Lead Editorial
satisfy the regulators rather than enhance security and facilitate
passenger and cargo transportation.
On 14th November, the British government announced a series
of measures to enhance security at sites of strategic importance
and other crowded places. Cue an opportunity, in a slightly less
regulated area, to be really creative and become a world leader
again. The initial emphasis is to focus on the 250 busiest railway
stations, together with “airport terminals, ports and over one
hundred sensitive installations”. Frighteningly, however, at “some
large railway stations, whilst doing everything to avoid
inconvenience”, the government says, “we are planning additional
screening of baggage and passenger searches”. Cue queues rather
than creativity.
However, there are signs of hope, as the same government is
sending out “up to 160 counter-terrorism advisers” who are to
“train civilian staff to identify suspect activity” as well as providing
guidance to “thousands of cinemas, theatres, restaurants, hotels,
sporting venues and commercial centres, and all hospitals,
schools and places of worship” on how to be more vigilant. (But of
course, they don’t believe profiling works to protect aviation!)
Many feel that we are overly protective of our aviation system
and that, whilst it is an iconic target, the nature of 21
st
Century
terrorism means that all public venues are equally exposed.
Airport-style security, in its current format, cannot be effectively
deployed at sports stadiums and the like. Rather than try to do
so, perhaps the reverse should be the case. We are being
afforded a wonderful opportunity to deploy emerging
technologies that can scan people “on the move”, technologies
that might actually be the backbone of the aviation security
system in the future. Let’s do so before the other transportation
modes and entertainment industries become too regulated.
Screening by millimetre wave, laser, QR or terahertz
technologies? What about layered voice or gait analysis? All talked
about for years in the aviation industry, but rarely deployed. Would
the deployment of questionable technologies leave us exposed?
Quite possibly. Does not the metal detector and X-ray machine
leave us exposed at the airport too? In both settings, the deterrence
factor would remain high, but we’d be moving in the right direction
and the passengers would be moving too.
The only way that we will see real development within the
aviation security system is to witness the results in another
arena. Let’s not lose the chance to use sports stadiums, railway
terminals and even town centres as our test-bed.
It could be that leadership will emerge from within the aviation
community. Some of the Middle Eastern and Far Eastern airports
recently constructed have been designed with futuristic security
in mind. The growth of the Asian aviation market, coupled with the
population size of the likes of China and India could also lead to a
total re-think of the security processes. The economic power of
the region too may force the rest of the world to follow suit.
Regardless as to source, we are in desperate need of some
bold, courageous leaders who are prepared to buck the trend.
True innovators. Were one to be writing an advertisement for such
a post under “Job Vacancies”, we’d be adding the phrase,
“bureaucrats need not apply”. The reality is, however, that it is
only the bureaucrats who can effect wholesale change. My guess
is, there would be no applicants were the industry to seek out
such an individual, State or organisation to lead the way…and
that we’ll still be gathering at AVSEC World in Seoul next
November saying “Same, same. No difference”. After all, we don’t
seem to like trailblazers. But I’d be happy to be proved wrong.
Aviationsecurityinternational December 2007 www.asi-mag.com 3
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