Some six weeks later, the newswires were burning in the aftermath of Abdulmutallab’s attempt to destroy a Northwest flight en route from Amsterdam to Detroit using a similar device. This was now a significant incident as it impacted a flight operating between The Netherlands and the United States. Underpants were headline news, body scanners the order of the day…

We ignore incidents such as that perpetrated by Abdi Hassan Abdi at our peril. Not only is it offensive to the developing world to downplay incidents that take place in such regions, it is also short-sighted. Indeed, these are the very incidents that we ought to be focussing our attention on as they are the test sites, selected as they do not appear on our radar screens and specifically because we fail to appreciate their consequences. There is a lack of clarity as to whether the Somali attack is actually linked to that of Christmas Day, but it matters little – copycat or coordinated, co-trained or lone wolves, the creative way of concealing IEDs was being demonstrably appreciated by those we are supposed to guard ourselves from…MORE ONLINE

In the United States, the investment in both cabin bag and passenger screening has been less than 10% of that spent on hold baggage screening.  Even the 2009 American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) targeted only $311 million at the checkpoint (for both bag and passenger screening) versus $689 million for checked baggage.   According to TSA sources, the bulk of this funding will go to deploy liquids scanners and Advanced Imaging Technologies (AIT) for passenger screening. This disparity is in spite of the checkpoint being terrorists’ preferred entry point and presenting substantially more complex challenges.  The checkpoint has to contend with disassembled bomb components and smaller threat masses as well as conventional weapons, none of which necessarily have to be on – or in – the same individual or bag.  This compares to hold baggage, where Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), the primary threat, must be pre-assembled and terrorists cannot select their placement to inflict maximum damage…MORE ONLINE

The Arab-Israeli conflict is one of the longest and most complex and controversial wars of modern times.  And the Second Intifada – the First Intifada occurred from 1987 to 1993 – is one of the most controversial episodes within that conflict.  Also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada [Intifada is an Arabic word which translates as ‘shaking-off’, and in this sense refers to shaking off the occupation by Israel] after the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Temple Mount in Jerusalem, even the exact start date – in late September 2000 – is disputed.   Many sources cite the catalyst as being future Israeli Prime Minister, then leader of the Likud Party, Ariel Sharon’s visit to the Temple Mount on 28 September 2000, where he declared the site would be under perpetual Israeli control.  The Temple Mount is the third holiest site in Islam, and holiest in Judaism.  However, most sources purport that the Intifada began after months of mounting tension and violent incidents stemming from failed peace talks at Camp David under the auspices of the US government, where serious attempts to form an independent Palestinian state fell apart – resulting in then Palestinian Authority (PA) leader Yassir Arafat walking out on the talks…MORE ONLINE

Charles Lindbergh, Elroy Jeppesen and Ruth Law all had one thing in common – they all flew the mail – and at a time when the mail itself was not the threat. The mechanical contraptions called flying machines in which they travelled, and the vagrancies of rough, unpredictable weather, were far more likely to cause them to ’hit the silk’ and bail out of their aircraft, or worse. 

The U.S. Post Office (USPS), when asked, is quite direct about its relationship with airlines the world over. “The U.S. Postal Service was an integral part of the development of the commercial air transport industry, and U.S. Mail has flown on passenger aircraft for as long as they have been in existence. Throughout our long partnership, safety and security has been paramount,” says Denise N. Backus, a U.S. Postal Inspector based at USPS headquarters in Washington, D.C. Passenger carrying airlines worldwide owe a huge debt of gratitude to the last century’s U.S. Postmasters, who essentially bankrolled the development of transcontinental air routes, all whilst coddling the vision that airlines would carry the mail around the world – speeding commerce as they did…MORE ONLINE

Andy Blackwell, Head of Aviation Security, Virgin Atlantic: Historically the industry has been heavily focused on technological solutions but it is increasingly acknowledged that human factors play a key role in helping to ensure the integrity of aviation security.  Whether it be Behavioural Detection deployed to support more conventional security methods, or the development of positive security ‘cultures’ within organisations, the more holistic and flexible a security programme is then the greater the chance of it being robust. We need to be as innovative in our approach to security as those seeking to harm aviation and this involves considering technology, human factors and other forms of detection, disruption and deterrent. The more we understand about the methods terrorists use to attack their targets, the greater the opportunity we have of adapting our security defences and getting the balance right. This is a dynamic process requiring industry and government stakeholders working in partnership to create appropriate solutions.

Uwe Karl, Head of Airport Solutions, Siemens: Effective airport security is about striking the right balance between the human element and the contribution to be made by technology. A good example is CCTV where research has shown that after approximately 12 minutes of continuous viewing of two or more monitors, operators can miss up to 45% of scene activity. By employing intelligent software algorithms, potential security threats can be automatically detected and the operator’s attention therefore focused on when and where it is needed. Similarly, in emergency situations Command and Control systems can provide personnel with specific instructions to follow, an invaluable asset in ensuring a swift and consistent response which has been thought through outside the stresses of the actual emergency itself. In some instances, complete automation of a process can be achieved, but in the majority it is about recognising the limitations of the human senses and how technology can supplement and, importantly, enhance them…..MORE ONLINE

Well, I’m sorry, but it does not make me any happier. It actually makes me angry. The reason it grates is because I hate it when decisions regarding security issues are taken in the wrong manner. We shouldn’t have to wait for something to happen in order to make a decision to implement new and effective security measures…MORE ONLINE

The speaker panel consisted of: Tony Chapman, senior director, Integrated Travel Solutions, ARINC; Mike Brenner, senior consultant, Hughes Aerospace; Charlie LeBlanc, president, ASI Group, an aviation security consultancy and Philip Baum, Editor-in-Chief, Aviation Security International. 

During the 60-minute discussion, we analysed the state of aviation security – its strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement. Our webinars are interactive, participatory events that allow registrants during the ’live’ proceedings to email questions to the moderator, for debate by the entire panel. 

The webinars are archived on our web site and remain available on demand. To access them, register at this hyperlink: http://www.aerospace-media.com/webinars

Most of us willingly accept these checks as a necessary evil, going through the motions of divesting our shoes and belts at checkpoints, disposing our liquid purchases into huge bins, standing patiently in line after line and handing over our papers umpteen times for any single journey. And so we should.

Predicting the modus operandi of the next terrorist attack is no easy task and a lack of evidence makes airlines and airports reluctant to embrace fresh procedures and technologies designed to be proactive. As such, there is little to prevent a chemical, biological or radiological attack.

There have been a number of events recently that have demonstrated the impact of being ill prepared. The eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland, which paralysed the European aviation industry for a week in April, not only showed us the force of Mother Nature, but also the need to plan for the unpredictable. There has been significant reporting of the fact that Eyjafjallajökull is actually the small volcano and that its far more powerful sister, Katla, has a habit of erupting within a year of Eyjafjallajökull. It could well be that the skies of Europe will have to close yet again and, perhaps, for even longer next time around. (More online).