Security again
 

Hi...everytime we pass through security in BFS they ask us to show Company ID, Passport and Pilot Licence. Now here's the question...i'm okay with the first two but is security staff authorized to check a pilot licence ? I thought only the CAA can do this. The reason i ask is that those people have no clue what they are looking at. We showed them everything...radio operators certificate, medical or a 20 years old PPL with a single engine rating and then walk across the ramp to a 767 :ugh:. They look at the papers with a very serious expression on their face and then let us pass. And you can see right
away that they don't know what they were just looking at.
Any ideas or hints where to find some regulations ?
:confused:

In the US it is controlled by FAR 61.3(i):
(l) Inspection of certificate. Each person who holds an airman certificate, medical certificate, authorization, or license required by this part must present it and their photo identification as described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section for inspection upon a request from:
(1) The Administrator;
(2) An authorized representative of the National Transportation Safety Board;
(3) Any Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer; or
(4) An authorized representative of the Transportation Security Administration.


By that definition, a private security does not have the right to inspect your certificates. It may be different if they are actual airport police...

I remember VCP , 10+ years ago, having to show licence to get through immigration on a GenDec... then wait for a Customs person (20ft past passport control) to show up (could be an hour) before getting out of the airport.

Hey, The RAF are sometimes no better, there are muppets everywhere. We were once told we couldn't go back to our helicopter at Northolt because my co-pilot didn't have his passport with him - we were UK based and had flown in from Battersea heliport, 6 minutes away.

We eventually had to get the customs and immigration officer to sort out the fiasco.

FlyingBeetle you are 100% correct. It's hillarious... We go through that same gate. I have shown my FAA PPL, FAA CPL even my CAA PPL in a different cover on many occasions before now and they have no clue what they're looking at. Crazy isn't it! It is much worse in the UK than on continental Europe, at least we can carry water and washkit in Europe without entering ridiculous debates as to what the rules allow, no need to strip off, treated with a modicum of respect etc etc. In my humble opinion it's best to leave it, show them whatever they want, don't get drawn into their petty world and thank your lucky stars you only have to spend a few minutes of each day with those types of people.