MEMORANDUM
NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
To: Phil Boyer, President, Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association
From: Thomas Thatcher, Director, New Jersey Division of Aeronautics
Date: March 25, 2003
Re: General Aviation Aircraft "Two-Lock" FAQs
Dear President Boyer:
I was asked by your staff to provide you with the following FAQs on the recent Task Order issued by the New Jersey Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force. These FAQs pertain to the two-lock portion of the Order and summarize the questions we have received and the responses we have provided. I am certain these will be helpful. I thank you for your outreach on this matter.
Tom Thatcher
General Aviation Aircraft "Two-Lock" FAQs
GENERAL "TWO-LOCK" BACKGROUND
Q: What is "two-lock" and what does it mean to me?
A: General aviation aircraft which are parked or stored for more than a 24-hour period at a New Jersey licensed airport or heliport should use a combination of two locking devices to secure or disable the aircraft to reduce its chances of being tampered with or mis-used.
Q: What is the purpose of the two-lock system?
A: The purpose of the two-lock system is to widely deploy in real time an easy, quick, and low cost way to improve general aviation aircraft security by the least intrusive and least disruptive means possible. Widespread use of a combination of two locking devices to secure or disable parked general aviation aircraft will reduce the chances of such aircraft being tampered with or mis-used.
Q: How will compliance with the two-lock Order be generally implemented?
A: Aeronautical facility managements will reach out to their tenants and customers to advise them of the two-lock Order. Aeronautical facility managements should then certify in writing to the Director of the Division of Aeronautics, by midnight, Friday, March 28th, that their facility has complied with the two-lock Order.
Q: Who ordered the implementation of the two-lock system?
A: This was ordered by the Acting Attorney General of the State of New Jersey through the New Jersey Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force. The State Division of Aeronautics in the Department of Transportation was directed as part of the Order to oversee its implementation.
SPECIFIC "TWO-LOCK" DETAILS
Q: When should a two-lock system of securing an aircraft be used?
A: When twenty-four (24) or more hours has passed since the last use of the aircraft.
Q: My airplane has a door lock and a key operated magneto switch. Am I in compliance?
A: Yes. This is a satisfactory two-lock system.
Q: My airplane has a door lock and uses a key to engage the engine starter. Am I in compliance?
A: Yes. This is a satisfactory two-lock system.
Q: The key to my door lock is the same as the key to the magneto. Is this OK?
A: Yes. Even though the key is the same, it is satisfactory two-lock system.
Q: Would a locked hangar door be considered part of a two-lock system?
A: Yes. A locked hangar door would count as one lock in a two-lock system.
Q: Would a fenced and/or gated tie-down area be considered part of a two-lock system?
A: No. At many facilities fenced and/or gated areas are not sufficiently secure.
Q: Would an un-airworthy aircraft or an aircraft undergoing maintenance require double locking?
A: Un-airworthy and/or aircraft made temporarily un-airworthy during maintenance operations would not need to be double locked.
Q: Would a glider need to be double locked? What about hot air balloons?
A: A conventional towed glider would not need to be double-locked, but self launching motor-gliders should be double locked. Hot air balloons do not need to be double locked because they are typically disassembled and bagged when not being used for flight purposes.
Q: Should helicopters be double locked too?
A: Yes. airworthy helicopters should use a two-lock system. Most helicopters are hangared so it is good to remember that a locked hangar door counts as one lock in a two-lock system.
Q: Should fabric-covered aircraft be double locked?
A: Yes.
Q: Where should a two-lock system be used?
A: At all aeronautical airports and heliports, both public and private use, licensed by the State of New Jersey.
Q: What is the immediate responsibility of airport managements in implementing two-lock?
A: It is asked that airport managements make an immediate conscientious effort to reach out to their tenants and customers to advise them about two-lock. It is understood that many customers many not be easily reachable; the goal is to get the broadest possible compliance in the least amount of time.
Q: When is the initial implementation deadline?
A: At the end of the day, Friday March 28th, 11:59 p.m.
Q: As an FBO or airport manager, should I take it upon myself to put a second lock on an aircraft which might not appear to be in compliance?
A: No, we do not encourage an FBO or airport manager to put a lock on an aircraft without the knowledge and consent of the aircraft operator or owner.
Q: As an FBO or airport manager, what about transient customer compliance?
A: Firstly, remember that most light aircraft already comply because most light aircraft already have both door locks and keyed magneto/starter switches. Secondly, two-lock only comes in effect 24 hours after the last use. Locking wheel chocks or locked tie-down cables are options for FBOs to consider for some transient customers.
Q: Are combination type locks and key type locks both acceptable?
A: Yes.
Q: Could you list some of the satisfactory locking devices and locking methods that could be part of a two-lock system?
A: Yes. Satisfactory locking devices and strategies can include any combination of two of the following:
Locking aircraft entry door
Locking cockpit door
Locking hangar door
Keyed magneto switch
Keyed starter switch
Keyed master power switch
Throttle lock
Mixture lock
Locking fuel cut-off
Locking control surface "gust-lock"
Propeller lock
Propeller chain
Propeller cable
Locking wheel lock or chock
Locking tie-down cable
Lock-in-place pitot tube cover
"Club" type devices for the control yoke
