Thanks to everyone who submitted a comment on the TSA’s LASP program. More than 1,000 comments were submitted in the last 5 days, bringing the total to about 4,000, which may be a record for an aviation related NPRM. Having read dozens of the comments, I can tell you that they were respectful, well thought out, and relevant to the day-to-day work of the commenters. They all opposed the NPRM—I didn’t see a single comment favoring it. Many aviation bloggers and Web sites helped spur pilots to action. There's a www.stoplasp.com Web site. And the image I used for this post? Borrowed from flightlineinternetradio.com. Even BNET wrote an artice opposing LASP.
One comment was filed by a King Air pilot who was a former FBI agent. He faulted…
the proposal for its lack of a risk-based assessment of the security issues the proposal was trying to address. The Director of the DeKalb Peachtree Airport said that “There is no demonstrable evidence that shows general aviation aircraft are a threat to national security any more than trains, pleasure boats on inland waterways, metropolitan transit buses, or trucks on the interstate."
In the comments that I filed this evening, I said:
"From a top down view, the LASP proposal is totally contrary to the TSA’s Mission statement: ‘The Transportation Security Administration protects the Nation’s transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce.’ Yet the LASP proposal does nothing ‘to protect the Nation’s transportation system.’ General Aviation aircraft are quite secure. Most of the aircraft covered by this proposal are worth at least a few million dollars. Their owners have already taken strong measures to protect the aircraft. In fact, the general aviation industry has consistently led the development of security measure for our industry and feels that the present measures are appropriate.
"Rather than ‘ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce,’ the LASP proposal totally restricts the free movements of pilots and aircraft. Essentially, it requires aircraft to get the permission of the government before conducting a flight. This would highly constrain the flexibility of aircraft and reduce their value as business tools. The theme of ‘loss of freedom’ is one that appears frequently in the comments submitted on this docket. Our country was founded on the principle of freedom and our citizens treasure it dearly. Your proposal to eliminate freedom partially explains why it is so vigorously opposed."
Near the end of my comments, I observed that the LASP proposal seems to have struck a nerve: “Please recognize that there is a sea change occurring in this country and this proposal is running counter to that tide. In the wake of 9/11, the American people supported absolute security with little regard to the economic cost and reduction of freedom. Using that philosophy and the LASP proposal as a framework, a good case could be made for regulation requiring that all drivers be screened before getting into their cars and driving somewhere. In fact, most cars can carry far more weight than most general aviation aircraft, so there’s a better case to be made for securing cars and rental trucks than there is for securing general aviation aircraft.
"Our new President has stated that he believes we can achieve security while protecting freedom. Yet this proposal neither increases security nor protects freedom. Implementing this proposal in its present form would be contrary to the will of the people and would be vigorously opposed by the flight instructor and pilot communities."
The European View
U.S. pilots are among the luckiest in the world. We have the pleasure of exercising the privilege of freeing flying around our country. Note this is a privilege, not a right. Earlier today I received an email from a pilot, who moved here from Germany that said in part:
"If LASP goes in effect as planned, General Aviation will be brought to its knees. I left Europe after General Aviation was brandmarked as a group of rich, non deserving individuals feeding off the people. We were criminalized to the extent that today there is really no chance to get Singles and Twins to move. While German Politicians did not focus their efforts on the lack of funding (it has always been 5 times more expensive to fly there, and there have been user fees for years) we experienced a trickledown effect which marked us RICH. Especially in countries with economic problems it is never safe to be seen as being RICH. People perceive us as rich, no matter if we are or not.
"We need to ring the bells, anywhere, anytime and NOW. This is cause for alarm and protest. We need Sport Pilots, Parachutists and Kite flyers to recognize the tremendous impact this all can have on all of our freedoms and liberties. Companies will lose hundreds, if not thousands of their corporate airplanes, making their competitiveness take a hit…hundreds of thousands of employees work paying jobs to keep airplanes flying and their users happy."
Pilots Making a Difference–and Having Fun
There is a lot going on now to distract pilots and politicians from several crucial issues facing General Aviation. Just today, it was announced that the President's budget calls for User Fees beginning in 2011. And the TSA has a new airport security program–separate from LASP–which would further restrict pilot movements at airports. But on the positive side, it was also announced this week that the Doobie Brothers will play this summer at Oshkosh on opening day of AirVenture.
Many pilots “did their part” last year to speak up in opposition to User Fees. This year many of you have spoken out against the TSA’s LASP proposal. For those who haven’t, the official comment period closed an hour ago. But please, if you care about preserving General Aviation, write to your elected representatives NOW. If we continue to fight unfair regulations, our voices will be heard.
Then go out and celebrate. Find a friend who’s interested in aviation and take him or her flying this weekend. Then help find a flight instructor and mentor your friend on getting a license. You’ll have almost as much fun as they do. Go out and commit aviation. What could be more fun?