I just got this in an email today - not sure if it's the same as the above discussion?
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Here are some of the letters that are out there, one is in the body and two are attached. [GDK - attachments obviously not attached here] This seems very real as witnessed by Googling "SD1542-08-04-F". Get them to whoever you can let see if we can make a difference.
> NOTICE TO NMPA MEMBERS FROM MEMBER MARC COAN
>
> Date: February 25, 2009
> To: All General Aviation Pilots
> Subject: TSA to require criminal background checks for GA pilots
>
> Dear Fellow Pilot,
>
> This is a sad day! Just when you thought TSA's proposed Large Aircraft
> Security Program was about the worst thing that could happen to General
> Aviation, a new, possibly far more serious threat has arisen.
>
> Unconfirmed reports are beginning to surface of a "classified" TSA
> Security Directive which is applicable to all 450+ airports served by an
> airline flying aircraft with more than 10 seats. It requires the airport
> to develop a security plan to restrict access to all operations areas of
> the airport to only those people who have passed a criminal background
> check, received a security clearance, and been issued an airport security
> badge. (The same badge airline and airport operations personnel would be
> issued at that airport.)
>
> This applies to ALL "behind the fence" areas, even if the GA facilities
> are located on the other side of the airport from the airline terminal.
> Those persons without a badge, including visiting GA pilots and their
> passengers, must be escorted to/from their aircraft by someone with a
> badge.
>
> The fee to obtain a security clearance and badge is typically around $175.
> Anyone with a felony conviction in the past 10 years will not be issued a
> badge, nor will anyone on the TSA's secret "do not fly" list. And, even if
> you've been issued a badge at one airport, it only works at that single
> airport: There is no "universal" TSA badge planned!
>
> The directive applies not only to the airports served by MAJOR airlines,
> but ALL 450+ airline airports, including most of the 105 small airports on
> this list:
http://ostpxweb.dot.gov/aviation/rural/proximity.pdf , which
> receive subsidized service by small commuter airlines. We're talking about
> places like Great Bend, KS; Clovis, NM; Alamosa, CO; Grand Island, NE, and
> dozens more that receive only 2 or 3 commuter airline flights per day in a
> Beech 1900.
>
> Unlike the Large Aircraft Security Program, this new 14-page Security
> Directive is not available for public viewing or comment. Not even AOPA,
> USPA, EAA, NBAA, etc. have been allowed to view it. All AOPA says is,
> "Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the TSA is proceeding with this
> program. While the full details of the program are classified, it will
> essentially require all persons with access to the secure portion of the
> airport have a TSA approved airport access badge."
>
> The directive is supposedly effective April 30.
>
> Here are some news articles about Coastal Carolina Regional Airport and
> how its complying with the directive:
http://www.enctoday.com/news/airport_44044_nbsj__article.html/new_authority.html
http://www.enctoday.com/news/security_44155_nbsj__article.html/coastal_airport.html
> Pilots there are upset, but 90 of the 10 regular users of the airport
> have already applied for their badges.
>
> There are just so many reasons to oppose this directive. Here are four.let
> me know if you think of others:
>
> 1. It will be a massive inconvenience. Think about it: If you are
> visiting even a tiny airline airport, at any time of day, you won't be
> able to use the self-serve fueling station, won't be able to drive your
> rental car out to plane to get your bags, and won't be able to wander over
> and look at that cool airplane with the "For Sale" banner you saw on the
> ramp. Your needs are not important.
>
> 2. It means that, even though you are a federally-licensed pilot
> carrying both a pilot's license and the required photo ID, you are ASSUMED
> to be a security threat to the country that issued you the license.
>
> 3. It will be an enormous burden on FBOs, and will cause a further
> reduction in their business (during the middle of an economic depression,
> at least in aviation). Many pilots will choose to avoid airline airports
> they used to fly to. (I will no longer stop for fuel at one of my favorite
> airports.) And, when we do use those airports, an FBO employee will have
> to drop what they're doing to meet us and play escort service. (I guess a
> side benefit is we might get better service from small-town FBOs, but many
> of those operators only have 2-3 people working at a time, if that. Is TSA
> going to compensate FBOs so they can hire more staff? Yeah, right!)
>
> 4. It will cause even more of an "us vs. them" attitude by GA pilots
> vs. the airlines. GA pilots will strongly resist adding airline service to
> airports that don't already have it and many will call for the abolishment
> of the Essential Air Service program that enables their own small airport
> to have airline service.
>
> Remember, this is coming on the heels of the TSA's Large(?) Aircraft
> Security Program, which will require all private operators of aircraft
> bigger than a King Air 300 to have an airline-style security plan,
> including screening all their passengers against the "do not fly" list and
> inspecting their bags. All for a threat that has yet to be proved to
> exist.
>
> I do not see how GA is a threat to this country when compared with trucks
> which can be rented by anyone from U-haul or Ryder. (Remember the first
> World Trade Center and Oklahoma City bombings? Those were trucks, not
> planes.) And, if GA pilots are such a great threat to this country, how
> come the government hasn't even done such a simple thing as run all pilots
> through the "do not fly" list, revoking the licenses of those who are on
> it?
>
> Folks, this may well be The Big One that requires thousands of us to fly
> our planes to Washington in protest. (Of course, we'll have to take the
> FAA's Washington ADIZ test first!) Hopefully, the actual "badge" directive
> is not as severe as the early reports are saying...perhaps not all airline
> airports are affected. But we just don't know because they aren't telling
> us!
>
> If true, something has to be done, and it sounds like the only thing we
> can do is try to get the attention of Congress, which controls the purse
> strings of TSA. About the only compromise I can think of is a universal
> pilot badge that costs $50 and is good at ALL airline airports. But TSA is
> not proposing such a thing, and they aren't taking public comments on
> their proposal.
>
> Please forward this message to every GA pilot you know; don't delay! And
> if you hear any further news, or learn what YOUR airport is being forced
> to do to comply, please let me know so I can alert others.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Marc C. Coan,
>
marc@skymachines.com