• Germany says "nein" to full-body scanners

    Germany has decided against deploying full-body scanners at German airports; after a 10-month trial, in which 1,280,000 passengers were scanned, the government said that the false alarm rate was just too high

  • Judge dismisses parts of lawsuit filed by partially naked man at airport

    On Tuesday a federal judge dismissed most of the constitutional claims of a lawsuit filed by a man who was arrested at an airport after he stripped at a security checkpoint in protest of enhanced screening measures

  • TSA seeks to reduce workforce to cut costs

    In an effort to reduce the size of its workforce the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is seeking to offer early retirements to its employees

  • TSA Blackberries vulnerable

    The Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Blackberry mobile devices are vulnerable to cybersecurity threats due to a backlog of security patches and their configurations; with these vulnerabilities, hackers could exploit unsecured wireless networks to monitor data transmissions, execute denial of service attacks, alter messages, or even impersonate legitimate users to steal sensitive data provided by airline passengers

  • Next generation flying: pilots use iPad for navigation

    United Airlines pilots will use the iPad to replace the bulky flight manuals and chart books pilots carry with them; the company ordered 11,000 iPads, saying they will save sixteen million sheets of paper a year, and that the lighter load will save 326,000 gallons in fuel. the on

  • TSA finalizes air cargo screening mandate

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced on Tuesday that it had implemented the final part of the 9/11 Commission’s requirement for air cargo screening; under Tuesday’s finalized rule, air cargo companies may apply to become a Certified Cargo Screening Facility (CCSF) — CCSFs carry out a TSA-approved security program offsite and transport it to the airport securely without the need for rescreening

  • Prez security dome over Martha's Vineyard

    On a typical summer day, about 700 small private planes land on Martha’s Vineyard, bringing rich vacationers — mostly from New York City — to what locals call The Rock; not while the president is on the island vacationing, though: The FAA Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the island for the duration of the president’s vacation

  • DHS report: gap in TSA badging process poses threats

    A new government report revealed that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is unable to accurately account for its employees who have access to secure areas in airports, resulting in a significant security gap

  • Pilots zip through security with expedited TSA program

    On Tuesday, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) launched a trial program for its new screening system for airline pilots that does not require them to be scanned or searched for prohibited items

  • Pilots zip through security with expedited TSA program

    On Tuesday, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) launched a trial program for its new screening system for airline pilots that does not require them to be scanned or searched for prohibited items

  • Aware wins TSA contract for employee fingerprint scanners

    Aware Inc. recently won a contract to supply the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) with biometric fingerprint scanners to help the agency conduct employee background checks

  • TSA testing QR Codes on checkpoint signage

    TSA will begin testing QR Codes at U.S. airports; the QR Codes are two-dimensional codes readable by barcode readers on smartphones; the codes may download, for free, from multiple sources on the Internet; when the code is scanned, the phone will take you directly to a Web page or other information without having to type any information into your phone

  • Making runways safer

    Airplanes undergo significant stresses during take-off and landing, and parts often become detached, putting subsequent runway users at risk; until now, airport staff have had to monitor runways without technical assistance — an activity that is prone to errors; a new radar system is set to increase safety at airports

  • U.K. airports install biometric passport readers

    Individuals with biometric passports from the United Kingdom or the European Union will now be able to use sophisticated automated e-Passport scanners at every major U.K. airport

  • Nano sensor detects minute traces of plastic explosives

    Scientists have developed an extremely sensitive explosives sensor that is capable of detecting even slight traces of the high-explosive chemical compound pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN); terrorists had employed PETN in several attacks on commercial aircraft