There's been a lot of talk in the media recently about private jets. Not that I'll ever be able to take one, but just out of curiosity (and probably other people may also be interested in the answer,) if you take a private jet, do you still have to go through the regular TSA shoes-off no-liquids etc. security? I suppose that if you fly from a private air strip you don't, but if you fly from a regular airport, do you have to go through security with everyone else before you can get to your plane? Or is not having to deal with the TSA another perk for those rich enough to fly private jets?

Thanks to any knowledgeable persons who could cast light on this idle question.

I've spent a fair amount of time on private planes (not as many as others, but a fair amount), and it's generally a matter of parking your car, walking into the FBO, and walking to the plane.

That's it.

Private jets go through General Aviation, and Airport Watch, at least for now. TSA would like to ruin civilized air travel, so ....

You do not have to go through TSA security with private jets.
I fly private jets part time and can tell you the rules are rumoured to change. We will see how the lobbying efforts go. I do have to keep tabs on the documents of people aboard and for example, before international flights, transmit that data to CBP and get permission to take off (and hit the ADIZ), and then permission to land in the US for CBP inspection and so they can run all the pax names (eAPIS I think). I don't have my flight kit in front of me, but IIRC the cut off is a minimum of an hour before planned take off.
These rules have been voluntary for the last 6 months but became mandatory today actually.

Ciao,
FH

This doesn't mean I have to start showing up an hour prior right? I usually just email or SMS the pilot my passport details the day before and leave 15-20 minutes before takeoff.... with the exception of my annual Virgin Gorda vacations, in which I show up a few hours beforehand to help load the cargo plane (its actually cheaper to ship food for a 20 person group than it is to buy it there!)

No you don't have to show up and hour prior. You are good to go with sending the pilot (Or pilot's designated rep) your data. The pilot can actually send the data much earlier, but 60 mins is the cut off and the forms and new online database are required (you can still fax but it gets entered via the online database.

I understand about the food. I regularly bring groceries when flying to stay somewhere for more than about 3 days.

Ciao,
FH

Last year 45 of us travelled to Virgin Gorda. We made arrangements through a friend... and I don't know how he did it, but there were 6 BN-2 Islanders and a 402C at Tropical Aviation waiting for us.

The total cost, including the extra plane for cargo split evenly, ended up being $25 less per person less than Air Sunshine out of SJU. We arrived at 10AM and started loading an entire Islander with 1 weeks worth of food, wine, and soft drinks for 45 people.

*****

The operators of private jets should have their own security measures in place for screening their passengers to make certain they are not a threat.

But, of course, government is always more efficient at this sort of thing--and everything in the world--than private industry, right?

(That comment's not directed at anyone in particular, just general sarcastic musing.)

Same here.

Although, I don't mind them getting screened by an ADASP team at commercial airports because technically... they are entering the AOA of the airport which says people entering are subject to screening.

Especially because I read reports every once in a while of flight students or private plane operators flying into a major airport, parking their plane and then are discovered a few hours later walking about on the AOA were they shouldn't be.

Now if only we had larger ADASP teams.

The Spaghetti monster could also rise up in a giant battle against the great pumpkin and cause massive amounts of damage in a major town in the Midwest. These are the sort of things that need to be taken into account also...

Private Jets are not built like airliners. Meaning without cockpit doors in many cases and with much more freedom of movement in the air. The TSA could do nothing to stop a nutty idiot with a cause within corporate or general aviation. We are more than capable of doing it ourselves without growing the workfare program known as TSA.

Ciao,
FH

They have been taken into account. Remember the kid that ran a 172 into a building in Miami? It did almost no damage. People did take that accident and ramp it up some to see how much damage a larger plane would do.

You do remember the Empire State Building was hit by a plane as well? A B-25 bomber hit it in 1945. Very little damage was done.

The big thing with smaller aircraft is that most of the passengers are already known to the operator. There's very low risk involved as you don't have strangers boarding your aircraft. Heck, acouple of years ago, an undercover TV crew tried to hire a helicopter to fly around a major metropolitan area (I don't remember exactly which one) The FBO called the FBI, the FBI came and arrested them. They had a "white powder" with them. They were going to make a big story about how they flew around with this magic powder as a story to show how lax security was. Needless to say, they didn't air the story of them being turned into the FBI by an observant FBO operator.

I've already put in a call to Washington advising of a specific threat related to spaghetti and pumpkins.

There will be warnings played on airport loudspeakers about suspicious pasta-related activities. The TSA has been asked to be conscious of passengers carrying extraordinary quantities of pasta, and to use explosive detection equipment on all pumpkins, zucchini, and acorn squash.

Private jet crew and passengers, particularly those flying in the midwest, should be vigilant as well.

With the exception of Washington National (DCA). That airport is covered by what TSA calls the "DCA Access Standard Security Program."

General aviation operations at DCA have a long list of restrictions, including a requirement that all flights must bring an "Armed Security Officer" along for the ride. And GA flights into National are only permitted from certain "gateway airports".

It is important to note that there is a security program in place for GA called Airport Watch. Pilots (some 550,000) have been briefed along with (I assume) the ground support staff on reporting suspicious behavior. So far the results speak for themselves. The times I have flown on private aircraft, I found that this program to be far less intrusive than commercial flight.