For US controllers, keep your fingers crossed. The cut and paste refers to a pilot(hehe) program to open the
JS back up. The program includes controllers. It looks like the TSA and Flight standards types are okay with it, now you just have to convince your side of the FAA its a good thing. I X'ed out the names below. Source of document is my airlines jump seat coordinator.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Yesterday I met with senior representatives of the TSA and FAA, specifically Mr. XX (TSA) and Mr. XX (FAA) and their staffs to discuss the status of the Cockpit Access Security System (CASS) proposal and the reopening of offline jumpseats. I have some good news that I want to pass on.
The outcome of the meeting is that the TSA/FAA have verbally approved the CASS as a "Pilot Program." A Pilot Program is an effort approved for a specific period of time with a specific number of participants. This approach seemed appropriate due to the complexity and technical challenges of the effort.
Participants in the CASS Pilot Program will be authorized to utilize each other's jumpseats as regulated by the FARs. The authorized CASS Pilot Program participants will be all ATA member airlines (U.S.), their subsidiaries, FAA air traffic controllers and DoD couriers. The period of the CASS Pilot Program will be for 6 months beginning with the approval of the CASS Pilot Program Plan as described in the following paragraphs. The 6 month period of performance will be capped with a review of the program by the TSA and FAA. Barring any major hiccups, the CASS program would be opened up to other carriers at that time.
The implementation schedule that we agreed upon looks like this:
- The ATA (to read SCHOETTMER/me) will submit a management plan addressing the CASS Pilot Program to the TSA. This document will primarily be a summation of information previously submitted to the TSA/FAA describing the program plus an implementation schedule. I have committed to submit this plan not later than July 10, 2003.
- The TSA/FAA will work to approve the CASS Pilot Program management plan within 30 days. Additionally, the TSA will direct local TSA officials to permit implementation of the CASS at ATA member airlines once the airline has a viable in-house program developed. This will be approved through each airline's security plan by the Principal Security Inspector.
- The FARs already permit offline jumpseating. However, FAA approval to participate in the CASS Pilot Program will be approved via Ops Spec, paragraph AO25 (most likely per each airline's jumpseat procedures manual or other appropriate manual).
- Off-line jumpseating would be reopened at that time for participants.
Each ATA member airline can come into the program as a participant when 1) they are confident their internal system is complete 2) their security plan has been approved to participate 3) they have received ops specs approval.