[ TIACA Security Chairman Gives Focus Group Update ]

The focus on security in the air cargo industry is “absolutely approp
riate” and may be costly to all segments of the industry, according t
o C. Brown Wilder, Security Committe chairman of The International Air
Cargo Association(TIACA) and president and CEO of Air Cargo, Inc.(ACI
).
Wilder said, “The loss of one life as a result of a breach in securit
y is unacceptable. Making our industry more secure will be a burden on
all segments of the industry. There is no alternative.”
THE ACI president, along with Kent Jones, vice President of ACI, provi
ded an update to TIACA on the work of the Cargo Baseline Working Group
, which includes industry experts representing airlines, forwarders, i
ndustry associations and advocates. The group was assigned to develop
recommendations to the Gore Commission, headed by Vice President Al G
ore, and was a subcommittee sponsored by the Air Transportation Associ
ation(ATA).
The commission was developed after two airline tragedies involving Val
u Jet and TWA in 1997. In the Valu Jet incident, improper cargo was d
etermined to have been the cause of the crash.
Wilder reported that, after the crash of the Valu Jet plane near Miami
and TWA800 off New York, the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) put
forth addenda to Security Directive(SD) 96-03, the manner in which th
e FAA changes rules relating to security in an emergency situation.
Wilder, a member of the Cargo Baseline Working Group, said, “The Leve
l of focus on aviation security in the U.S. went all the way to the Wh
ite House. The President established the commission to bring the emph
asis the subject deserved.”
He reported that the Working Group felt that the known shipper definit
ion was too loose and needed to be made more strict. The representati
ves stated that by tightening up the definition, requirements for the
known shipper to complete a security endorsement would be eliminated.
The group also contended that either the FAA or an independent third p
arty must be empowered to provide oversight and enforcement of any pro
gram to enhance cargo security on passenger aircraft.
Wilder reported that the FAA has hired 130 new inspectors to enhance t
heir oversight and enforcement of rules, now primarily dangerous goods
regulations.
The industry is currently awaiting the publication of the FAA recommen
dations addressing the known shipper concept, training, small packages
, ground vehicle security and other topics.