AOPA guards against onerous security regulation in Ohio
Ohio is jumping on the homeland security bandwagon, drafting a state law covering everything from chemical weapons to operations at small airports. And AOPA is on hand to make sure that the law doesn't penalize general aviation.
"We appreciate that Ohio Department of Transportation officials wanted to work with AOPA to get security recommendations that are consistent with best industry practices and with federal law," said Roger Cohen, AOPA vice president of regional affairs.
AOPA's involvement is already paying dividends.
A preliminary draft of the bill included requirements that airports screen all general aviation passengers, maintain five-year logs of all transient aircraft, and require double locks on all aircraft. But AOPA has argued that those kinds of measures are unnecessary for security and harmful to general aviation.
AOPA is encouraging Ohio to adopt the general aviation airport security guidelines developed by the aviation industry (including AOPA) and the TSA.
Ohio is studying the AOPA Airport Watch Program, and AOPA has offered to partner with the state to get Airport Watch information into the hands of every Ohio pilot.
February 10, 2005
Related Articles
