[JYO] Pilots urged to follow AOPA's Airport Watch Guidelines

from AOPA...

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Update: Feb. 7, 6:51:56 PM ET — Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and 
Attorney General John Ashcroft announced this afternoon that the federal 
government has raised the terror alert to code orange, meaning a "high" 
danger of attack. That level requires government agencies to increase their 
security efforts.

TSA and FAA are at this hour compiling a new notam that will increase 
airspace restrictions in and adjacent to the Baltimore-Washington Class B 
area. Pilots must check notams immediately prior to every flight. AOPA will 
post the new notam as soon as FAA releases it.

In a conference call to key transportation industry leaders, including AOPA, 
Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Gordon England said the government had 
intelligence from multiple sources that the threat of terrorism in the U.S. 
and the Middle East was the highest it has been since the 9/11 attacks. While 
there is no specific information, the energy sector (refineries, tank farms, 
etc.) transportation infrastructure (bridges, tunnels, etc.) and civil 
aviation are considered the most likely targets. Terrorists may also go after 
"soft targets" such as hotels and malls.

Pilots have a critical role to play during this time of heightened vigilance, 
which is why AOPA has formed <A 
HREF="http://www.aopa.org/asn/watchindex.shtml";>Airport Watch</A>. Pilots are 
urged to be alert for 
suspicious activities at their airports and report them to the national, 
toll-free hotline 1-866-GA-SECURE or local law enforcement. The <A 
HREF="http://www.aopa.org/asn/watchindex.shtml";>Airport Watch 
brochure</A>, which is already in the hands of more than 390,000 members, 
details 
some of the things pilots should watch for and actions pilots can take to 
secure their aircraft.

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