Your Recurrent Security Awareness Training
As per the requirements of 49 CFR Part 1552, you (as either a flight school employee or independent CFI) must receive recurrent security awareness training. This part of the course will provide that training:
Answer these questions on your own:
- Has your flight school (or yourself if you are an independent CFI) implemented any new security measures? If so, what are they and how will they aid in general aviation security?
- Have there been any security incidents (however minor) at your flight school or airport, and if so have any lessons been learned as a result? If so, what were the lessons learned, and how will you take what you learned and apply it to future security measures?
Here are a few TSA guidelines and recommendations concerning the security of general aviation flight schools, flight students, renters, aircraft, and proper reporting procedures:
Flight Schools and Student Pilots:
- Require flight students to use proper entrances and exits to ramp areas. If access controls are available, consider having flight school personnel allow access to ramp areas only after establishing positive identification of flight students.
- Establish positive identification of student pilots prior to every flight lesson.
- Control aircraft ignition keys so that the student cannot start the aircraft until the instructor is ready for the flight to begin.
- Limit student pilot access to aircraft keys until the student pilot has reached an appropriate point in the training curriculum.
- Consider having any student pilot check in with a specific employee (i.e. dispatcher, aircraft scheduler, flight instructor, or other “management” official) before being allowed access to parked aircraft.
- Have the student sign or initial a form and not receive keys until an instructor or other “management official” also signs or initials.
- When available, use a different ignition key from the door lock key. The instructor would provide the ignition key when he or she arrives at the aircraft.
