‘Aviation Week’ recognizes TSA GA manager for outreach

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) official who “alleviated a climate of distrust and contempt” in the agency’s relationship with general aviation is a finalist for Aviation Week’s 2011 Laureate Award for business and general aviation.

TSA General Manager for GA Brian Delauter assumed his position in 2009, when GA groups and the TSA were locking horns over such controversial security initiatives as the Large Aircraft Security Program and Security Directive 8F/8G—“in a charged arena where general aviation interests and the TSA were essentially combatants,” Aviation Week explained. As a former business aviation and airline pilot, “[h]is understanding of general aviation, interactions with the community and his advocacy of its needs within TSA have alleviated a climate of distrust and contempt.” Other finalists in the category include Randall Greene, chairman, president and CEO, Safe Flight Instrument Corp., Marianne Stevenson and Robin Eissler, leaders of Corporate Aviation Responding in Emergencies (now called AERObridge).

“There has been a noticeable change in increased communication and outreach to the GA community under Brian’s guidance,” said AOPA Manager of Security and Borders Brittney Miculka. “We appreciate that he has made himself accessible to AOPA to openly discuss important issues and look forward to continuing the progress we've made on a variety of issues concerning GA."   

The Laureate Awards recognize individuals and teams for “their extraordinary achievements in operations and technological advancements.” In the general aviation category, Green is nominated for “his continued support, leadership and expansion of the Corporate Angel Network.” Stevenson and Eissler are nominated for their organization’s coordination of “scores of business aircraft and thousands of volunteers to deliver medical and other supplies,” including to earthquake-ravaged Haiti. Winners will be announced at a black-tie ceremony March 8 in Washington, D.C.