Security group adopts COPA recommendations

COPA President Kevin Psutka convinced a working group that small aircraft security would have to come at the airport and not through aircraft modifications. Photo courtesy Garth Wallace, COPA

The Aircraft Operations Security Working Group was established to review current security measures on-board aircraft and to recommend changes to enhance aviation security as a result of the events of Sept. 11, 2001. The key stakeholders include industry, government, associations and labour groups. COPA was represented on this working group by President Kevin Psutka. Psutka told the group that measures such as strengthened cockpit doors and other aircraft design changes are simply not possible for small aircraft. He emphasized that the key is to prevent persons with hostile intent from gaining access to small aircraft. The Aircraft Working Group eventually agreed that their recommendations will be aimed at larger aircraft.
“This working group has now completed its work and the recommendations are going forward for Transport Canada consideration,” Psutka reports. “Of particular importance is that COPA’s recommendation that any aircraft changes should be limited to large transport aircraft has survived from early in the proceedings. General aviation is not affected by all of this, thanks to COPA.”