General aviation accounts for three-quarters of U.S. air traffic, from small propeller planes to large jets, operating among nearly 19,000 airports. While most security operations are left to private airport operators, the Transportation Security Admin. (TSA), part of the Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS), provides guidance on threats and vulnerabilities. In 2004, TSA issued suggested security enhancements that airports could implement voluntarily. Unlike commercial airports, in most cases general aviation airports are not required to implement specific security measures. This report performed onsite assessments at selected airports with general aviation operations to determine what physical security measures they have to prevent unauthorized access. With advance notice, investigators overtly visited a nonrepresentative selection of 13 airports, based on TSA-determined risk factors. Three of the airports also serve commercial aviation and are therefore subject to TSA security regulations. Using TSA's voluntary recommendations and investigators' security expertise, the report determined whether certain security measures were in place and also requested documentation of incidents of unauthorized access. Results of GAO's assessments cannot be projected to all general aviation airports and are not meant to imply that the airports failed to implement required security measures. Table and figures. This is a print on demand report.

General Aviation: Security Assessments at Selected Airports

"General aviation accounts for three-quarters of U.S. air traffic, from small propeller planes to large jets, operating among nearly 19,000 airports. While most security operations are left to private airport operators, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), provides guidance on threats and vulnerabilities. In 2004, TSA issued suggested security enhancements that airports could implement voluntarily. Unlike commercial airports, in most cases general aviation airports are not required to implement specific security measures. GAO was asked to perform onsite assessments at selected airports with general aviation operations to determine what physical security measures they have to prevent unauthorized access. With advance notice, GAO investigators overtly visited a nonrepresentative selection of 13 airports, based on TSA-determined risk factors. Three of the airports also serve commercial aviation and are therefore subject to TSA security regulations. Using TSA's voluntary recommendations and GAO investigators' security expertise, GAO determined whether certain security measures were in place. GAO also requested documentation of incidents of unauthorized access. Results of GAO's assessments cannot be projected to all general aviation airports and are not meant to imply that the airports failed to implement required security measures."--Highlights.

Contents: (1) Intro.; (2) What is General Aviation (GA)?: GA Flight Operations; Types; GA Airports; The Econ. Impact of GA ; (3) The Security Challenge; (4) Security Vulnerabilities; (5) The Terrorist Threat; (6) Risk Factors Associated with GA; (7) Options to Mitigate the Security Risks of GA: Security Risk Assessments; Surveillance and Monitoring; Airport Access Controls; Background Checks and Vetting; Physical Security Measures for Airports and Aircraft; Securing Agricultural Aviation Operations; Flight School Security; Security Best Practices for Business and Charter Aviation; Airspace Restrictions; (8) Legislative Proposals Offered in the 109th Congress; (9) Oversight and Legislative Action in the 110th Congress. Charts and tables.

General aviation (GA) is a catch-all category that includes about 54% of all civilian aviation activity within the United States and encompasses a wide range of airports, aircraft, and flight operations. Because GA plays a small but important role in the U.S. economy, improving upon GA security without unduly impeding air commerce or limiting the freedom of movement by air remains a significant challenge. While some recent high-profile breaches of GA security point to persisting vulnerabilities and limited intelligence information suggest a continued terrorist interest in using GA aircraft, it is evident that GA airports, aircraft, and operations vary considerably with regard to security risk. This book examines security assessments at select airports with a focus also on the TSA's processing of foreign flight students and security threats.

This synthesis study identifies current practices in safety and security at general aviation airports. It reviews resources used by the general aviation community in the development of safety and security programs, funding sources and issues that determine the amount of money spent on such programs, and describes current practices that general aviation airports use to keep their facilities safe and secure. Information was collected from survey questionnaires distributed to individual airports and fixed base operators (FBOs), a literature search, and documents provided by selected airports, FBOs, and industry trade associations. Follow-up interviews, personal experience, and industry contacts were also incorporated where appropriate.