If you are a general aviation pilot and have not heard of the TSA’s (Transportation Security Administration) newest security directive, SD-08F, then I would advise you to familiarize yourself with it before June 1st, 2009. Starting on that day, all GA pilots based at airports where there is air carrier service must undergo a security threat assessment through fingerprinting, and receive an airport badge to have unescorted access to the airport operations area (AOA). The directive states that it only targets those who have regular, unescorted access to the AOA or SIDA (Security Identification Display Area) at commercial airports, and not those just stopping in for fuel. The lingering question is what defines regular? Is it based customers, pilots who fly in daily, or weekly?

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