DHS Inspector's Report Concludes GA Security Threat Is "Limited, Mostly Hypothetical"

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) welcomes a conclusion in a recent report conducted by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General (DHS-0IG) that "general aviation presents only limited and mostly hypothetical threats to security."

"This report validates what we in the general aviation community have said before: General aviation does not represent a significant security threat," says NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "The industry has always emphasized security, and in the years since the 9/11 attacks, we have remained diligent and adopted numerous measures to ensure that our aircraft, crews, and passengers are safe and secure."

Following are the key findings included in the 30-page study by the DHS-OIG:

• "We determined that general aviation presents only limited and mostly hypothetical threats to security. We also determined that the steps general aviation airport owners and managers have taken to enhance security are positive and effective."
• "The current status of [general aviation] operations does not present a serious homeland security vulnerability requiring TSA to increase regulatory oversight of the industry."
• "Although [TSA's Office of Intelligence] has identified potential threats, it has concluded that most [general aviation] aircraft are too light to inflict significant damage, and has not identified specific imminent threats from [general aviation] aircraft."

"We recognize that this report doesn’t mean our industry can take its eye off the ball on security," says Bolen. "We will continue working with policymakers to promote effective proposals for enhancing security while recognizing the business aviation community's need for mobility and flexibility. At the same time, we welcome this recognition of our industry’s long-standing commitment to security, and the effective measures we've taken to minimize security threats."