alouette
26th Nov 2004, 17:54
Thought this article form the Rotor&Wing November issue might be of interest to some
Industry Loses Fight Against 'Aliens' Rule
U.S. transportation security officials in September imposed new requirements for who can pursue flight training. Industry officials fault the rules as confusing and costly.
HELICOPTER INDUSTRY LEADERS and their colleagues from other sectors of aviation lost the struggle to convince U.S. officials to delay implementation of a new regulation that would require stringent paperwork and add costs to flight schools and other operators.
Representatives of the Helicopter Assn. International and other aviation trade groups met in October with officials of the Transportation Security Administration to seck a delay in implementation of the rule, which ostensibly is aimed at unmasking terrorist seeking flight training at an FAA certificated facility.
In addition, the aviation groups are seeking clarification from the TSA of what they called "many questionable definitions" in the proposal.The TSA denied the requested delay in implementation. Industry officials said they still are awaiting clarifications from the agency.
TSA officials on Sept. 20 issued a call for comments an the proposed regulation, entitled "Interim Final Rule-Flight Training for Aliens and Other Designated Individuals; Security Awareness Training for Flight School Employees." It gave interested individuals until Oct. 20 to file their comments an the proposal. However, the rule took effect Sept. 20.
The rule requires flight schools to notify the TSA when aliens and other designated individuals apply for flight training. The agency said in the proposal that it is also establishing standards to determine whether such individuals pose a threat to aviation or national security and whether they will be prohibited frorn receiving flight training.
The U.S. government must let a flight school know within 45 days of an application whether the respective student poses a threat. If nothing is heard in that time, training may commence. The key caveat is that the flight school "would terminate such training" if the government subsequently notifies it of a threat.
The rule also imposes a $130 fee on facilities or students seeking clearance to provide or undergo flight training. The fee, which applies to each application, is intended to partially cover the TSA's cost of conducting security threat assessments of applicants, according to the agency. ”The assessment requirements "do not apply to U.S. citizens, or nationals or individuals who have been endorsed by the Department of Defense, unless they have been designated by the TSA,"that agency said.
Separately, the rule requires estahlishment of security-awareness training standards for employees of flight schools.
The rule establishes four categories of training candidates. Category 1 includes students who are not eligible for expedited processing for flight training in aircraft weighing greater than 12,500 lb. Category 2 covers students eligible for expedited processing for flight training in the operation of aircraft weighing greater than 12,500 lb. Category 3 includes students applying for flight training in the operation of aircraft weighing 12,500 Ib. or less. Category 4 is for pilots applying for recurrent training.
Requirements are Most stringent for students in Category 1 and ease progressively with the lower categories.
The rule has at least one helicopter industry leader up in arms. Patrick Corr, president of Helicopter Adventures, Inc. and a member of the HAl board, said the rule "will impaet every pilot and every flight operation in the nation, even it you are a one man company with a "No Foreigners" sign an the front door."
He argues that the TSA's definitions of "flight school" and "flight training" are so hroad that "they include every biennial flight review, every line-check, every hour of ground or simulator instruction, every rental check-out flight-in fact almost every occasion when there are two pilots in an aircraft."
Corr said the rule will require operators to maintain two sets of training records-one for U.S. citizens and one for non-citizens. He also said all operators will have to seek TSA approval to conduct any type of flight training for employee pilots who are not U.S. citizens.
I just wonder what would happen if an american citizen is taking flight training and blows the competition to hell afterwards; and sadly enough his record did not show any unusual behavior.:E
Industry Loses Fight Against 'Aliens' Rule
U.S. transportation security officials in September imposed new requirements for who can pursue flight training. Industry officials fault the rules as confusing and costly.
HELICOPTER INDUSTRY LEADERS and their colleagues from other sectors of aviation lost the struggle to convince U.S. officials to delay implementation of a new regulation that would require stringent paperwork and add costs to flight schools and other operators.
Representatives of the Helicopter Assn. International and other aviation trade groups met in October with officials of the Transportation Security Administration to seck a delay in implementation of the rule, which ostensibly is aimed at unmasking terrorist seeking flight training at an FAA certificated facility.
In addition, the aviation groups are seeking clarification from the TSA of what they called "many questionable definitions" in the proposal.The TSA denied the requested delay in implementation. Industry officials said they still are awaiting clarifications from the agency.
TSA officials on Sept. 20 issued a call for comments an the proposed regulation, entitled "Interim Final Rule-Flight Training for Aliens and Other Designated Individuals; Security Awareness Training for Flight School Employees." It gave interested individuals until Oct. 20 to file their comments an the proposal. However, the rule took effect Sept. 20.
The rule requires flight schools to notify the TSA when aliens and other designated individuals apply for flight training. The agency said in the proposal that it is also establishing standards to determine whether such individuals pose a threat to aviation or national security and whether they will be prohibited frorn receiving flight training.
The U.S. government must let a flight school know within 45 days of an application whether the respective student poses a threat. If nothing is heard in that time, training may commence. The key caveat is that the flight school "would terminate such training" if the government subsequently notifies it of a threat.
The rule also imposes a $130 fee on facilities or students seeking clearance to provide or undergo flight training. The fee, which applies to each application, is intended to partially cover the TSA's cost of conducting security threat assessments of applicants, according to the agency. ”The assessment requirements "do not apply to U.S. citizens, or nationals or individuals who have been endorsed by the Department of Defense, unless they have been designated by the TSA,"that agency said.
Separately, the rule requires estahlishment of security-awareness training standards for employees of flight schools.
The rule establishes four categories of training candidates. Category 1 includes students who are not eligible for expedited processing for flight training in aircraft weighing greater than 12,500 lb. Category 2 covers students eligible for expedited processing for flight training in the operation of aircraft weighing greater than 12,500 lb. Category 3 includes students applying for flight training in the operation of aircraft weighing 12,500 Ib. or less. Category 4 is for pilots applying for recurrent training.
Requirements are Most stringent for students in Category 1 and ease progressively with the lower categories.
The rule has at least one helicopter industry leader up in arms. Patrick Corr, president of Helicopter Adventures, Inc. and a member of the HAl board, said the rule "will impaet every pilot and every flight operation in the nation, even it you are a one man company with a "No Foreigners" sign an the front door."
He argues that the TSA's definitions of "flight school" and "flight training" are so hroad that "they include every biennial flight review, every line-check, every hour of ground or simulator instruction, every rental check-out flight-in fact almost every occasion when there are two pilots in an aircraft."
Corr said the rule will require operators to maintain two sets of training records-one for U.S. citizens and one for non-citizens. He also said all operators will have to seek TSA approval to conduct any type of flight training for employee pilots who are not U.S. citizens.
I just wonder what would happen if an american citizen is taking flight training and blows the competition to hell afterwards; and sadly enough his record did not show any unusual behavior.:E