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Non-Tech : Auric Goldfinger's Short List -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sir Auric Goldfinger who wrote (8684)	12/8/2001 11:28:56 AM
From: BG Smith	Respond to of 19428

All depends on the meaning of "thing" :) Its no secret that the Industry has been the main beneficiary of the FAA's security and safety related policies. The issue of explosive detection has been topical for 2 decades. Check with the PanAm 103 Families' organization for their assessment of the FAA. My own experience is that the FAA has in the past designed the actual testing to favor one vendor or even exclude others. Typical govt behavior, but criminally negligent when applied to safety. Cost, politics and convenience rule, safety has never been more than a footnote. This is true as it applies to explosive detection as well as the feeble collision avoidance systems. The current focus on inspecting all checked luggage includes no component (yet) of actually being able to detect the advanced explosive materials. That the current systems don't work is evidenced by the recent disclosures that folks have been able to get guns through the systems in checked luggage. These violations of security are wrongly placed at the feet of the operators. However, these systems are supposed to have the most advanced pattern recognition software that will automatically spot a weapon or weapon component as it passes through. It is impossible for a human to detect even a fully assembled pistol under certain viewing angles. Of course, that's jmo Lemme ask you to consider the issue of civilian security as it pertains to a different mode transportation: Do you have any idea how many shipping containers come into this country every year? These are the big metal ones that come in on the cargo ships. Any idea how many of them get inspected coming or going?