As Congress Begins Hearings Focused on Aviation Security ...

... one can hope that the focus is on balance – that is, balancing the need for safe transport versus strangling an ailing industry with onerous regulations. The U.S. Senate today begins four separate hearings into the Christmas Day attempted bombing of a Northwest airliner in Detroit, how intelligence failed to “connect the dots”, and other issues related to aviation security. Those expected to testify include the heads of DHS, the FBI, and the director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). As The Wall Street Journal reports, the NCTC was created after 9/11 to provide a central clearinghouse for intelligence among the various U.S. agencies. This has become the focal point of the discussion related to the Christmas incident. For years my favorite word when discussing Congress and Washington was ‘reasonableness’ … getting those that regulate and legislate to be reasonable. Over the past several years that concept has been tossed out the window. ‘Balance’ may be a more reasonable expectation. The concept of balance occurred to me during a recent visit to the Denton (TX) Airport north of Ft. Worth. The City of Denton has been pushing hard over the past six years to turn its general aviation airport into a dynamo of economic development, and will continue that push over the next five years. Quentin Hix, the Denton airport manager, sees the need for balance and is overseeing the installation of perimeter fencing and other security equipment to make the airport more secure for his tenants. Explains Hix, “We along with other general aviation airports are faced with the challenge of increased federal regulation. TSA is focusing on security at general aviation airports. That’s going to be a huge challenge to us. “It’s one of those things where the more you jump up and down and say ‘Hey, here we are’ the more you’re recognized as a place that could become a poster child for new regulations.” Is the new perimeter security at Denton intended to head TSA off at the pass? Answers Hix, “It’s to try and get ahead of the curve, yes. But it’s more than trying to get ahead of anticipated regulations; security is one of our major missions of service here. Look around this airport and you can see hundreds of millions of dollars of investment. Part of what we feel obligated to provide is security; safety of operations; and unprecedented service to our general aviation users, be they individual pilots or corporate airplanes.” At Denton and scores of airports across the U.S., officials are seeking to find the balance between protecting assets and people versus stifling commerce. People employed in aviation understand the need for security … but there’s pretty much universal agreement that better leadership from on high is needed. An aside to today’s Congressional hearings comes in the form of Errol Southers’ announcement that he is withdrawing his nomination to head up TSA. The reason his nomination has been held up for months is because of his apparent support for unionizing TSA employees. So, while all the talk on Capitol Hill is about security, the nation’s safety comes down to a debate about unions. Something wrong here. Attention Congress: Recognizing that reasonableness is beyond your comprehension, at least give some consideration to balance. Thanks for reading. jfi