Contingency Planning

What's Next For General Aviation Security?

August 16, 2007

What's Next For General Aviation Security?Approximately two years ago, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) solicited proposals for the development of a training program for improving security awareness and preparedness at general aviation airports. Via competitive proposals in 2005, a $750,000 grant was awarded to Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) in Pewaukee, Wis.

WCTC has a department dedicated to homeland security and is staffed by educators with extensive backgrounds in law enforcement and emergency response. WCTC proposed the development of a model which could be used to determine the training needs that address the diversity of general aviation aircraft and airports along with a methodology for implementing the training that considered the industry's limitations in time and resources.

Recently, representatives from WCTC, along with the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), presented an overview of the program which they expect to be approved by DHS sometime in August 2007 and available to the general aviation community in September 2007.

The program is divided into four modules, three of which are targeted to pilots and airport personnel and the fourth, targeted to local first responders, i.e. police, fire and other emergency response entities.

In doing the research to develop the training model, WCTC established an advisory leadership committee and reached out to over 25 stakeholders which include the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), EAA, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), law enforcement and emergency responders who are also pilots, and others, such as the local business community.

Input from these various stakeholders reveal that there is a significant gap in relationships between general aviation airports and local emergency responders and a lack of awareness of aviation operations amongst emergency personnel. Brian Dorow, Associate Dean, Department of Criminal Justice Center for Law Enforcement Homeland Security and Counter-Terrorism Initiatives at WCTC says that most general aviation airports do not have their own police or fire services, so they rely on the local agencies. "When I was a law enforcement official, I barely knew where the entrance to the airport was”, says Dorow. “In our research, we found that this was a common issue in many communities". The introduction of the modules came with positive comments from EAA. According to Randy Hansen, with EAA Government Relations, “this program is one-level above AOPA Watch,” where local first responders are being included in the process.

According to Jim Kerr, project manager with WCTC, because general aviation airports and facilities have limited capital resources, the training initiatives are focused on human solutions. Most every pilot has a cell phone, says Kerr, and knowing when and how to use it for security is part of this training.

The first three modules, which are referred to as "levels," are focused on "Security Training for Aviation Stakeholders." The distinction between the levels was not described in the brochure provided by WCTC, but based on their comments it appears that Level 1 training is geared toward small airstrips which, according to Dorow, could be as small as a grass strip on a farm. Level 2 training is focused on airports with paved runways but no control towers, and Level 3 training is focused on airports with active air traffic control towers. Level 4 training is focused on first responder personnel.

Access to the training will be free and offered online. Each level is estimated to take between six and eight hours. The training is structured to be progressive, so pilots who operate aircraft at towered airports would ideally take Levels 1 through 3.

WCTC is submitting the final reports to DHS this month and given DHS approval, expects the modules will be available in September. Grant funds remain in WCTC's contract for outreach and "train-the-trainer" education for communities interested in providing classroom training.

Dorow says the initial outreach strategy will be to market the program through professional associations that represent the aviation and first responder industries. Brian also mentioned that this program is a first of its kind in the United States and while the development was funded by DHS, it remains a voluntary program for all involved.

- WCTC