Flight School Security Awareness Training for Aircraft and Simulators

October 26, 2004
Scenarios – Flight Training Center with Simulators

Question
An individual approaches you to enroll in flight training so she can get an aircraft type rating. You sit down with her and explain the process and procedures and time required for the simulation training and the rating checkride. After filling out the appropriate paperwork she hands you a wad of cash to pay for all lessons in advance.

Answer
In this scenario your first response should be to question the student. Do this casually, “My, that certainly is a lot of cash to be carrying around?” or, “Don’t you have a bank account, or a checking account?” Inform a supervisor of the presence of a lot of cash on the premises. What constitutes “a lot of cash” should be determined locally. Keep in mind this is a situation dependent scenario. For example, if the student is only enrolling in a recurrent training course, the total fee for this may be less than $5,000. Some flight training centers offer discounts for prepayment or for training multiple crewmembers concurrently. So, it may not be unusual for a person to pay in cash. However, the situation should be viewed with greater care if the student is enrolling in an initial training course for an ATP and type rating. Total tuition costs for an initial type rating may exceed $15-20K per student. If a student brings that much cash in all at once and prepays the entire cost of the course there is not only reason for concern, but there is also reason to immediately contact your supervisor. A cash out-lay of this magnitude by a single individual should raise red flag warnings that something may be amiss. It is better to err on the side of caution. Plus, any foreign national pilot bringing that much currency into the country would also have been required to declare and document the existence of an amount over $10,000 with U.S. Customs.

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