TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
General Aviation Security
March 2023
TSA and Regulated Airports
What Does TSA Regulate?
Complete Security Programs - 49 CFR § 1542.103(a)
Supporting Security Programs - 49 CFR § 1542.103(b)
Partial Security Programs - 49 CFR § 1542.103(c)
Your airport will be required to adopt a Complete Security Program when:
Each airport operator regularly serving operations of an aircraft operator as follows:
A scheduled passenger or public charter passenger operation with an aircraft having a passenger seating configuration of 61 or
more seats
A scheduled passenger or public charter passenger operation with an aircraft having a passenger seating configuration of 60 or
fewer seats when passengers are enplaned from or deplaned into a sterile area.
Your airport will be required to adopt a Supporting Security Program when:
Each airport regularly serving operations of an aircraft operator as follows:
A scheduled passenger or public charter passenger operation with an aircraft having a passenger seating configuration of 60 or
fewer seats when passengers are enplaned from or deplaned into a sterile area.
Private charter program -
The passengers are enplaned from or deplaned into a sterile area; or
the aircraft has a maximum certificated takeoff weight greater than 45,500 kg (100,309.3 pounds), or a passenger-
seating configuration of 61 or more, and is not a government charter under paragraph (2) of the definition of
private charter in §1540.5 of this chapter.
TSA and Regulated Airports cont.
Your airport will be required to adopt a Partial Security Program when:
Each airport regularly serving operations of an aircraft operator as follows:
A scheduled passenger or public charter passenger operation with an aircraft having a passenger-seating configuration of
31 or more but 60 or fewer seats that does not enplane from or deplane into a sterile area.
A scheduled passenger or public charter passenger operation with an aircraft having a passenger-seating configuration of
60 or fewer seats engaged in operations to, from, or outside the United States that does not enplane from or deplane into
a sterile area.
How will I plan for each of these programs?
Please contact your local Transportation Security Inspector as soon as possible and we will assist your airport through this
complex process, keeping in mind that expansion takes time, money, and planning.
Category X: An airport regularly serving operations of an aircraft operator or foreign air carrier pursuant to 49 CFR § 1544.101(a)(1)
or 49 CFR § 1546.101(a) and the number of annual enplanements is 5 million or more and international enplanements are 1 million
or more.
Category I: An airport regularly serving operations of an aircraft operator or foreign air carrier pursuant to 49 CFR § 1544.101(a)(1)
or 49 CFR § 1546.101(a) and the number of annual enplanements is 1.25 million or more.
Category II: An airport regularly serving operations of an aircraft operator or foreign air carrier pursuant to 49 CFR § 1544.101(a)(1)
or 49 CFR § 1546.101(a) and the number of annual enplanements is 250,000 or more, but less than 1.25 million.
Category III: An airport regularly serving operations of an aircraft operator or foreign air carrier pursuant to 49 CFR § 1544.101(a)(1)
or 49 CFR § 1546.101(a) and the number of annual enplanements is less than 250,000.
Category IV: An airport regularly serving operations of an aircraft operator or foreign air carrier pursuant to 49 CFR §§
1544.101(a)(2) or 1544.101(b) or 49 CFR §§ 1546.101(c) or 1546.101(d).
Note: there are 13 regulated airports in North and South Dakota
Program Building Resources
General Aviation Airport Security Program: Requirements
I. Introduction
II. Communication Plans
III. Airport Facilities
IV. Law Enforcement Support/Surveillance Procedures
V. Incident Management
GAO General Aviation Security Assessment: Informational
Background information
Security Measures and Potential Vulnerabilities
Incidents of Unauthorized access
Agency comments and evaluation
Note: To request digital copies of these reference documents, please fill out the
sign-up sheet provided by the presenter.
TSA and General Aviation Interactions
“If You See Something, Say
Something™” is a national campaign by
the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security that raises public awareness on
suspicious activities, behaviors or
situations that may suggest acts of
terrorism or terrorism-related crimes.
In this ever-changing world, we are
reminded to maintain vigilant and
recognize when a threat may be present.
Citizens play a pivotal role in reporting
suspicious activities to law enforcement
authorities, which may help prevent or
deter an attack in places frequented by
all of us.
Suspicious Activity Reports in the Dakotas
Barefoot Bandit - Committed various airport burglaries throughout South Dakota,
Wyoming, Nebraska, and Iowa. (Spearfish, Yankton, and Pierre) Vehicles and
aircraft were stolen.
Williston Basin - Suspicious Individuals Reported
Minot - Suspicious Individuals Reported
Ahmed Olasunkahmi Salau - Attempted to gain unauthorized access to various GA
airports and Fixed Based Operators across the Mid-west and East Coast. Salau
would pose as a passenger, employee, or crew member in an effort to gain access
and information about individuals and facilities.
Incident Reporting
Reporting Procedures:
For incidents involving critical and immediate incidents or threats, contact local Emergency
Dispatch, call 9-1-1.
For incidents or situations that are not immediate or critical, report them to the airport
operator.
The GA-SECURE hotline, is a centralized reporting system for general aviation wishing to
report suspicious activity at their airfield.
Incident Reporting
Reporting Information:
Suspicious activity observed
Type of incident observed
Date
Time
Aircraft registration number
Airport location
Physical appearance of suspicious person(s) - gender, age, height, clothing, etc.
Other relevant information
Eight Signs of Terrorism
GA operators can assess and identify potential threats through their engagement with customers and
passengers.
Possible indicators include:
Surveillance - discretely recording or observing potential activity.
Elicitation - trying to gain out of the ordinary operational information.
Tests of Security - measuring reaction times to security breaches or attempts to penetrate physical
barriers.
Funding - suspicious transactions involving large cash transactions, such as when purchasing fuel or
even aircraft.
Supplies - purchase or storage of large quantities of explosive or explosive-making materials,
weapons, munitions, chemicals, or biological agents, that may seem out of place or context.
Suspicious People - seem out of place, impersonating pilots, airport line personnel, law enforcement,
security, or employees.
Rehearsal - “dry-run” positioning and movement without actually committing a terrorist act.
Deployment - movement of personnel and equipment into position to commit a terrorist act.
Last chance to thwart an act of terrorism.
Security Enhancements
Passengers/Visitors Recommendations:
Develop guidelines and methods to escort visiting individuals when appropriate.
Positively identify vendors, contractors, and visitors before allowing them access.
Prior to boarding, verify the identity of all passengers and ensure all baggage/cargo is identified by the
passengers.
Student Pilots:
Require flight students to use proper entrances and exits to ramp areas.
Consider having student pilots check in with a specific employee for positive identification before being
allowed access to parked aircraft.
Establish a key control system to limit student pilot access to aircraft keys.
Aircraft Rentals:
Verify the identity by checking for a government-issued photo ID, airman certificate, and current
medical certificate, as necessary.
Provide first-time rental customers with local airport operations familiarization, security
responsibilities, and security awareness training.
Transient Pilots:
Establish a sign-in/sign-out procedures for all transient operators and associate them with their aircraft.
Security Enhancements
Aircraft:
The most basic method of security is to properly secure aircraft. Employing multiple methods
makes it difficult for unauthorized access to occur.
Lock doors
Use keyed ignitions
Controlling Access to Keys
Storing aircraft in a hangars
Locking hangar doors
Locks for propellers, throttle, and tie-downs
Do not store keys inside the aircraft
Positive key hand off
Using heat shields and aircraft covers to block visibility of contents
Note: Locks are simply delay devices, the more you have the longer it takes to bypass,
increasing the probability of an unauthorized person being detected.
Security Enhancements
Security Features:
Fencing - Physical barrier, visual deterrent, and wildlife barrier
Gates - Impedes vehicular traffic, enforce "stop and wait" for automated gates
Lighting - Heightened visibility
Walls - Physical barrier
Natural barriers - Creeks, rivers, tree lines, ditches, etc.
Patrols - Facility personnel or local law enforcement
Closed-circuit Television (CCTV) - Cost effective compared to the past equipment
Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) - Higher cost can be associated
Signage - Low-cost visual deterrent
ID systems - Varying levels of cost
Dakotas Compliance Leadership
Federal Security Director of North and South Dakota:
David Durgan (Bismarck, ND)
W: 701-255-5301
Assistant Federal Security Director - Inspections of North and South Dakota:
Ingeborg Richter (Sioux Falls, SD)
W: 605-330-2538
C: 605-359-2842
Supervisory Transportation Security Inspector of North and South Dakota:
Nicole Sandford (Bismarck, ND)
W: 701-255-5320
C: 701-361-1848
Transportation Security Inspectors
North Dakota Inspectors: South Dakota Inspectors:
Erika Barnick (Bismarck, ND) Jon Christensen (Sioux Falls, SD)
C: 701-202-9556 C: 605-359-9849
George Blaess (Fargo, ND) Maria Davie (Sioux Fall, SD)
C: 701-212-3105 C: 605-630-6238
Steven Botelho (Fargo, ND) Robert Weidner (Sioux Falls, SD)
C: 701-202-6817 C: 605-499-8031
Brooke Rued (Fargo, ND) Michael Hickman (Rapid City, SD)
C: 701-426-5779 C: 605-390-3757
QUESTIONS?
