Framed by some commenters as a “death sentence” for the functionality of operations that, according to the EAA, “raises serious constitutional questions about personal liberty,” the Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) comment period ended Friday amid a chorus of new negative opinion. The National Air Transportation Association Thursday released its recommendation that LASP, a TSA-proposed program that would govern security operations for all aircraft weighing more than 12,500 pounds, be withdrawn. “Overall, this NPRM demonstrates a troubling lack of knowledge and understanding of the general aviation community by the TSA,” stated NATA President James K. Coyne. In Alaska, where aviation is often a critical component of daily of life, State Sen. Gene Therriaut and Rep. Mike Kelly separately introduced identical resolutions in the Senate and House this week expressing the legislature’s opposition to LASP. Friday, GAMA added that while it was willing to work with the TSA toward a practical effective proposal, the current one “completely misses the mark.” Both EAA and AOPA have expressed comments opposing the proposed security rules as well.
AOPA calls LASP a “one size fits all approach” that is “as unwise as it is unpopular.” Summarizing the overall consensus at an EAA meeting, one EAA member said most in attendance thought the LASP proposal “doesn’t make any sense and would be prohibitively costly and operationally negative.” Many comments express concern that the LASP proposal fails to differentiate private from commercial air operations.
