Corporate AviationSecurity:
a threat closer than you think
The threat to corporate aviation security is closer than you might think. It
may already be on board your airplane or even in your cockpit. Progress
has been made to address our exposure and limited countermeasures
have been put in place, but Jeff Price asks whether we are doing enough?
hortly after 9/11, several whether there was a necessity to regulate corporate aircraft as a weapon of mass
S
corporate pilots, operating out it in a manner commensurate with that of destruction is foremost is most people’s
of a large U.S. general aviation commercial aviation. minds, let’s address it first.
airport that I used to manage, While corporate aviation may not be a F = MA is a commonly used equation in
started carrying firearms. Local target for terrorism, it certainly is still at the field of aerodynamics; Force equals
laws were shaky on such risk, both from the outside world, and even Mass times Acceleration. For a significant
actions and since the aircraft were privately the inside world – by its own employees amount of force to be generated, one should
owned, they did not fall under the prohibited and pilots. either increase the mass, the acceleration
items lists that apply to commercial aviation. Rather than address the issue by or both. In the case of 9/11, the commercial
At that time, it was apparent that corporate focussing on an individual corporate aircraft used were very large and travelling
aviation, and especially the pilots employed operator and expose its specific security at a high rate of speed. In addition, they
within that sector of the industry, believed it programme, warts and all, I have chosen to were carrying near full fuel loads.
was at risk. approach the topic from a best practices For many private aircraft, the size of the
Now, eight years after 9/11, with the standpoint and keep the identities of aircraft alone all but removes it from
exception of a number of stolen aircraft, certain companies where we learned consideration. According to some private
sometimes by drunk pilots, there has been these practices confidential. studies that have been conducted, an
no significant incident or attack using aircraft under about 25,000 lbs gross
general aviation. When the U.S. The Threats weight, considering the amount of fuel
Transportation Security Administration The threats to the corporate operator are aircraft of such a size can carry, could be
(TSA) released its proposed regulations on varied. Although it is common to look at a considered less of a threat. While you still
private aircraft, called the Large Aircraft corporate aircraft as a potential weapon of don’t want your house to be hit by one of
Security Program (LASP), the industry and mass destruction (WMD), a good corporate these aircraft, it’s probably not going to
its pilots were ready to debate whether aviation security programme should knock down a building. Provided that is, it
they were at significant enough risk to address numerous other threat vectors. is not loaded with explosives, like in the
warrant additional security controls and However, as the potential for the use of a plot of Operation Bojinka. Alongside the
36 Register now for FREE instant access to ASI online by visiting
www.asi-mag.com October 2009 Aviationsecurityinternational
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