News from Headquarters: Leadership Changes, Regulatory Updates & Safety Tips

In this month’s Safety Section we learn about short field operations with short pilot Steve Bateman (sorry Steve).  Question of the Month explores how the FAA Reauthorization and MOSAIC will effect your flying club.

CFI’s Listen Up!   

The TSA has published a final rule for the Flight Training Security Program which will take effect on July 30^th 2024.  The new rule eliminates more than a decade of previous clarifications and interpretations.  All previously issued clarification and interpretation letters in reference to 49 CFR Part 1552 published before the above date will be superseded by the new rule.   

Below are summarized changes which are relevant to independent CFI’s operating in a flying club, or in general. 

• Security Awareness Training will be required every two years instead of annually. 

• The Security Threat Assessment (STA) will change from event-based to a time-based requirement.  Training candidate STA’s will now last for five years and can begin training anytime within those five years. 

• All flight training providers will be required to designate a Security Coordinator who will serve as the primary contact with TSA.  Independent CFI’s should designate themselves as the Security Coordinator. 

• All records will now be uploaded to the TSA Portal for non-citizen candidates who require an STA.  This is not required for U.S. citizen verification purposes but is encouraged by the TSA and can replace the logbook entry. 

As with any rule change expect more information and intricacies as time goes on.  I encourage all CFI’s to call the experts at the AOPA Pilot Information Center for additional clarification and questions.   

AOPA’s Mike Ginter Named New Leader of AOPA Air Safety Institute

Learn more about Mike and his storied background here.