Knowing the stupidity of the TSA, they will want a different card for every airport. They forced me to get a TSA issued TWIC card for work. This card requires a photo, fingerprinting, FBI background check, and 120 dollars every 5 years. Would you believe the TSA will not accept their own card as ID to get on a commercial flight?
We have all heard the old saw "Those that would trade freedom for security deserve neither" The TSA was developed to do just that. So many stories about the absurdity of some of the procedures has caused me to dislike air travel. Something I once enjoyed and looked forward to.
Guys, I was at Potomac (VKX) Airport when 9/11 occurred and I have seen the stupidity of TSA up close and personal for many years. We were forced to close the field for 6 months, get background checks, and fly under extreme positive control in the TFR. The airfield owner Dave Wartofsky and I fought TSA and found that TSA knew almost nothing about airport/aircraft security, I (we)provided analysis of the GA threat to no avail--nothing seems to have changed in the ensuing years. For the record, in Nov 01 that the USAF dismissed GA as a very limited, if any, threat. I left VKX in 2005 and we were still under the severe restrictions. I say FIGHT TSA, GA flying is worth it--Dr. Ken Nolde, Major USAF(Ret.)
I am a privat pilot from France and live in Limoges. I own and fly a N registered PA28 I bought in the US and flew back across the pond myself. Just wanted to let you know how it works here.
When on the GA ramp you must be able to show EITHER a badge OR a pilot's license. If you are a passenger escorted by "your" pilot no problem, you need nothing. This is in my opinion a sensible rule because it keeps out people who have nothing to do on the ramp from being there and may be a good thing for security. I think anything more restrictive is nonsense.
Good luck for keeping you aviation paradise alive !
It reminds me of the whole citizen requirement placed on CFIs - it is mandatory & ridiculous and in the small print pretty much says the TSA is depending on the CFIs because there is no way they can audit the accuracy. Now with the TSAs bureaucratic audacity, they want to shift risk once again to the local level. Instead of having something like an ISO standard, lets make each airport be responsible and create a huge mess of things - thats our TSA (no wonder nothing works.
It's not Napolitano that needs to go, it all the TSA leadership in DC. They have no idea what goes on "in the real world." Most of them haven't worked outside the beltway in decades. They claim to have talked to airports, but they have "friendly" airports they talk to to get support for their proposals. Get the old-timers out, change the overly burdensome federal hiring process and some of us airport would go to work for TSA to keep sanity in the security arena!
I strongly feel that it is time that the pilots of America demand the resignation of Janet Nepolitano. This madness along with other insults to the citizens of OUR country have gone one long enough. The "leadedship" of the HSA must be using Marcsist play books for it SOP.
Typical form over function and a complete lack of concern or comprehension of the impact a bizarre mandate will have on GA. At some point the GA pilot walks away from aviation and the system fails. The impact of the loss of GA is so far reaching that TSA will be unable to reverse what it has created. No need for badges if there are no people at the airports. No people, no pilots, no safety problem. That's a fine solution.
We flew in a 421 to ten countries in Europe. (flew it across the pond). Never asked for our passports or even for ID. Not one customs asked anything. Upon return to the US the US Customs held us for two days while they checked out everything. Papers, plane etc. And we are American born citizens. They were nasty and basically moronic government officials with a small amount of power. Reminds me of the Nazis and WW 2. The TSA is out of line, tell them to F off.
R. Little
We in the GA must stand and fight in this grab for power by the petty bureaucrats. Their goal is not safety but power; we may lose but it is more honorable to go down fighting that do nothing. I see private aviation as one of the last frontiers of the American spirit. I have been flying almost 50 years and have seen the government growing larger with little if any commensurant benefit and a considerable loss of individual freedom.
Our government is out of control and they think no one cares or that we are too stupid to make correct decisions. Please, write, call, AND stop at your elected officials office. This is just one more reason to attend the next TEA party in your area! EVERYBODY on capital hill needs to be fired or put on notice! Find someone running for office that has at least read the US Constitution and support them. Speak up now while we still have a somewhat free press. VOTE next election and do your homework- everything happening now was predicted- but the majority gave up freedoms for perceived security. We will end up with neither, and fast!
If the TSA are so worried about security, why not require all pilots to apply for a common badge or security pass that was valid at all airports with commercial traffic? I don't see why they NEED to do this... as a valid FAA pilot license should suffice. But it makes far more sense than requiring individual passes at every airport (which is a complete absurdity and unworkable). Having a separate security badge would mean pilots who simply fly from small GA airports need not to worry. In Australia, they have implemented the requirement of a security pass that all pilots apply for. This security badge allows them access to all airports with commercial traffic day or night. I don't know however, if there have been any major problems. Getting a security pass requires a security check and doing this for all American pilots would be a major drag.
Hey, of course this is unnecessary nonsense. It's sole purpose is to generate revenue as a hidden tax (every airport needs a badge for which there will be a processing fee) for a government that recognizes it has out-of-control spending and no proper accountability. While the TSA is to blame in this instance, there really needs to be a complete overhaul of the government in DC. The states that decide to secede from the Union and return to sensible government with less social welfare and unlimited spending will benefit economically from the millions of hard-working people who will flock there so they can earn a decent living!!!
If the idiots at TSA are so worried about the threat posed by us pilots, then do a background on us, put our photo on the license, and use that as our "badge" to move around airport property at any airport. I'll even pay the $100 to get it done! After that, quit coming up with these stupid, unenforceable rules.
Hmmmm... This series of developments is reminiscent of another time and place (70-some years ago) when a government made a certain group of people wear badges and comply with absurd regulations as a means of ultimate total control. What enabled that to happen was good people standing by and letting it happen until it was too late...
Get rid of the TSA, HSA, and most of the laws in this country. It's becoming a socialist government. The TSA today stole my food (they are basically legal thieves) after I spent longer getting through line and suffering their humiliation (take your clothes off here) than I did walking from the terminal door's to the gate. PHX Terminal 4.
Get rid of them and let me defend the flight from hijacker's. Give me a discount of the "security" fee's they charge if I'm packing. (Would you hijack an airplane, knowing there might be weapon's aboard but you didn't know where they were or the skill of their owner's? NEITHER WOULD A TERRORIST)
TERRORISTS ARE COWARD'S!!! They don't like armed passengers. Come to think of it, neither does our government.
Someone once said "An armed society is a polite society"
Mr. McCormick, our government is basically upside down; please don't chuck it all in...it is times like this that American citizens need to fight for the freedoms that are being taken away each and every day by an out of control Executive, Legislative and soon to be Judicial Branch of Government...Stay and fight...if not for you, do it for the future of General Aviation.