Aviation and Airport

New security measures to have chilling effect on international trade
Post-London plot air cargo security measures — among them BA’s decision not to allow cargo to be carried on passenger planes — are already disrupting international trade; for example, only 2 percent of the volume of Britain’s trade is carried by air, but this small fraction translates to an impressive 25 percent of the value of all goods imported into and exported out of the U.K.
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EST says it has ability to detect TATP components
As worry about liquid bombs grows following the arrest last week of 21 suspected British terrorists, a company claims to have a long-proven record of detecting tri-cycloacetone peroxide and its component chemicals.
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Airport security to broadened, deepen
The terrorists’ clever idea of bringing innocent liquids on board separately in order to mix them into a potent weapon has forced re-evaluation of security screening methods at airports; money will now be spent on solutions which combine several detection and snifffing technologies, and GE Homeland Security unit maker of the “puffer” machine, is working on such a combined solution
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SF airport first in the U.S. to have 100% screening of commercial cargo
In October San Francisco airport will become the first in the U.S. to
have 100% security screening of cargo carried on passenger planes
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Foiled London plot will affect air travel regulations, practices
The terrorist plot to smuggle liquid explosives on board will lead to dramatic changes in air travel regulations and practices, and the airline and tourism industry are worried that, at least in the short term, news will not be good for the hospitality industry
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Smart person-specific pistol
One way to improve airline safety is to put more armed air marshals on board; trouble is, this means that weapons are already inside the plane, and would-be hijackers may over-power them and grab their weapons; the solution: a smart gun which allows only its owner to use it
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U.K. terror plot exposes vulnerability of current detection systems
Governments have invested billions of dollars in explosive detection devices (EDs) and radiation detectors; the unfolding terrorist drama in London show that the current detection system has gaping holes which clever terrorists might exploit
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EDO eyeing UAV market
Large contractor has grown substantially through strategic acquisitions; its
latest target: A Tennessee company making composites used in UAV
construction
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Radiation therapy traces set off radiation monitors at airports
Hundreds of thousands of patients in the United States and Europe – and millions around the world – receive radiation therapy for various ailments, and nuclear material are also widely used for diagnostic purposes; trouble is, these procedure leave radiation traces in the body for weeks, and these traces set off sensitive nuclear detection systems at airports
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SFO testing video analytics
Speaking of rail security, Congress may want to consider the use of video analytics — now under testing at several of the nation’s airports — in mitigating suspicious activity at rail stations
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Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works demonstrates new UAV
Unmanned vehicles — in the air, on land, and at sea — are the wave of the future; Lockheed Martin’s famed Skunk Works demonstrates a third-generation UAV/UCAV, nicknamed Polecat, made of composite materials; the Polecat is the company’s best hope of gaining ground in the UAV race — ground it has lost during the past ten years to Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and General Atomics
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Northrop Grumman in $49.5 million contract to defend U.S. Air Force planes • Part of contract for LAIRCM aircraft defense systems worth up to $3.2 billion
Iran and Syria have supplied Hezbollah with nearly 12,000 missiles and rockets; how many shoulder-mounted anti-aircraft missiles have these two countries given to Hezbollah – and other terrorist organizations? The U.S. Air Force is not taking any chances, buying defensive measures for its Big Birds; some of these defensive measures may be modified and deployed on civilian aircraft
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World’s first battery-operated manned airplane
A milestone in aviation history: Japanese students fly the first battery-powered man-operated plane
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Europe warms up to UAVs
UVAs are a big thing in the U.S., and the Europeans are becoming more and more interested as well
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Senate votes to bolster border security; rejects increased tax on airline tickets
Senate approves homeland security budget which includes major allocations for border security; for second year in a row Congress rejects administration’s plan to increase tax on airline tickets
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