Got a letter from the TSA

bdhill1979

Gone West
Dated July 30th no less

TSA recognizes that many pilots become Certified Flight Instructors to obtain flight hours and keep their CFI rating purely as a certificate and do not conduct any flight training whatsoever. it is TSA's intent to differentiate between those Certified Flight Instructors connducting flight training and those who are not. If you have trained flight students after September 2004, please respond back via e-mail to slcflightschools@dhs.gov. Please include the name of your primary airport where the training takes place and whether you are associates with a part 61 or 141 school. Your prompt response will ensure a Transportation Security Inspector does not have to contact you directly. Your help is greatly appreciated.
So, I really dig the veiled threat that you will be audited if you dont comply.

I keep all my records in accordance with 49 CFR part 1552 and will gladly comply with:
Permit TSA and the Federal Aviation Administration to inspect the records required by paragraph (i)(1) of this section during reasonable business hours.
But under what regulation or law am I required to inform them where I am and where I am working?
 
What business is it of the TSA what CFIs are and are not conducting student training?
 
People will laugh, but I would call AOPA right away and see what they have to say.

And like Hacker said since when is the TSA concerned with your records? ISn't that the FAA's deal?
 
People will laugh, but I would call AOPA right away and see what they have to say.

And like Hacker said since when is the TSA concerned with your records? ISn't that the FAA's deal?

I will scan the whole thing in a minute, but AOPA is complicit in this.

And its citizenship records, which the TSA has full right to inspect under 1552
 
What business is it of the TSA what CFIs are and are not conducting student training?
A few years ago they instituted a program where all CFI's must go through their program for security awareness. I do not know the full extent of it, as I was already out of the CFI game, but that is where this is coming from...I think?!:confused:
 
tsaletter.jpg
 
Are you in the Dallas area? I was instructing around there, and I got pretty much the exact same letter. Thing is, I'd been a Pinnacle for about 3 months by the time I got the letter. I called the guy up just to see what was happening and told them I wasn't actively instructing anymore. From what I got over the phone, in the Dallas area at least, they were trying to touch base with instructors and establish a contact person in case the instructor had questions regarding flight training, TSA and security questions.
 
Hell, I got my CFIs renewed at the FSDO today, and I haven't done any instruction since March 3rd 2006. Since it's after 2004, I'd technically have to let them know, too. Not sure what good it would do for "tracking" purposes or whatnot.
 
If they think it's so important, then they can waste some of my tax dollars by having a inspector call me and waste 10 minutes of my time.
 
Angry...hate...TSA...freakin'....wasteofmoney...ARRRGH

Sorry, anytime I read about the asinine TSA flight training rules my blood pressure rises and I get this strange urge to punch something/someone.
 
Angry...hate...TSA...freakin'....wasteofmoney...ARRRGH

Sorry, anytime I read about the asinine TSA flight training rules my blood pressure rises and I get this strange urge to punch something/someone.

But they have snappy new blue uniforms.
 
Am I missing something? The flight schools have to maintain the records, not the CFI. Part 1552 lists the "flight school" not the flight instructor. You have to (best Eastern Bloc accent) check that the papers are in order. :cool: The endorsement goes in the book.

1552.3(i) Recordkeeping requirements . A flight school must—
 
Am I missing something? The flight schools have to maintain the records, not the CFI. Part 1552 lists the "flight school" not the flight instructor. You have to (best Eastern Bloc accent) check that the papers are in order. :cool: The endorsement goes in the book.

1552.3(i) Recordkeeping requirements . A flight school must—

That's what I was thinking but didn't want to say it without looking like an idiot (something I very easily do).

I never touched citizenship stuff. The 141 school handled it all, although to be honest I didn't really pay much attention to it.
 
Am I missing something? The flight schools have to maintain the records, not the CFI. Part 1552 lists the "flight school" not the flight instructor. You have to (best Eastern Bloc accent) check that the papers are in order. :cool: The endorsement goes in the book.

1552.3(i) Recordkeeping requirements . A flight school must—
Under TSA's idiotic rules, a freelance CFI operating under part 61/91 is considered a flight school. Can you tell that this rule was drafted by someone who didn't know jack about GA?

The other cool thing is that when the regulation first became effective, there was no system in place on the TSA's end to actually let people comply with all the regulations. It was (and still is) total Charlie Fox and waste of taxpayer money and peoples' time.
 
Am I missing something? The flight schools have to maintain the records, not the CFI. Part 1552 lists the "flight school" not the flight instructor. You have to (best Eastern Bloc accent) check that the papers are in order. :cool: The endorsement goes in the book.

1552.3(i) Recordkeeping requirements . A flight school must—

That's what I was thinking but didn't want to say it without looking like an idiot (something I very easily do).

I never touched citizenship stuff. The 141 school handled it all, although to be honest I didn't really pay much attention to it.
In the definitions of 1552 anyone providing flight instruction is defined as a flight school

So basically I as an individual am required to keep copies of peoples personal information

effing brilliant
 
Under TSA's idiotic rules, a freelance CFI operating under part 61/91 is considered a flight school. Can you tell that this rule was drafted by someone who didn't know jack about GA?


Ding ding ding. Hence the reason any freelance CFI has to go through the stupid web based security training (and get the nifty certificate). It was easy to dodge the TSA requirements at Skymates. Anyone that wasn't a US citizen, I just sent 'em to Ryan. :)
 
In the definitions of 1552 anyone providing flight instruction is defined as a flight school

So basically I as an individual am required to keep copies of peoples personal information

effing brilliant


I see that, now. Now THAT is just STUPID!

I am NOT taking responsibility of securing copies of peoples' birth certificates or passports. No way. "Here are the addresses of the facility (school) where they are maintained. Good day."
 
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