Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP)

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LASP News

DC Congresswoman Reiterates Concerns Over LASP, DCA Access

August 3, 2009

Additional support for general aviation during last week's consideration of H.Res. 508 was offered by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who emphasized the concerns raised by the House Committee on Homeland Security about the Transportation Security Administration's proposed Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP). "The entire general aviation sector was about to be buried by the Large Aircraft Security Program, until our committee said 'no!'," she stated. In response, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said: "We thank the congresswoman for her support of general aviation, including her work to reform the LASP and improve GA access to Washington Reagan National Airport." To read Norton's statement, visit:

Review Norton's statement (1 KB, PDF)

NBAA Lauds Removal of Air Marshal, No-Fly List Proposals From LASP

July 20, 2009

NBAA welcomed comments from John Sammon, TSA assistant administrator for transportation sector network management, acknowledging that proposed requirements for air marshals and third-party no-fly-list matching and audits have been dropped from the TSA's LASP. Sammon made his comments before a hearing of the House Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection that focused on general aviation security. The provisions are among the concerns articulated by NBAA and its Member Companies about the proposal.

NBAA Member Welcomes Opposition to Private No-Fly List

July 20, 2009

Following the TSA's acknowledgement last week that proposed requirements privatizing no-fly-list providers had been dropped from the LASP, Ed Vesely with NBAA Member Company Welsh Aviation thanked Rep. Pete Olson (R-22-TX), for his proposal to disallow the TSA from contracting with private auditors to manage the no-fly lists. Olson introduced a measure blocking that idea as part of a recent bill to fund the TSA. "Rep. Olson's work has led the TSA to abandon third-party security audits – a function that should be only overseen by government authorities to ensure confidentiality of the information obtained," Vesely said.

Martha King Illustrated Dangers of LASP, Outlined Value of Business Aviation to Congress

July 15, 2009

During a hearing on GA security before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Martha King, co-owner of King Schools, Inc., told Members of Congress that if the TSA overlays the security regime for large airlines onto small aircraft, thousands of small and mid-size businesses would be stifled, with no tangible security benefit. On behalf of her business and 8,000 other NBAA Member Companies, she outlined the dangers of the TSA's proposed LASP "This proposal does not recognize the significant differences between commercial airline operations and non-commercial operations, which do not carry members of the general public," she said.

Arkansas and Minnesota State Officials Express Concerns on LASP

May 18, 2009

The Arkansas Department of Aeronautics/Aeronautics Commission recently approved a resolution expressing "serious concerns" about TSA's proposed LASP rule and its potential impact on business aviation operators.  In addition, members of the Minnesota State House of Representatives and the Minnesota State Senate have sent letters to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano voicing strong concerns about the impact the proposed LASP rule could have on Minnesota-based industries that utilize general aviation aircraft for business purposes. 

Resolution of the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics (72 KB, PDF)

Letter from Minnesota State Senate to DHS Secretary Napolitano (133 KB, PDF)

Letter from Minnesota State House of Representatives (130 KB, PDF)

Sen. Bennet Joins Lawmakers Voicing Concern Over TSA LASP

May 11, 2009

Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) recently joined lawmakers who have voiced concerns about the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA’s) proposed Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP). “…These measures would be very costly, yet stakeholders have not sufficiently been engaged in the process,” wrote Senator Bennet in a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. “I want to make sure that these measures are focused, necessary and not overly burdensome on smaller airports with tighter budgets.”

Letter from Michael Bennet (D-CO) to DHS Secretary Napolitano (1.35 MB, PDF)

Federal, Local Officials Continue Raising Concerns Over TSA LASP

April 27, 2009

In recent weeks, lawmakers in and outside Washington have continued to voice concerns with federal security officials about the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA’s) proposed Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP). “…I am concerned that the proposed rule as written could have a minimal impact on aviation security, prove overly burdensome to general aviation and result in real economic harm by hampering business operations and commerce,” wrote Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR) in a letter to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano. The City of Hot Springs, AK, passed a resolution that marked their concerns on LASP because GA is a “vital engine of growth in the City of Hot Springs economy.”

Letter from Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR) to DHS Secretary Napolitano (1.16 MB, PDF)

Letter from Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-AZ) to DHS Secretary Napolitano (173 KB, PDF)

Resolution from Hot Springs, AR Ppposing LASP (203 KB, PDF)

With TSA’s LASP Comment Window Closed, What’s Next, and How Can NBAA Members Help?

March 2 , 2009

The end of the public comment period on TSA's LASP marks the beginning of a new, equally rigorous chapter in making the industry's concerns known in Washington. Although the TSA is not required to notify the industry on the progress of its review of the comments submitted on LASP, NBAA will continue to be vigilant and will be reaching out to Association Members for coordinated engagement on the issue.

NBAA will also continue to press its concerns with officials at the Department of Homeland Security, TSA and elsewhere. One key area the Association will continue to focus on is Congress, where some lawmakers have already voiced concern about the LASP. NBAA President and CEO Bolen and other officials will continue meeting with lawmakers in the coming weeks to discuss the business aviation community's concerns.

So what can NBAA Members do? Here are some simple steps you can take to make a big difference.

1) Use Contact Congress. Members of Congress put a tremendous amount of weight on their constituents' concerns. NBAA's Contact Congress resource makes it easy for you to send an email message to your elected officials explaining your concerns about the TSA's LASP. Many people in the business aviation community have already used Contact Congress to alert their Members about the LASP, but if you haven't you can do so by simply visiting: http://www.nbaa.org/advocacy/contact/?ISSUE=nbaa0024

2) Arrange to meet with your Members of Congress to discuss the LASP. Contact your Senators and House Members to get an appointment and speak directly with the lawmaker and his or her staff. Business aviation means jobs, and business aviation is located in every state and Congressional district in the country. If you can come to Washington, NBAA's government affairs staff can support your meeting. For more information, contact NBAA's Lisa Piccione at: lpiccione@nbaa.org. 

3) Visit the local office for your Member of Congress. However, if you can’t get to DC, you can visit your representative's local office. Tell your story and get them to see you, your fellow employees and your company as the face of business aviation. Contact information for your Members of Congress can be found at: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

4) Let NBAA help you tell your story through the news media. Members of Congress carefully read their local newspapers even when they're in Washington. NBAA can help you put together an opinion piece, letter to the editor, interview or some other opportunity to get your message out through your local news media. To pursue this opportunity, simply contact NBAA's Communications Manager Patrick Dunne at pdunne@nbaa.org.

5) Keep checking back with NBAA's LASP web site. Since the TSA introduced the controversial LASP last October, NBAA has continually updated the Association's online LASP resource center, www.nbaa.org/lasp, which is a robust resource of up-to-date information. Check back often, so that as events unfold you are informed about the latest and what industry actions may be needed. 

NBAA Submits Comments on LASP, but More Work Lies Ahead

On February 27, 2009, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen submitted comments that clearly articulate the serious concerns raised by the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA’s) highly controversial Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP).“As NBAA has noted since the LASP was introduced last October, this proposal completely misses the mark,” said Bolen. “The TSA needs to understand that in preparing the LASP, the agency has attempted to overlay a security regime for the big airlines onto tens of thousands of businesses all across the country. If left unchanged, the plan would overwhelm these small businesses in a time of economic crisis without providing a clear security benefit.” NBAA’s comments added to those submitted by more than 4,000 businesses, associations and individuals, all of which raise a variety of criticisms about the TSA’s proposal.

Review NBAA's Comments to the LASP NPRM (PDF, 318KB)

NBAA Takes LASP Concerns to Meeting Between TSA and Industry April 8, 2009

On April 6, NBAA led a coalition of general aviation associations and companies at a meeting held at the request of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials to develop a strategy for resolving the many significant issues raised during the public comment period for the Agency's proposed Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP). NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen personally voiced many of the concerns raised by NBAA Members and others within the general aviation community. Although Bolen believes much work is yet to be done, he emerged from the meeting with cautious optimism about the progress made during the session toward a thoughtful and practical approach to general aviation security. Another meeting to discuss the LASP with TSA officials is scheduled for May 6, 2009, and NBAA will attend that session as well.

Background

The TSA has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that seeks to amend the Twelve Five Standard Security Program (TFSSP) and Private Charter Standard Security Program (PCSSP) and apply new security requirements to all aircraft weighing more than 12,500 pounds.  In addition, TSA proposes airports serving large aircraft to adopt mandatory security requirements.

Among many of the requirements contained within the proposal, the major provisions for aircraft operators  include criminal history record checks (CHRC) and security threat assessments (STA) for flight crew, checking passenger names against the TSA’s “No-Fly” and “Selectee” lists, development of a security program, and biennial auditing of the security program.  Additionally, the proposal would require approximately 320 airports designated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) as “reliever” airports and airports that regularly serve scheduled or public charter operations in large aircraft to adopt a “partial” airport security program that would include specific training, record retention, personnel and notification requirements.

Acting on a joint request from the NBAA and AOPA the TSA has extended the time period for public comment on the agency’s LASP proposal by an additional 60 days. As a result of the extension, the new deadline for public comment is February 27, 2009. On October 30, NBAA and AOPA jointly requested additional time to comment on the LASP, which increases security requirements for all aircraft weighing more than 12,500 pounds. “Granting our request will provide much needed time for analysis, community education and feedback,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “This is a very important development and we look forward to effectively using the additional time.”

Review Comments About the TSA Proposal and Submit Your Own

NBAA Resources for Understanding, and Commenting on, the TSA's LASP