NBAA Members Discuss Washington National Access with TSA

Obstacles to increased business aviation traffic at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) topped the agenda when Brian Delauter, manager of the Transportation Security Administration's general aviation branch, met recently with Doug Carr, the National Business Aviation Association's vice president for safety, security and regulation. Also attending the meeting were representatives from five NBAA member companies and other industry groups. Delauter is seeking ways to simplify the DCA Access Standard Security Plan, which has led to only about three corporate aircraft movements per day at the airport of an allotted 24. NBAA members don't use DCA because many aren't based at portal airports where security checks are done and because flying into Washington National would require them to carry an armed security officer. "We can live up to a high security standard with a high level of compliance," Carr said. "We think there has to be a better way of doing this to make the airport more attractive to companies doing business in the capital."