Aviation and Airport

$7.7 million in stimulus funds for airport surveillance announced
The stimulus package committed more than $3 billion for homeland security projects through DHS and GSA; of the $1 billion allocated to TSA for aviation security projects, $700 million is dedicated to screening checked baggage and $300 million is allocated for checkpoint explosives detection technology
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TSA's new lab tests new bomb detection technologies
The Transportation Security Laboratory in Atlantic City uses the latest intelligence from the military, CIA, FBI, and friendly foreign governments to manufacture improvised explosive devices like those being built by terrorists — in order to defeat them
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Arizona politician charges Napolitano uses no-fly list for political payback
Arizona state treasurer charges his name was added to DHS’s no-fly list because of his history of political fights with Janet Napolitano — former governor of Arizona and now DHS secretary; DHS denies charges
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U.S. may seek more data on people flying in from E.U.
DHS indicates that an agreement with the Spanish government on a pilot program that identifies high-risk travelers before they board aircraft bound for the United States may serve as a model for similar arrangements with other EU countries
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U.S., Spain in safer-flight agreement
The United States and Spain have formalized a program that identifies high-risk travelers Airport before they can board a flight to the United States
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U.K. Home Office makes ID card trial voluntary
Bowing to pressure, the Home Office has abandoned attempts to force workers at Manchester and London City airports to carry ID cards, opting to make the trial voluntary
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Clear to sell customer data
Clear went out of business Friday; company may sell customer data to a TSA-approved provider
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Registered Traveler program, RIP
Verified Identity Pass, which operated its Clear program in eighteen airports, shut operations at every airport early this morning
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Israeli commercial aircraft to be equipped with antimissile systems
Israeli Ministry of Transportation has selected Elbit Systems’ C-MUSIC (commercial multi-spectral infrared countermeasure) laser-based system to defend commercial aircraft against missiles
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House of Representatives increases DHS's budget by 7 percent
The bill doubles the funding for airports to purchase explosives detection systems, bringing it to $1.1 billion; the report accompanying the bill expresses concerns that many funds appropriated in earlier years have yet to be drawn down
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DHS IG: General aviation is but limited security threat
General aviation accounts for 77 percent of all domestic flights and includes air cargo transport, emergency medical flight operations, flight school training, and corporate and private aviation; DHS IG says the threat general aviation poses to U.S. national security is “limited and mostly hypothetical.”
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Philadelphia airport enjoys stimulus package funds
DHS secretary Napolitano announces $26 million in stimulus package funding for screening technology at Philadelphia International Airport
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SF airport receives first installment of stimulus package money
The stimulus package added $3 billion to the DHS budget; of that, about $1 billion will go toward bolstering airport security; San Francisco International receives first $15 million
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TSA clarifies fingerprinting requirements
TSA makes clear that only non-U.S. citizens will have to give fingerprints upon leaving the United States — and for now, only for a pilot project at Atlanta and Detroit airports
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Tracking security lines speed
Purdue University researches used Bluetooth signals from mobile phones and other wireless devices to track how long it takes travelers to get through security lines at Indianapolis International airport
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