Secured Areas Of The Airport example essay topic

Running head: Airport Security David A. Fowler Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversityAbstractThrough the history of aviation the importance of airport security has steadily increased. Since the disastrous terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, many changes have taken place at airports to prevent such an attack from occurring again. The purpose of this paper is to: outline airport security procedures, discuss the different technologies involved with airport security, as well as examine the components of airport security. In addition I will also discuss the Transportation Security Administration's role in our nation's airport security. Airport Security Airport Security is a necessity of Life both in America and through out the world. Without airport security our airports would not be able to function and terrorist attacks resembling those of September 11th, 2001, would be more common place.

Passengers would be afraid to fly in fear of such a terrorist attack happening again. The airline industry would lose more revenue from lost ticket sales. Then the airports themselves would lose money from the lack of passengers boarding through their gates. Finally this lack of security would trickle down to the entire economy not only in the communities surrounding the airport and aviation industry, but to the nation's economy as well.

To keep this economic failure associated with another terrorist attack from happening, our nation must take the appropriate measures to prevent it. "Airport security procedures are designed to deter, prevent, and respond to criminal acts that may affect safety and security of the traveling public" Wells and Young (2004, p. 280). In order for this to happen, airports must become more proactive instead of reactive to possible threats such as: hijacking, explosive devices on aircraft or any other possible criminal act that could happen aboard an aircraft. To accomplish President George W. Bush signed into effect the Aviation and Transportation security Act, on November 19th, 2001.

This act was a result of the September 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks, and from this act the Transportation Security Administration was formed. Transportation Security Information The purpose of the TSA is to protect all of the nation's transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce. Commercial aviation has been a long-standing target for terrorists. Since the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001, substantial changes have been made to enhance security-including the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the federalization of the passenger screener workforce. The TSA was tasked with the tremendous challenge of building a large federal agency responsible for securing all modes of transportation. Funding for the TSA is accomplished by a $2.50 charge per flight segment not to exceed $10.00 round trip, per customer.

The mission as described by the TSA website (web) is as follows, "The Transportation Security Administration protects the Nation's transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce". The vision of the TSA is, "The Transportation Security Administration will continuously set the standard for excellence in transportation security through its people, processes and technologies. The TSA also states that its values are to have excellence in public service through: integrity, innovation, and teamwork. As with any government organization the TSA has taken much criticism on its security practices.

However, one must keep in mind that this administration is still in the beginning stages, and much is still to be learned from the mistakes that have been made thus far. The TSA employees a work force of over 50 thousand federal passenger and baggage screener's at 429 commercial service airports. Out of those 429 airports five have been chosen to be part of a pilot program. In this program the five commercial service airports that were chosen can hire their own passenger and baggage screener's, after a proper background check of each one, in order to help ease the burden of hiring on the TSA and to allow airports to control their own security under TSA regulations.

In the future, the number of airports to be inducted into this program is expected to go up to 40 in order to provide a broader test base, of at least 10%. The TSA has an extensive research and development branch as well. The mission is geared towards anticipating future threats to civil transportation security. In so doing, programs are conducted that accelerate and expand promising technologies to the point of operational test and evaluation. Technologies that have successfully gone through this process have been passed to the Security Equipment Integrated Product Team for deployment in our nation's airports.

The research and development goal is to develop systems that are fully integrated into the aviation system; are highly automated, utilizing the strengths of a variety of technologies; and are geared to optimizing the screener's operational performance. The Transportation Security R&D Division has divided its functions into four interrelated program areas: Explosives and Weapons Detection, Aircraft Hardening, Human Factors, and Airport Security Technology Integration. Each program area makes a significant contribution toward achieving the goals of the transportation security system of the future. The Division conducts R&D projects to develop technologies to protect three major entry points to the aircraft or vectors.

The entry points are through checked luggage, the checkpoint (passenger or carry-on bag), and cargo. Other program areas each include Explosives Vulnerability and Mitigation Techniques, Human Factors, and Security of Civil Aviation Airports and Air Carriers. No single technology can totally address the problem of transportation security. Technology development has not reached a point where it can operate autonomously, i. e., totally without the human operator. Adopting a 'systems' approach to security requirements and optimizing each component for low cost, but high performance allows the Division to produce cost-effective solutions for distinct security problems.

This approach continues to balance the application of people, procedures, and technology to each threat classification. The Federal Aviation Administration has recently given a $210,000 grant to the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fl. The grant is being used by researchers who are studying different learning techniques to understand how to best train people to pick out guns, knives and other threatening objects as they pass through airport X-ray machines. The researchers' findings, along with results of similar studies at other universities, will help the FAA and Transportation Security Administration determines the best procedures to train new screener's. The TSA oversees the hiring and training of the screener's. The results may eventually lead to improved safety and more convenience for travelers.

The TSA requires that all airports which serve certain air carrier operations have an airport security plan. In this plan the airport is broken down into the following areas: air operations area, secure area, sterile area, security identification display area (SIDA), and exclusive area. The air operations area includes aircraft movement areas, aircraft parking areas, loading ramps, safety areas for use by aircraft, and any adjacent areas. The secure area is defined as a portion of an airport, specified in the airport security program, in which certain security measures specified in 49 CFR Part 1542-Airport Security are carried out.

This area is where aircraft operators and foreign air carriers that have a security program under 49 CFR Part 1544 enplane and deplane passengers and sort and load baggage and any adjacent areas that are not separated by appropriate security measures. The sterile area is the portion of an airport defined in the security program that provides passengers access to boarding aircraft and to which the access generally is controlled by the TSA. This area is the part of the airport to which passenger access must be gained through TSA passenger screening checkpoints. The Security Identification Display Area (SIDA) includes the secured area and may include other areas of the airport.

Within the SIDA all persons must display proper identification or be accompanied by an authorized escort. The exclusive area includes aircraft storage and maintenance hangars, air cargo facilities, and fixed-base operators (FBO) serving general aviation and charter aircraft. Passenger Screening Passenger screening is critical to the security of our nation's aviation system. If airport passengers are not properly screened then an attack much like September 11th, 2001, would be more susceptible to happen again. The passenger screening process has been revamped and made more st ringent in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks.

Visitors to airports that are there to meet friends and family are no longer allowed in the secure gate areas, where airplanes are boarded. Now all airline passengers must have on their person an official Identification in order to pass the through to their boarding gates. The screening process itself can be more frustrating. However, it is important for the passenger to keep in mind that these added security measures are for their safety. The first step of the passenger screening process is the x-ray machine.

At the passenger security checkpoint, the passenger will place all carry-on baggage and any items they are carrying with them on the belt of the X-ray machine. The TSA will screen any 'Carry-on' baggage that will fit through the x-ray machine; however, it is up to each individual air carrier as to whether the baggage fits the size restrictions for which each passenger is to board. Passengers must check with the air carrier prior to proceeding through the security checkpoints. Next the passenger will walk through a metal detector, (or the passenger may request a pat-down inspection instead).

Objects on the passenger's clothing or person that contain metal may set off the alarm on the metal detector. Finally secondary screening occurs when an individual sets off the alarm on the metal detector, or if he or she is selected for additional screening. This screening includes a hand-wand inspection in conjunction with a pat-down inspection. Baggage Screening Baggage screening at airports has become more proficient as well. Several methods are being used to screen 100% of checked baggage. The most common methods that an individual will encounter involve electronic screening either by an Explosives Detection System (EDS) or Explosives Trace Detection (ETD) device.

The Explosive Detection System (EDS) machines are large machines that can be over 20 feet long and weigh up to three tons. Baggage will be loaded on a conveyor belt of the EDS machine by a screener for screening. If a bag requires further inspection it may be brought to an ETD machine. The Explosive Trace Detection (ETD) machines are much smaller and are the primary machine used in many airports.

When a bag is screened with an ETD machine the screener will take a swab of the bag and then place the swab into the ETD machine for analysis. There are other methods that may be used at airports to ensure that 100% of all bags are screened. Regardless of which system is used all checked bags will be screened before they are loaded onto the plane. Employee Identification Employee identification is another means of ensuring that our airports are secure. The TSA requires any person who wishes to access any portion of an airports Security Identification Display Area (SIDA) display appropriate identification. Typically a SIDA badge is in the form of a laminated credit card sized identification badge with a photograph and name of the badge holder.

Some SIDA badges are color coded to show witch areas within the airport the card holder has access to. Prior to obtaining a SIDA badge persons must complete an application and undergo a fingerprint based criminal history records check. After an extensive background check is completed a SIDA badge may be issued. The employee must display the SIDA badge at all times while in the SIDA.

At most commercial service airports, controlled access through doors that provide access to the different secure areas are enforced by different control systems. These systems range from simple key locks to smart access technologies, such as keypad entry systems requiring proper pass code. Recent advances in technology also allow for the use of biometrics. Biometrics is an advanced identification verification technology, which measures body characteristics such as fingerprints, eye retinas and irises, voice patterns, facial patterns, and hand measurements.

Mostly, biometrics have been proven useful when used in conjunction with SIDA badges at different controlled access points. It would be more difficult to use this technology for the general public because previously recorded data is required to authenticate the identification of the person. CAPPS II The enhanced Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (CAPPS II) is a limited, automated prescreening system authorized by Congress in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The system, developed with the utmost concern for individual privacy rights, modernizes the prescreening system currently implemented by the airlines. It will seek to authenticate travelers' identities and perform risk assessments to detect individuals who may pose a terrorist-related threat or who have outstanding Federal or state warrants for crimes of violence. CAPPS II will become a critical element in TSA's 'system of systems' approach to security which includes thorough screening of baggage and passengers by highly trained screener's, fortified cockpit doors in all airliners, thousands of Federal Air Marshals aboard a record number of flights, and armed Federal Flight Deck Officers. Under CAPPS II, airlines will ask passengers for a slightly expanded amount of reservation information, including full name, date of birth, home address, and home telephone number. With this expanded information, the system will quickly verify the identity of the passenger and conduct a risk assessment utilizing commercially available data and current intelligence information. The risk assessment will result in a recommended screening level, categorized as no risk, unknown or elevated risk, or high risk.

The commercially available data will not be viewed by government employees, and intelligence information will remain behind the government firewall. The entire prescreening process is expected to take as little as five seconds to complete. Once the system has computed a traveler's risk score, it will send an encoded message to be printed on the boarding pass indicating the appropriate level of screening. Eventually, the information relevant to the appropriate screening process is planned to be transmitted directly to screener's at security checkpoints.

In the rare instances where a particular traveler has been identified as having known or suspected links to terrorism or has an outstanding Federal or state warrant for a crime of violence, appropriate law enforcement officers will be notified. A small percentage of passengers will require additional screening at the security checkpoint. The vast majority of travelers will go through the normal screening process. Under the terms of a competitively awarded contract, Lockheed Martin Management and Data Systems (Lockheed) will assist TSA in developing the passenger risk assessment and prescreening system. Lockheed will develop, integrate, deploy and operate for TSA, a Risk Assessment System through a five year task order contract that provides flexibility to TSA to accomplish the goals as outlined in the Aviation and Transportation Security Act. (Transportation Security Administration 2004) Perimeter Security Perimeter security is an important aspect of an airports security plan.

An airport must protect the areas that serve as borders between secured and unsecured areas. One method of doing this is by the utilization of perimeter fencing. Perimeter fencing may differ in design, height, and type, depending on the security needs of the airport. Another method used in perimeter security is controlled access gates. These gates enable persons and vehicles to enter into secured areas of the airport. Controlled access gates typically use some form of controlled access mechanism, which range from key entry to combination locks, to advanced identification authentication machines.

Security lighting may also be used to aid in perimeter security. It is located and around heavy traffic areas, aircraft service areas, as well as other operations and maintenance areas. Patrolling by airport security and staff as well as local law enforcement agencies may also be used to secure the perimeter around an airport. This paper has covered the many different aspects of airport security. It is important to keep in mind that procedures, regulations, and technology associated with airport security are in a state of constant change. However, it is through these changes that our nation's airports will show a steady improvement towards the safety and security of the passengers that visit them.

Bibliography

Transportation Security Administration. (2004, February 20).
Capps II at a glance. Retrieved from Transportation Security Administration Web Site: web A.T., & Young, S.B. (2004).