TSA Annual Refresher Security Awareness Training Requirement Updated

Here’s some exciting news!  The Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Annual Refresher Security Awareness Training requirement has been changed to a biennial requirement.

On May 1^st, 2024, the TSA issued a 54-page Final Rule which updated various aspects of the Flight Training Security Program (FTSP). The changes from the Rule went into effect on July 30^th, 2024.

As background, when the TSA was established in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11^th, 2001, the FTSP was developed and implemented.  Since 2004, flight training providers, training centers, certificated carriers and flight schools have been operating under a 2004 interim final rule (IFR) which established initial and refresher (every year) FTSP training requirements.  The Final Rule issued on May 1^st, 2024, modifies the refresher security awareness training from an annual to a biennial requirement.  For flight instructors, this now aligns TSA FTSP currency with the CFI Certificate Expiration period.  This means that CFIs need now to only take one course, like Gleim’s Flight Instructor Refresher Course (FIRC), to completely satisfy both renewing your CFI Certificate and your FTSP training requirements.

There are several other updates associated with the May 1^st Rule:

• The FTSP electronic recordkeeping portal is now expanded to allow for all flight training providers to submit and store all FTSP recordkeeping requirements on the FTSP Portal.
• The four weight-based categories have been removed, simplifying FTSP compliance.
• Flight training providers are now required to designate a Security Coordinator to serve as a liaison with the TSA (a former best practice).
• The frequency of conducting a Security Threat Assessment (STA) has been significantly changed. Under the old Rule, a STA was conducted for each event, which required a fee each time.  Under the May 2024 Rule, a STA is now triggered based on time, a five-year period, and will involve paying only one fee.

Keep in mind, the Final Rule is now in effect and this summary is only a brief recap of the 54-page Final Rule.

We here at Gleim want to make sure that you are aware of these key changes.  If you need to renew your CFI Certificate and your FTSP Security Awareness Training, you can accomplish both with Gleim’s FIRC – we’ll even do the paperwork for you!