The recent post on a TSA inspector damaging 9 American Eagle aircraft at O'Hare drew an enormous amount of honest personal views on what people think of the TSA. This post should only exacerbate those feelings. Instead of apologizing for the now highly publicized incident of using sensitive TAT probes to climb on top of aircraft, the TSA is actually considering levying fines on American Eagle for not properly securing the aircraft. Here's what the TSA posted on their website:
On August 19 a Transportation Security Inspector (TSI) was conducting a routine compliance inspection on aircraft parked on the airfield at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport (ORD). The TSI inspected nine American Eagle aircraft to look for and test, among other things, access vulnerabilities or areas were someone with ill intent could gain access to the aircraft.
Aircraft operators are required to secure each aircraft when left unattended. The TSIs are encouraged to look for and follow through on vulnerabilities. During the inspection process at ORD the Inspector used a Total Air Temperature (TAT) probe – a probe that protrudes from the side of the aircraft that is used to measure outside air temperature – to pull himself up while investigating possible access vulnerabilities with the unattended aircraft.
The Inspector was following through on regulatory inspection activity. The Inspector was able to gain access to the interior of seven of the nine aircraft inspected, which is an apparent violation of the airline’s security program. TSA is reviewing the inspection results and depending on the conclusion, could take action with the airline, up to and including levying of civil penalties.
While the inspection process is a vital layer of aviation security, it is not TSA’s intent to cause delays or potential damage to aircraft as a result of our inspections. TSA took immediate steps to re-enforce education about sensitive equipment located on the exterior of a plane.
Aircraft operators are required to secure each aircraft when left unattended. The TSIs are encouraged to look for and follow through on vulnerabilities. During the inspection process at ORD the Inspector used a Total Air Temperature (TAT) probe – a probe that protrudes from the side of the aircraft that is used to measure outside air temperature – to pull himself up while investigating possible access vulnerabilities with the unattended aircraft.
The Inspector was following through on regulatory inspection activity. The Inspector was able to gain access to the interior of seven of the nine aircraft inspected, which is an apparent violation of the airline’s security program. TSA is reviewing the inspection results and depending on the conclusion, could take action with the airline, up to and including levying of civil penalties.
While the inspection process is a vital layer of aviation security, it is not TSA’s intent to cause delays or potential damage to aircraft as a result of our inspections. TSA took immediate steps to re-enforce education about sensitive equipment located on the exterior of a plane.
Somehow I don't think that last paragraph is going to make any Eagle pilots feel any better about the whole ordeal. The TSA's blog also was quick to point out that this was no ordinary screener but a highly trained and qualified inspector. Wait for it...wait for it...uhmm...nope. No credibility reestablished here.
[Evolution of Security]
Home to PointNiner
5 comments:
Unreal! I just sent the TSA a complaint about this matter on their website
I love it... Re-Enforce. It's "Reinforce". That's pretty much all the agency does though, is re-enforce and enforce and enforce, so blindly, that if asked for the rationale, they'd be clueless.
Stop me if I'm wrong here, but can't pretty much anyone who "gains access" to the OUTside of a passenger jet also "gain access" to the inside? On account of how airliners don't, you know, actually HAVE key-locked doors?
If this is indeed the case, what the TSA appears to be saying is that
(a) American Eagle should post guards to prevent TSA inspectors from getting anywhere near their planes - use of reasonable force being, I presume, permitted - and
(b) the TSA's highly trained and qualified inspectors can only figure out how to open an unlocked door seven times out of nine.
I believe that through their response that the leadership of the TSA have gone above and beyond the call of duty to prove what we all suspsected ... the clue meter is reading ZERO!
In theory if they got to the A/C to attempt access, wouldn't that also mean they first got past the TSA.....oops..I think someone is shifting the lime light???
Post a Comment