AOPA works to assure fairness in Houston GA security story
When AOPA's media relations department learned that KHOU-TV, the CBS affiliate in Houston, Texas, was preparing a story on supposed gaps in security at area GA airports, staff members contacted the 11 News Investigates team to make sure they had all the facts. The story is scheduled to air February 1.
"We can't control the outcome, but we can be sure the reporter has all the relevant facts in hand," said AOPA Media Relations Director Chris Dancy. "In this case, we made sure the reporter knew about AOPA's Airport Watch and all the other GA security enhancements that have been put in place since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks."
The report apparently focuses on easy access to "unsecured" business jets at a number of GA airports in the Houston area. The reporter told AOPA that, in many cases, their crews were not challenged but did say he intended to include the instances in which they were.
AOPA offered to make an on-camera spokesperson available, either in Houston or via satellite. The reporter interviewed the airport directors at the airports where the supposed gaps exist and decided not to take the association up on its offer.
Updated: January 31, 2007, 8:42 a.m. EST
