Writer

Mark Phelps

As all of aviation faces a new reality, FBOs are among the most profoundly affected by upgraded security measures. Though the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon used FAR Part 121 airliners, business aviation service providers have already taken decisive steps to shore up their own security. 
On September 15, Signature Flight Support published a set of eight changes to its security regulations, to be placed into effect immediately “until permanent security procedures are in place.” The chain of 19 Mercury Air Centers also has new rules to live by. 
Concern Over FBI/CIA Action Clearly, there is concern about general aviation among federal law enforcement officials. FAA spokeswoman Rebecca Trexler told The Wall Street Journal, “There is no security at general aviation airports.” Former FAA security director Billie Vincent told the publication, “If you have the skills to get an airplane off the ground–and you could rent one–you could load it with explosives and there’s nothing to stop you from doing it.” Jim McPhaul, the v-p at Truman Arnold Companies who is responsible for its chain of nine TacAir FBOs, is concerned about possible federal restrictions. On September 19 he said, “Part 91 and Part 135 operations are beginning to come back, but if severe restrictions continue for the long term, we will have to consider reducing staffing levels. I am going to try to get to Washington for the NATA meeting this Friday [see box, this page]. Hopefully, we can forestall CIA or FBI action that could be more onerous than a plan we can come up with ourselves.”
Other FBOs, both independents and chains, have followed the leads of their respective airport authorities. At Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Mercury Air Centers followed that pattern, accommodating standards set by the Los Angeles World Airport Authority (LAWA) in conjunction with the chain’s own procedures. Though Mercury would not reveal specific examples of many security measures, a representative did say the new standards centered around increased scrutiny of identification for pilots and passengers; newly imposed screening of baggage; and a ban on all automobile traffic on the ramp. A representative for Mercury at LAX said the additional security has added time to the arrival and departure procedures, but that pilots, passengers and FBO employees have incorporated the additional time into their schedules. “Everyone has been very understanding of the circumstances,” said the spokesman.
Besides the universal banning of all outside ground vehicles in aircraft operating areas (AOAs), the list of Mercury’s new security procedures includes closing and padlocking all nonessential airport gates; denying ramp access to all unknown personnel; keeping all nonemployees from line operations areas and from behind customer service counters; inspecting hangars hourly; inspecting restrooms every half hour on staggered schedules; not allowing fuel trucks to be left unattended within 100 ft of public access areas; changing gate codes monthly, at a minimum, with need-to-know-only access for Mercury employees; monitoring all vehicle parking areas for suspicious vehicles or people; disallowing any long-term parking in terminal parking lots; and finally, strictly enforcing a ban on disclosing any information about tail numbers, owners, destinations and any other data about customer aircraft.
For Signature’s part, president Beth Haskins posted a detailed letter on the company Web site outlining new security measures systemwide. Signature employees must now escort passengers to and from their aircraft, and no private cars, limousines, rental cars, vendor or other vehicles are permitted on the ramp. Vehicles dropping passengers at curbside must immediately leave the terminal.
Unexpected Guests When the national emergency occurred and all aircraft were directed to land, many business aircraft were forced to divert from their intended destinations. Systemwide, TacAir had 125 unexpected aircraft stuck on its nine ramps, including a pair of VIP Boeing 747s operated by the ruling family of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Though FBOs were understandably mum on details, Rifton Aviation at Stewart International Airport (SWF) in Newburgh, N.Y., told AIN that three business jets bound for Teterboro (N.J.) Airport (TEB) landed there, with “one to two dozen” passengers in total. Rifton was able to provide hotel and rental car service for the passengers and crews of those aircraft. In addition, said the spokesman for Rifton, two airliners diverted to SWF and were fueled by Rifton Aviation.
Aircraft Parked on Runways At Wilson Air Center in Memphis, Tenn., v-p David Ivey said several tenant aircraft were taxiing out when he received word from the control tower on the morning of September 11 that they would have to taxi back to the ramp. After about 30 min, he was asked to clear his ramp for incoming airliners that had been diverted from their destinations. He said, “We started to see airplanes that don’t normally land at Memphis. The first was a Delta 767. Then the tower told us that the airport was shut down for all departures. In all, we had eight airliners parked on our ramp. The tower also shut down the center runway so airplanes could be parked there. They stayed until the airspace was opened for repositioning flights.”
Ivey said Wilson Air Center also hosted a half dozen business aircraft that had landed short of their final destinations during the crisis. Each aircraft had an average of about four passengers who required ground transportation and hotel service. Ivey added, “Fortunately, Wilson Air Center is located in the aircraft operating area [AOA], not within the security information display area [SIDA] where security requirements are much stricter because there is direct ramp access to airliners. Still, we’ve been complying with many of the SIDA requirements–such as 10-year background checks for employees–because NATA had already warned us that higher levels of security may be in the offing. From what we now expect, it looks like we were ahead of the game on that one.”

New developments at FBOs including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.