Bedford Minuteman
Wednesday, July 30, 2003

Letter: Comments made are 'outrageous'

Bedford Selectman Sheldon Moll's statements in the July 16 article "Could FedEx flights cause security risk?" are outrageous. As Bedford's representative to the Hanscom Field Advisory Commission (HFAC) Mr. Moll has attended meetings when Massport reported on the various security enhancements introduced at the airport. As Mr. Moll knows, Hanscom's security program includes ID badging and FBI criminal background checks for all based pilots and airport personnel along with access control, CCTV and upgrade perimeter fencing. Massport's first-in-the-nation general aviation security program has the support of the Air Force, our local pilot community including the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and acceptance by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA).

As Massport has reported to HFAC, airline passenger and baggage screening is the responsibility of the federal Transportation Security Administration
(TSA) and the TSA has a full compliment of screeners at Hanscom. Complementing the TSA is the Massachusetts State Police who provide airport security 24 hours a day, seven days a week. At Massport we feel we have developed a security program which could be a national model for GA airports.

Pilots, airlines and cargo carriers do not choose to operate at Hanscom Field because they prefer its runways or simply wish to visit a Massport facility. The airport's success is linked to the critical mass of office and research/development space in the Routes 128/495/3 technology corridors, including the 11 million square feet of commercial and industrial development in the towns of Bedford and Lexington.

Jose Juves
Director, Media Relations
Massachusetts Port Authority

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