TSA Airport Badges

You are fine as a transient as long as you don't park at the airline terminal (and Signature is on the other side). You should be given access and allowed to walk to and from your airplane without a problem. The TSA panel at AOPA Summit specifically discussed that matter, and said that the only way you won't be fine is if some local official ignores TSA's direction on the subject.

As for whether SD-8G is still the latest, well, if I knew, I couldn't tell you.

Oh yeah -- it's Signature -- bring money.
 
Ron Levy said:
If they do, that's their own idea -- it's not a general TSA requirement unless they share the ramp with full security traffic like air carriers.
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Well, it's the TSA's idea (according to Signature and the signs posted), but it may be unique to BWI. That's why I said they MAY require an escort of transient personnel at other airports.
 
If it wasn't the latest, I would hope that whatever is the latest had been leaked by now.

That aside, most FBOs don't care. I've talked to a few at large airports and they all laugh at how stupid the TSA really is. They've got "inspectors" trying to test security by violently shaking some of the front gates - then the FBO has to come out there and tell them to stop so that TSA doesn't think security is lacking. How VERY realistic!

You'll be fine. My approach with the stupid agency - do and ask later (if they even notice). They usually miss my 9oz contact lense solution bottle, which I conveniently forget to take out of my bag as required every time.
 
TMetzinger said:
Well, it's the TSA's idea (according to Signature and the signs posted), but it may be unique to BWI. That's why I said they MAY require an escort of transient personnel at other airports.
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The Signature ramp at BWI is used by full security traffic as well as us.
 
TMetzinger said:
Well, it's the TSA's idea (according to Signature and the signs posted), but it may be unique to BWI. That's why I said they MAY require an escort of transient personnel at other airports.
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Even for airline passengers, BWI seems to make it's own rules.

One of the worst TSA stations. Sigh.
 
Ron Levy said:
There are folks other than scheduled air carriers who have to use full airline-style security.
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At KORD to get into the Signature building you have to go through private TSA like security. I repeat, that is to get into the building, not onto the ramp. Once in the building you can walk onto the ramp without any further scrutiny.
 
Ron Levy said:
You are fine as a transient as long as you don't park at the airline terminal (and Signature is on the other side). You should be given access and allowed to walk to and from your airplane without a problem. The TSA panel at AOPA Summit specifically discussed that matter, and said that the only way you won't be fine is if some local official ignores TSA's direction on the subject.

As for whether SD-8G is still the latest, well, if I knew, I couldn't tell you.
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Thanks Ron. I hadn't planned on wasting time aimlessly wandering around on the ramp. I had searched here and on AOPA's site, but the last flurry of discussion about this topic seemed to be in June and then it went quiet. I dodged the badging at my home base when the local Navajo shuttle outfit to ATL went tango uniform, so I had almost forgotten about this issue.


Ron Levy said:
Oh yeah -- it's Signature -- bring money.
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Maybe so, but going to visit beautiful Savannah is worth it. :yes:
 
Ron Levy said:
There are folks other than scheduled air carriers who have to use full airline-style security.
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OK, but then I'd expect that possibility at any major airport with a mix of traffic.

So while a badge may not be needed for transient ops, I wouldn't be surprised if an escort was required.
 
TMetzinger said:
OK, but then I'd expect that possibility at any major airport with a mix of traffic.

So while a badge may not be needed for transient ops, I wouldn't be surprised if an escort was required.
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That would be my assumption as well, Tim.

Unfortunately, in the searching I did, I could not find a complete list of airports that required badges, but it seemed pretty apparent ones with scheduled carriers (which SAV definitely is) qualified.
 
smigaldi said:
At KORD to get into the Signature building you have to go through private TSA like security. I repeat, that is to get into the building, not onto the ramp. Once in the building you can walk onto the ramp without any further scrutiny.
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Well, that seems to explain it, especially at KORD.
 
TMetzinger said:
OK, but then I'd expect that possibility at any major airport with a mix of traffic.

So while a badge may not be needed for transient ops, I wouldn't be surprised if an escort was required.
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Agree on both counts, but in the specific case, I wouldn't put SAV in the same class with BWI or ORD. I can tell you for sure that it's not a Signature policy, because Signature at Hilton Head (HXD) doesn't do anything like that despite Part 121 traffic on the other side of the runway -- no badges, no escorts, no checks to get to my plane Sunday morning.
 
I was at SAV last December. No badge issue whatsoever, no escorting either. Walked from ramp to FBO, walked back.

Fancy schmantzy, like virtually every Sig i've been to. All that marble, and not an approach plate to be bought.
 
I'm sure it's not Signature policy - it's bad for their business, so they'd have to be out of their mind to do silly stuff like that.

I suspect that the useless department of aviation has something to do with it in Chicago....
 
sba55 said:
I'm sure it's not Signature policy - it's bad for their business, so they'd have to be out of their mind to do silly stuff like that.

I suspect that the useless department of aviation has something to do with it in Chicago....
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That is my guess as well.
 
I was at Sig at HOU today - very nice service, no security issues at all.
 
sba55 said:
I'm sure it's not Signature policy - it's bad for their business, so they'd have to be out of their mind to do silly stuff like that.
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:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

So, when I get completely ignored until I'm already parked and my plane is already tied down by the line crew, and there's nobody at the desk when I get inside, and then I get yelled at and charged $46 for freakin' nothing when I get back and want to leave, that's good for their business? :rolleyes:

I *hate* $ignature - I've only been to one of 'em, but I avoid all of 'em because of the experience at that one. Heck, I've even responded to Tower's query of "where are you parking?" with "anything but $ignature."

Oh, and the $ignature I love to hate has been printing their own "security badges" on receipt paper since LONG before the TSA's badge initiative. What a joke.
 
smigaldi said:
At KORD to get into the Signature building you have to go through private TSA like security. I repeat, that is to get into the building, not onto the ramp. Once in the building you can walk onto the ramp without any further scrutiny.
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So.... If you have a Leatherman in your bag, how do you get it to your plane, since there's no "checked baggage" on my plane.
 
PilotAlan said:
So.... If you have a Leatherman in your bag, how do you get it to your plane, since there's no "checked baggage" on my plane.
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They just note that you have it. I have never seen them take anything from anyone. I am sure they are there just for show. Most of the time they just let me walk past without being checked at all.
 
smigaldi said:
They just note that you have it. I have never seen them take anything from anyone. I am sure they are there just for show. Most of the time they just let me walk past without being checked at all.
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Just like the Port Authority folks at TEB that check the trunk of your car on the way into one of the GA terminals.
 
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