TSAAC Program Is Too Limited, But Participants Should
be Praised
"Operators who have obtained TSAACs to date are truly industry
leaders," Doug Schwartz, aviation director of AT&T says
of TSA Access Certificates.
"They have gone to the effort of re-qualifying for a privilege
most of them already have," he says (in reference to international
overflight available anyway via a less cumbersome waiver process).
"They have done so in the belief that more restrictions will
be relieved as a result of their diligence."
TSAAC is a proof-of-concept program at the Transportation Security
Administration, initially only for operators at Teterboro and
now expanded to Morristown and Westchester. NBAA wants members
to sign up "to demonstrate to federal officials that corporate
operators have security programs in place that qualify them for
the same access to airspace as Part 121 operators"-the airlines.
"The TSA has been overwhelmed with work," Schwartz says,
and the TSAAC initiative "has provided a means to interact
with TSA and develop a mutually acceptable set of standards."
"Interestingly enough," says the AT&T man, "most
of the elements of a TSAAC are nothing more than formally documenting
what many of us already do." He feels too that limiting the
program to three New York-area airfields is a mistake. NBAA expects
the TSAAC program to be expanded next year.
"I will be satisfied when more NBAA members can qualify for TSAAC,"
Schwartz says, and "the security accomplishments of these operators
are recognized through broader access to airspace."
