wyndham
Editor, WarbirdAlley.com
Warbird Instructor Pilot

[corsairboss]

You should be in the Petroleum Business, and have to load on WaterWays and deliver Jet Fuel to Airports and Military Bases. You have no Idea what is coming.
Background checks are taking up to 2 months to clear. Oh and BTW they are "Expensive" when you go pay for all the Badges and permits, and travel time on your day off. They are saying they may even put "PHOTOS and a Gold Finger Print on evey Pilots Card.
They are $140.00 to $250.00 each and if you loose them ..background
re-check and $60.00 Fee. Hang On and wear a Parachute...U may need one.

[Dave Hackett]

Just as a help me out here....do you have a reference? My SIDA badge only works for the airport I work at. Otherwise...TSA looks over my company ID, and then I am expected to be under the shadow of my plane. So....what is changing? I mean, SNF and OSH do not have direct access to any "public" places, as they have direct ticket access. So.....

Please, tell me, us, more about where you read, what you have heard, specifics.....

dave

[HogDriver44]

Please, tell me, us, more about where you read, what you have heard, specifics.....

Here's the rub: The TSA is keeping their plans as secret as possible. It is being foisted on us quickly and silently. However, the evidence of it is everywhere -- all you have to do it read some of the reports from "the field."

Here's what EAA has said about it so far:
http://www.eaa.org/news/2009/2009-02-25_airports.asp

Here's a report from Aero-News.net:
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=b7071071-8b54-4c66-bf6b-239760696f80&

This Thursday, 12 March 2009, at 9:00 PM Eastern (0100 Zulu for those elsewhere), listen to the live, online broadcast of the 25 Zulu show on GoldSealLive, the aviation talk show on the internet, where this issue will be the topic. It's free.

If you're a member of AOPA, go to their forum and read these two threads:
http://forums.aopa.org/showthread.php?t=52546
http://forums.aopa.org/showthread.php?t=52566

The big difference between your local SIDA badge and what they're proposing is that if you're a pilot and you fly to another airport today, you can still get out of your airplane and walk to the FBO without a badge. You're a pilot and you have a right to be there on the ramp with your airplane. Among many other things, this new proposal will make you unable to do that.

To use the Oshkosh example: OSH airport, with its commuter RJ service, will become a fortress, unable to be visited by anyone without an OSH SIDA badge (or, worse yet, an Airport Operations Area badge, requiring an extensive background investigation.)

Camping in the grass at OSH in the "North 40" or anywhere else, with passenger aircraft taxiing nearby, would be impossible.

All aircraft landing at OSH would have to be inspected, and the occupants security-screened.

I'm using Oshkosh (and the AirVenture fly-in) as an example, but these measures would be in place at every similar airport in the nation. They have even suggested that these policies might be expanded to "reliever" airports that do not currently have passenger service!

In addition, there are already reports of TSA agents performing random, spot inspections of private hangars on certain airports, without the owner present. People have already gone to jail for non-compliance with certain aspects of the new guidance.

Getting the picture? There's a lot more coming, folks. Call your lawmakers and put some serious pressure on them. The TSA is not accountable to us, but the politicians are -- and the TSA answers to the politicians.

Buck Wyndham
Editor, Warbird Alley
Warbird Instructor Pilot

[Ztex]

Sounds like aviation folks are getting the same treatment that gun owners have been subjected to for years.

Reminds me of that Niemöller poem...

[oscardeuce]

Already happening in Akorn, Ohio. We need a pass to fly our planes out of the museum.

[vernicator]

...wow...so the bad guys won the war then. Mission accomplished...instill fear/fear mongering in all.

[corsairboss]

I have had to get 2 back ground checks since Oct. 2008.
The first one was for the Coast Guard to load Petroleum Products on Water Ways... Ocean and River Refinery's. I had to make 2 trip, 1st trip to get ID and Info processed, 2nd trip to go and sign and pick it up 2 months later. This is called "TWIC Card"

If you have a CDL "commercial drivers Lic." for Truck with a Hazmat Endorsement ... when you renew your Drivers Lic. you have to get a Back Ground Check and Finger Print and wait anywhere from 4 weeks to 120 Days for the report to come back. Then you can go take your Hazmat Test and renew your Lic.

There was talk at the TSA site that they are going to do this to Pilot Lic. as well. With a "Gold Area" that has your Finger Print inside to be scanned for proof of ID and a Photo on the card as well. Its only taken them 9 years to get this going...and the rules are going to get tougher.

We have a 4000 ft. grass strip, Family owned airport and Im waiting to see a huge fence go up around this place... The "Bad Guys" might want to come in and use a Piper Cub or Stearman to do their dirty Work... HA HA...!!!

[HogDriver44]

A correction: It was brought to my attention that Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh no longer has scheduled airline service. Therefore, the proposed security procedures I mentioned wouldn't apply there.

The policies might still affect every other airport that does, however. And "reliever" airports could be affected, too. My apologies for using a bad example, but the point remains the same: aviation as we know it will be changing dramatically unless we can get this turned around.

Write those letters, and don't forget to point out the financial impacts. Money is ALL that talks when it comes to things like this.

Buck Wyndham
Editor, Warbird Alley
Warbird Instructor Pilot

[Dan K]

I don't believe TSA would have much impact at AirVenture. Their agents would never get past the CAP cadets.

Seriously, if the TSA continues proposing these half-baked ideas (like LASP), eventually they are going to self-destruct. Congress is not composed of idiots, and heads will ultimately roll if the buffoonery perpetuates more of the same.

Perhaps the EAA or AOPA should also begin focusing on creating more public awareness to the issue at hand. Certainly the aviation community has celebrity friends in Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Harrison Ford, and the like. How about using some of that leverage with commercials geared toward educating the general public?

Last edited by Dan K on Mon Mar 09, 2009 7:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[oscardeuce]

Congress is not composed of idiots, and heads will ultimately roll if the buffoonery perpetuates more of the same.

I think you greatly overunderestimate politicians.

[Robbie Roberts]

Is it possible to launch a class action suit against TSA and Homeland Security, in order to defend against this inappropriate and perjorative action?

Robbie
getting more disgusted by the minute with the mismanagement of this country over the past dozen years and counting.

[jtramo]

TSA= "Thousands Standing Around." They have to justify their jobs and expansion. It seems like they are expanding their organization just like a fortune 500 company would.

Lets discuss the spot inspections where the TSA climbed the probes on the nose of an rj to try and gain access to the cockpit emergency egress. They damaged the aircraft yet said nothing. Good thing the pilots caught it otherwise they would have lost all their ground reference data. This has happened twice that Im aware of. Its great that they will claim access to any of our aircraft so as to climb on them like jungle gyms.

[skymstr02]

TSA= "Thousands Standing Around."

"Tub Stacking A**holes maybe?"

[RyanShort1]

I always thought the T stood for Tyrannical something or another...

Ryan