Ok, I am putting the cart before the horse here but I want to be thinking ahead.

I am a candidate for new employment at an airport in the area. It looks as though I may have an office inside the secure areas of said airport. If not, I will be transiting in and out of secure areas regularly. Parking will be at a remote lot and the shuttle into office and company motor pool vehicle. For the last 13 years my office/vehicle has been my domain without worry of someone questioning me about what was in my bag or on my person.

Since the company vehicle will be a pool vehicle, that is out as storage.

Does anyone on the board work inside the secure area of an airport? What is "OK" for the office? I mean, it is obvious what passengers can't carry, but what about the folks there every day? I know the CHL .45 stays in the POV, but what else.

The last secure area I worked in, I was the "secure" part, so I could cary what ever would fit through the door.

Please Help.

It's been awhile since I worked flight line, at one time our SIDA badges would let us bypass security all together. But then came 911 and that all came to an end, when I decided to wash my hands of all the bunk, they had us do the whole shoe thing, X ray the tool box, no knives, etc.. We eventual evolved by finding holes through there security but it was very time consuming and not worth it in the long run. I don't know what they are doing now but I would guess it would be the same as flying. Also we couldn't have any firearms on the property in our cars or anything. That's why a lot of A+P license mechanics bailed out of the industry do to the TSA bull and airline job uncertainty.

This is more along the lines of construction management, not flight line. My big issue is going to be adjusting to not having a pocket knife of some kind. Oh well.

My guess, and it is just a guess, is that once vetted, you will have an ID card that will allow you to bypass the screeners. You will probably be given a list of stuff that you are not allowed to bring into the secure area...

In all my air travel since 9/11 I have noticed there is an employee only screening entrance, but they are still screened. Given the alternative, I will just have to do without the pocket knife as opposed to without the job.

I can tell you that my wife accidently went thru the normal passenger screening a couple years ago with a Cold Steel Minipal in her purse with no problems. I won't get into the problems her underwire bra caused...

As long as I don't pull the stunt that happened in front of me last January. A CHL holder "forgot" his handgun was in his carry-on (al-la Barry Switzer) and was reminded of it by the nice folks with the TSA and DFW Airport Police. Bye-bye CHL, hello felony record.

Maybe I can get my Texas equivalent to reserve officer status and get the folks with security to add me to their OH $41T planning.

All of this is pie in the sky (oops a pun) as of yet. I don't have the gig.

Falcon has it right. All employee's must be screened to enter the Secure Area, even the flight crew. Only Flight Crews who have been authorized (FFDO) may carry fire arms, not many do. http://www.tsa.gov/lawenforcement/programs/ffdo.shtm

I do recall hearing about a Pilot who had a "conversation" with a TSA agent who was going to confiscate his nail clippers and the pilot calmly said that was ok cause if he really wanted to do something he would just use the Fire Axe in the Flight Compartment!

Main issue is knives. Mechanics can bring tools but it is a pain having to deal with it everyday. Glad I don't have to go through security often. The airport security office will give you training when you go to get your SIDA badge and should tell you what is prohibited.

This article did make me smile though!

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200811/airport-security

That is just what I didn't need to hear since my son is flying to M/SP airport the day after christmas.

Thanks for the other info though.