*Another* TSA letter

jrh

Well-Known Member
Got a letter from the TSA today. It addresses me personally and says they'd like "to inform me of the following new requirements which may be applicable to the flight instruction you provide" and then talks about 49 CFR 1552. It has several links to web sites endorsed by both the TSA and AOPA.

Then, at the bottom, it says this:

Though not a statutory requirement, we request that you provide the following information to our office:

  • Your current E-Mail address
  • Current telephone number used in conjunction with your flight instruction
  • Whether or not you are an active CFI
  • The type and number of students you train ( i.e. U.S. Citizens or foreign (alien) students)
If you have access to a computer, you may provide the information to us via electronic mail, or you may call one of the Transportation Security Inspectors shown below:

Then it gives some contact info and says, "Your assistance in providing this information is greatly appreciated. We look forward to hearing from you and to working with you in the future."


My response will be...nothing. And I will advise the other instructors I work with to not respond as well. I've never seen anything good come from this sort of thing. The world would be a better place without the TSA as far as I'm concerned.
 
If you're not compelled to answer by them as they state, you're doing the right thing.


Let them find other tubs to stack.
 
Anyone know what the TSA's beef is all about lately?
Maybe it is the realization that they are useless to General Aviation security?

Gotta justify their existence somehow, so why not go fishing for an instructor or two to bust on BS paperwork mistakes.
 
Part of their new proposal: SASP. Small Aircraft Security Program, all aircraft greater than ultralights will require owners and operators to perform a Single Scope Background Investigation on every passenger or potential flight student! For the safety of the mother/father/homeland!
 
Part of their new proposal: SASP. Small Aircraft Security Program, all aircraft greater than ultralights will require owners and operators to perform a Single Scope Background Investigation on every passenger or potential flight student! For the safety of the mother/father/homeland!


So it's a proposal, not a rule. Woulden't that make it not necessary to an instructor to act on a letter, haveing no rule to violate you with?
 
I think they're seeing indications that their policies aren't being universally followed and they're trying to eradicate the problem. Can't keep the "perps" in line if you don't have adequate jurisdiction. Their problem is they are doing the job of other agencies.
 
In a year, they'll be saying how successful this program was in catching and prosecuting instructors who weren't complying with the rules on international students, and use this as a case for making it compulsory for instructors to provide them with this information.

They'll get nothing from me.
 
I can't wait to get mine if/whenever they get around it. I'm not sure if I'm even going to read it first or if its going right into the shredder, much like anything else that would come to my house addressed from the Tub Stacking Agency.
 
What if...the TSA for all of their pain-in-the-ass tactics, has actually made a difference? Government agencies usually don't stand up and take a bow when they're successful.
 
They don't? Since when? You can't prove a negative so it is a moot point anyway -- all we can do is surmise based on the effectiveness of the TSA. Since the TSA is about as effective as a bucket without a bottom then it may be a safe bet to surmise they haven't helped.
 
JRH, I was going to make thread about this letter, I just got mine today.

I put mine in the trash after a 10 minute rant to my roommates about the TSA.

What a waist of space.

I really have the urge to call the number they provided and telling them that I disapprove. I know it wouldn't do much, but it would feel so damn good.
If anything it would be comedic relief.
"Hello, TSA speaking"
"Yes, I just wanted to let you know I disapprove."
"wat"
"That is all"

It's a local number, could be interesting.
 
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