AVIATION SECURITY BLOG

Welcome to the aviation security blog. It is published by Jeff Price, lead-author of Practical Aviation Security: Predicting and Preventing Future Threats.

Remember when the Emergency Broadcast System would do those tests on TV? They still do from time to time, but without the threat of being annihilated by Soviet ballistic missiles, we don’t seem then much anymore. However, terrorists and bad guys continue to conduct tests of aviation security, and they just did another one. Click here for details.

When two men were apprehended in Amsterdam after traveling from Birmingham, AL to Chicago and Dulles, were found to have several items such as cell phones, watches, liquid bottles and box cutters taped together in their checked luggage your first thought should be that they were testing the aviation security in preparation for a future attack. Whether they were testing for a future bombing or hijacking attempt or just to be stupid, it was still a test.

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Filed under: Christmas Day Bomber, Commercial Aviation Aircraft Operator Security, Crime and Terrorism, Current Affairs, Existing and Emerging Threats, Passenger and Baggage Screening | No Comments »

Disgruntles airport employees can be an incredible security risk if not handled correctly.

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Filed under: Commercial Aviation Airport Security | No Comments »

It seems that everyone has been quick to play down the journey of three underage travelers who decided on their own to fly from Florida to Tennessee (click here for article). Aviation experts, the airlines and TSA have all said that protocols were not violated. And, they are right.

However, the issue is not whether current protocols were violated, but whether we have the proper protocols in place. If we did, then this would have been a VERY big deal.

See, unfortunately, a hundred plus years after slavery, it seems there is still a huge problem in the human slave trade. We addressed this in Practical Aviation Security and it is a frequent topic in Aviation Security International magazine. However, human trafficking rarely makes headlines here in the U.S., even though much of the human trafficking takes place here. One of the biggest signs of human trafficking is children traveling alone.

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Filed under: Commercial Aviation Aircraft Operator Security, Commercial Aviation Airport Security, Crime and Terrorism, Current Affairs, Existing and Emerging Threats | No Comments »

Recently, the NTSB released the report on Continental Airlines 1404 that went off the runway at Denver International Airport in December of 2008, due to crosswinds. The NTSB stated that the Captain did not hold proper crosswind correction on the rudder.

While this incident may seem not to have anything to do with aviation security it does relate to the issue of training — and training has everything to do with aviation security.

It’s an unfortunate given — when times are tough and budgets are being cut, training is one of the first things to go. Agencies and businesses will cut training that is not mandatory, and look for the cheapest solutions for training that is mandatory. When you cut training, there is usually no immediate impact. Kind of like missing a workout. You miss one workout, no big deal. No one will even notice it. Go ahead and miss two, three, five even 10 and your outward appearance will barely change if at all.

But, what happens when you miss 20 workouts? How about 30? There will definitely be a consequence. You’ll gain weight, not have as much energy and invite disease into your body. The same thing happens when training is cutback to the lowest common denominator. This is what has happened with the TSA’s Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques (SPOT) and Behavior Detection Officer (BDO) programs.

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Filed under: Current Affairs, Existing and Emerging Threats, Uncategorized | No Comments »

As the new TSA Administrator is sworn in two events have occurred that may influence his appointment — but careful consideration should be given before any actions are taken.

The first is a recent news report about comments made by Representative John Mica, blasting TSA for it’s ineffectiveness and top heavy bureaucracy. Click here.

Second, is a movie that has just come out called “Please remove your shoes,” that also blasts TSA.

I have not seen the movie yet so I’ll reserve comment on that for now.

As for Mica’s comments, I’m a bit dismayed that we need to reorganize TSA again. The last Administrator was an organizational expert and realigned the organization . . . after the first 3 administrators took their turn re-organizing. Why is it that whenever someone new to an organization steps in, they reorganize?

If the TSA is like the Titanic and the ship is in danger of sinking, let’s not call a committee together to try to reshuffle the deck chairs. Let’s focus on plugging the holes and pumping out the water before we figure out how to restructure so we don’t hit another iceberg. I think the focus for the new TSA Administrator should be to play to his strengths. He’s a law enforcement type – a federal agent / counterterrorist type – let’s put THOSE skills to work right away by conducting the threat assessments to determine as best we can where the leaks are coming from (if we’re sticking with this sinking ship metaphor) and plug the holes. Let’s not ask the FBI agent to become a reorganizational expert.

As we’ve seen, aviation is and continues to be a target for terrorism. There are plenty of icebergs out there and taking time to shuffle the deck chairs while the ship continues to sail into perilous waters is not good security.

Filed under: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »