Thanks all for the varied advise.
DC9-32's idea of N reg is no good as the the aircraft is only going to be there 4 months and the crew only have JAR licences although I guess they could get FAA ones if they had a spare evening.
Picmacs response of why pay? I agree, we have a competent OP's department and we operate the TSA waiver website without any problems. The problems we have is the time it takes, we can get a YA number out of India quicker than the TSA can react.
Thanks Pilocol. I had a suspicion that private ops for the owner were exempt but that is definately NOT what the TSA people told me.
A question for 411A as I have noted he has an enlightened view on most things aviation.
What is the point of the TSA waiver? I assume it is to deter/stop terrorist carrying out another terrible atrocity. If TSA is not needed for internal flights or N reg private flights coming in from abroad but only part 121/135 flights from abroad then surely the terrorists will just target an internal flight as they did for 911. Chartering an aircraft is easy. Our G reg Hawker has operated all over the States and not once have the crew or passengers been subjected to any sort of security, indeed most time the limo just drives up to the aircraft. The last time it came into the States from Canada, again there were zero security checks, no x ray of baggage or pax screening. So what is the point? I really do not think that a bunch of terrorists are going to name Mr B. Laden, Cave 6 Helman Province, Afganistan on their TSA manifest. I must have missed the point somewhere.