Raising Security Training Standards to Improve Preparedness in an Evolving Security Landscape

Raising Security Training Standards to Improve Preparedness in an Evolving Security Landscape

Preparedness facilitates greater alertness of threats to security through continuous assessment of evolving risk, robust and repetitive training and routine practice, as well as clear escalation and response procedures, and ongoing quality assurance.

As new, and often unpredictable terrorist tactics emerge, it is imperative that the security industry evolves with the changing security landscape where high-volume public spaces and transport networks have become a prime target for terrorist attacks designed to achieve maximum notoriety. Industry should support working collaboratively towards setting standards for the effective application of security measures and processes in large public spaces and transport infrastructure, underpinned by rigorous and certified training standards, practices and outcomes.

Leading the way is aviation security, reinforced by a mandated syllabus and quality assurance framework that is overseen by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), with performance and quality-based metrics. The robustness of aviation security training processes enables better preparedness across a broad range of threats and vulnerabilities with a capability that is standardized and reliable in its delivery of threat mitigations which are repeatedly assessed to be assured of their effectiveness.

Aviation security trainers are certified by City & Guilds or are required to have a Certification Instructor Number (CIN) validated by the CAA, but this level of certification is not yet pan-sector wide. Outside of aviation security training, quality assurance is not framed in legislation and in many cases by any form of directive. Without a requirement for academic or vocational qualification, many organizations employ trainers without certification of theoretical study and practical experience of an accredited syllabus. Alarmingly, some security trainers are wooed by available courses that allow them to breeze through within a short timeframe, leaving them ill-equipped to provide effective protection.

The public should have the assurance that security personnel have been trained to the highest standard to deliver the outcomes of accredited knowledge transfer confidently and effectively. Furthermore, after initial training, periodicity of assessment and refresh are crucial to maintain readiness for action and the required level of protection.

Behavior Detection Awareness

Industry has a duty to analyze training needs more effectively to enable more robust delivery and better preparedness.

Behavior detection awareness skills play a significant role in achieving preparedness of security personnel in high footfall spaces and infrastructure. The ability to detect unusual behavior, such as individuals working later or starting earlier than normal, someone carrying a bulging rucksack or someone who looks nervous, jumpy in a public area, is crucial to prevention activity.

All personnel who encounter people, are located close to vehicles, or sit behind a CCTV camera, should undergo behavior detection awareness training (as a minimum) to help mitigate risk. The training hones observation skills to identify potential hostile reconnaissance, preparatory assessments, dry runs or approaches to an attack, and sharpens an individual’s instincts to share suspicions with their superiors. Behavior detection awareness training can be provided at low cost and implemented at pace, yielding high impact results to reduce risk and to better protect the public.

A higher level of behavior detection training can be provided for security staff to become behaviour detection officers with the necessary tools and skills to respond swiftly. By shifting the security sector mindset to be pre-emptive and prepared, threats can be identified and intercepted to prevent activity escalating to catastrophic effect.

Working with Technology

As technology advances, increasingly sophisticated security equipment is being deployed in airports but across critical national infrastructure and spaces that attract high volumes of people security equipment is largely limited to expensive CCTV systems.

No matter how advanced the CCTV system is, the user must be fully trained in the use and aims of equipment and its capabilities. CCTV cameras can act as a deterrent, and images can be used as evidence post-event, but it is unfeasible for the user to have eyes on ten CCTV screens all at once, to notice suspicious behavior that is caught on just the one camera, and then act to intercept.

An advanced CCTV camera system can be programmed to spot irregularities to the pattern of life, such as a large crowd of people moving at one mile per hour on the concourse of a city train station. If a camera spots a static item or someone running, the camera will bring these to the user’s attention, but it cannot make the decision to respond or act. Therefore, users need to have the knowledge, skills and behavior to respond to whatever has triggered the technology, because if it is left unmanaged, the consequences could be lethal.

Without investing in knowledge transfer and response skills through proper training, a high-tech system can provide a false sense of security. In a trained environment, the user behind the camera will report the trigger to a behavior detection officer, who is trained to escalate an interceptive response.

To better protect people in large public spaces, pan-sector, the security industry needs to take control of the standard of training input to control the standard of output. The more inadequate the training, the more serious the consequences and therefore it is critical that training input does not merely skim the surface and tick a box.

Quality Assurance

Quality assurance of security through covert and overt testing aims to obtain a clear picture of security effectiveness and to quickly identify any failing mitigation.

Embedded within an organization’s established systems and processes, covert testing serves to identify gaps in measures and procedures, and to provide recommendations for improved preparedness.

Paul Mason

If businesses and organizations are paying millions of pounds for security equipment, resources and complex operations, they must be confident of the return on investment and that the security provision will mitigate the risks it is designed to identify.

Deployed in the aviation industry, Security Management Systems (SeMS) provide airports with the means to identify and address security threats, gaps and weaknesses in a consistent and proactive way, such that people can be confident that security practices are effective and quality assured.

In 2021, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) published a whitepaper outlining the importance of incorporating SeMs into the daily operations and culture of an airport. With mandatory SeMs on the horizon, airports should be looking at holistic, digital SeMs that can provide an error-free and clear picture of all security activities, from tasks, audits, training, employee background and more, to improve risk management and quality assurance.

To add another layer of quality assurance, Redline Assured Security is pioneering a synthetic testing service to enable frequent assessment of airport security screeners in high numbers. Qualitative testing of entire cohorts of screeners in a simulated environment means training programs on emerging threats can be rolled out at speed. Whilst effective for smaller operations, covert testing allows for a comparatively reduced number of screeners to be trained on-site at once, providing only a sample insight into screener performance and their confidence in identifying and acting upon threats.

airport security

Working Collaboratively

It should be without question that security trainers or training organizations can be relied upon to deliver effective programs that are aligned with outcomes to prevent or mitigate risk and threats. Sub-standard training results in less than acceptable detection, deterrence and response procedures, which can result in criminal activity escalating into the lethal space.

As an industry, we have a duty to enforce better management of quality assurance frameworks across the entire security eco-system so that the buyer is assured of continuous improvement of meaningful inputs, aligned to analyzed objectives, to ensure the right outcomes first time.

About Paul Mason

Paul Mason is managing director for Redline Assured Security, part of Air Partner Group, a Wheels Up company. With over 25 years of aviation experience, Paul was at the helm of Redline from inception in 2006 to acquisition by Air Partner in 2019, guiding Redline from a concept through to the internationally acclaimed security training, consultancy, and quality assurance company that it is today. The division offers an unmatched range of products and services spanning all aspects of safety and security, training, consultancy, quality assurance and innovative software products to cater for the needs of tomorrow’s threats and risks as well as big data handling, live data analytics and real-time threat and risk management.

www.airpartnergroup.com

www.trustredline.co.uk

The Airline Industry Needs Better Cybersecurity — Here’s Why

The Airline Industry Needs Better Cybersecurity — Here’s Why

In the modern era of technology, convenience and efficiency have become paramount, especially when it comes to travel arrangements. With the ease of online booking, sharing airline booking numbers and last names has become common practice, but what may seem like an innocuous act unfortunately can actually lead to a severe security vulnerability that still needs addressing.

Avani Desai

Airline booking numbers, often referred to as Passenger Name Records (PNR), are unique identifiers assigned to each flight reservation. These alphanumeric codes, along with the traveler’s last name, are routinely shared through various means, such as email invitations, shared calendars, and messages with friends or colleagues.

Most people are unaware of the potential risks associated with sharing this sensitive information, but in this blog, we’ll explore this unsettling security issue surrounding airline booking numbers and the lack of authentication that allows unauthorized individuals to make changes to your flights — something that could lead to potential disruptions of your life and even financial losses.

How Airline Booking Numbers Can Be a Gateway To Unauthorized Flight Modifications

These consequences are not hypothetical — I’ve personally witnessed them within my own family.

It was a beautiful summer day in Seattle when I found myself visiting my sister’s cozy home for a much-awaited family reunion. Though we were all excited to spend time together, as I stepped into her living room, my sister greeted me with a slightly troubled expression on her face.

“You won’t believe what I just did,” she exclaimed, looking a bit flustered. When I asked what had happened, she began to narrate the incident with a sigh.

Earlier that day, she’d decided to make a minor modification to her upcoming flight with British Airways, and like many others, she turned to the internet for the airline’s contact details. She landed on what she thought was British Airways’ official website and quickly found a toll-free 800 number — without pausing to double-check the website’s authenticity, she dialed it and was greeted by a pleasant voice claiming to be a representative from British Airways.

Oblivious to the potential danger that lurked ahead, she proceeded with her intention to modify. The “representative” asked for her booking number, her last name, and then the shocking request for her credit card information.

“That’s when I started feeling something was off,” she confessed. “I mean, why would they need my credit card details to make a simple flight change?”

Listening to her story, I immediately sensed the gravity of the situation. It was evident that she had stumbled upon an imposter posing as British Airways’ customer service, though she’d been lucky — having realized that she might be caught in a potential scam, she wisely hung up the phone before any further damage could be done.

However, the story didn’t end there. The scammer on the other end, displeased with her decision to terminate the call, took spiteful action. Without a second thought, they maliciously canceled her non-refundable ticket to Europe, leaving her distressed and baffled. She promptly contacted British Airways’ official customer service, and to her surprise, they informed her that the cancellation had been done online, and she had initiated it herself.

“That’s impossible,” she argued. “I didn’t cancel it!”

As no one else in her household had access to her personal information, it became clear that someone else had manipulated her booking and caused the cancellation. As we delved deeper into the situation, it dawned on us that her personal information must have been compromised during that seemingly innocent phone call to the fake customer service number — the imposter had cleverly gathered the necessary details to access her account on the official website and make the sinister alteration.

The Potential Consequences of Security Flaws in the Airline Industry

My sister’s unfortunate experience not only served as a cautionary tale but also got me thinking about the larger security issue that travelers face due to the lack of proper authentication methods employed by airlines.

While my sister was lucky to escape worse consequences, that lack of robust authentication in the airline industry allowed someone with malicious intentions to easily exploit what they did manage to gather from her, leading to unauthorized access and unauthorized changes to her flight.

It’s a significant security flaw that, by obtaining your booking number and last name, malicious actors can gain the power to manipulate your travel plans without your knowledge or consent — what’s worse is that this also opens the door to a range of other unsettling possibilities:

• Flight Changes: Unscrupulous individuals can modify your flight details, altering the date, time, or destination without your knowledge — imagine arriving at the airport only to find out your flight has been rescheduled, causing undue stress and inconvenience.

• Flight Cancellations: In a worse scenario, hackers can cancel your flight altogether. This could lead to missed events, important meetings, or once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.

• Identity Theft: Airline booking numbers, when combined with personal information, can be exploited to commit identity theft, leading to more severe consequences beyond flight modifications.

• Financial Loss: Unauthorized modifications can result in extra fees, penalties, or the loss of non-refundable tickets, leaving travelers with a financial burden they did not anticipate.

How to Improve Cybersecurity in the Airline Industry

To protect their customers’ sensitive information and provide peace of mind to travelers, the airline industry must acknowledge and address this glaring security issue — here are some baseline (yet essential) steps that airlines and booking platforms should implement to get started:

• Two-Factor Authentication: Implementing two-factor authentication (2FA) would add an additional layer of security, requiring users to verify their identity through a second method such as a one-time code sent to their mobile device.

• Encryption and Tokenization: Robust encryption and tokenization techniques can help safeguard sensitive data like booking numbers and personal details from unauthorized access.

• User Education: Airlines should boost awareness among travelers regarding the potential risks associated with sharing booking numbers and last names — and thereby promote responsible sharing practices.

• Regular Security Audits: Conducting routine security audits and vulnerability assessments will help identify and rectify potential weaknesses in the booking systems.

Security Standards Suitable for the Airline Industry

Regarding the final point about audits, there are a few standards that can help airlines and booking services shore up this security flaw, as well as other vulnerabilities that may be lurking in industry cyber defenses:

NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF): A set of guidelines and best practices designed to measure and track maturity as an organization grows and its threat landscape evolves; implementing and being assessed against the NIST CSF can improve your critical infrastructure so that you can better manage and reduce cybersecurity risk.

PCI DSS: Whereas the NIST CSF takes a broader scope of your cybersecurity, PCI DSS concerns itself particularly with the controls you have in place to protect payment card data and its environment from unauthorized access or use, of which multi-factor authentication and encryption are requirements.

The airline industry is not unique in facing cyber threats, and these standards — and the third-party assessments that independently validate the efforts they require would be worth the investment as threats continue to grow more sophisticated across all sectors.

Moving Toward More Secure Air Travel

The ease with which airline booking numbers and last names are shared presents a serious security concern that must not be overlooked. As passengers, we must be vigilant and mindful of where and with whom we share our booking details, but airlines must also prioritize the implementation of robust security mechanisms to safeguard their customers and preserve the integrity of the travel experience.

Through the implementation of adequate authentication measures validated thoroughly by regular security audits, travelers will become less vulnerable to unauthorized flight modifications, cancellations, and potential identity theft, just as the airlines themselves will become less likely to suffer the negative consequences associated with customer dissatisfaction.

By raising awareness and taking necessary precautions, we can collectively ensure safer and more secure travels in the digital age.

About the Author

Avani Desai is a chief executive officer at Schellman, the largest niche cybersecurity assessment firm in the world that focuses on technology assessments. Ms. Desai is an accomplished executive with domestic and international experience in information security, operations, P&L, oversight, and marketing involving both start-up and growth organizations. She is a sought-after speaker as a voice on topics such as security, privacy, information security, future technology trends, and the expansion of young women involved in technology.

Aircraft Search: Taking the Steps to Ensure Optimal Compliance

Aircraft Search: Taking the Steps to Ensure Optimal Compliance

The aviation industry had a tough dig out of the Covid-19 pandemic hole, but now, airports and airlines appear to be back booming with full passenger loads and enough construction to last a lifetime. Much of the focus over the 2021-2022 rebuilding period was on staffing level. Aviation employers could not seem to get qualified personnel through the doors, trained up, and out into operations quick enough. There was a real lack of operational grasp and disengagement in security culture. Thankfully, as an industry, we all got “back to basics” to re-energize the culture and refine the fundamentals to an accepted level of compliance.

Aircraft Search: Daily Challenges and Best Practice Review

The topic of aircraft cabin search remains relevant and ever evolving. In October 2020, I had the privilege to write a piece (for what was then ASI Magazine) examining aircraft cabin search and the daily challenges and best practice to reduce inconsistency and make the operation as effective as possible. Fast forward three-plus years, it is important as security practitioners that we revisit the foundational concepts that build out our security programs with the intent of continuous improvement. Plus, with today’s threat landscape across the globe, aviation (and all critical infrastructure and security sectors for that matter) will continue to be a high target for attack.

As a little bit of back story, my previously published article from 2020 outlined several of the daily challenges security organizations and stakeholders faced with aircraft cabin search operations. These included delivery of effective training (specific training for various aircraft cabin configurations plus adapting to your demographic and audience), the stress of a highly regulated environment, poor utilization of equipment, lack of management and operational pressure. To tackle many of these challenges, there are basic steps an organization can apply for oversight measures. Or possibly look at a larger strategy adjustment to achieve a more consistent operation and higher level of performance.

Unfortunately, our world continues to be faced with emerging threats and ongoing conflict. And the trouble is not siloed to physical incidents. Multiple industries are now seeing a large uptick in cyber crime as well; so, protecting and checking for data accuracy also needs to become top of mind.

This article is broken down into multiple sections. Each section briefly discusses a stakeholder’s perspective and approach to achieve optimal compliance in aircraft cabin search.

Douglas O'Mara

The Airline’s Perspective

There has been a drastic change on the airline side and their view of security. In past years, security was a pesky cost added and required on a station’s P&Ls, but now it is prioritized and planned into the daily operations. The concept of CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design) has become more prevalent these days when approaching integration of security.

As an airline that’s placed security as a top priority for a very long time, Virgin Atlantic has taken some further steps to ensure compliance. In a recent conversation with Gareth Cross, AVSEC manager: regulations and compliance for Virgin Atlantic’s Corporate Security Department, he stated that the organization shifted to a risk resiliency and SeMS approach to security. Now, as part of a proactive measure, the Corporate Security is seen as a consultant and partners with the engineering group during the design phase of aircraft and collaborates in the decision-making process to ensure compliance with the company’s security program, as well as the multitude of civil aviation regulations and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) programs.

Let’s examine the life vests on an aircraft. Here in the United States, the TSA requires foreign carriers to either seal their life vest compartments, which then requires the security provider to inspect the seals for any evidence of tampering. Otherwise, each individual life vest must be removed from the pouch or compartment and thoroughly inspected for prohibited items. Some of the newer life vest technology that is being utilized by many airlines does not quite meet some standards. Although sealed, the design still allows for the concealment of small, prohibited items. In addition, the way some life vest compartments are affixed underneath the seat allows for more potential concealment space, and the location is difficult to spot for the security team. Doing the proper research and selecting the appropriate life vest compartment design will reduce the vulnerability and have a direct impact on compliance.

The Security Provider Perspective

Security companies continue to be faced with ongoing challenges, so it is critical that an organization places heavy emphasis on a strong security culture to mitigate risk. Within the framework of security culture, we can typically break it down into three functional areas: people, processes, and technology. If the fundamentals of aircraft search have been established, then further assessment of the functional areas will allow a security provider to put focus on continuous improvement. First, let’s cover refining processes within quality control, then discuss where technology fits into the equation.

For quality control processes, routine testing is a solid best practice. If you are looking to achieve the highest level of effectiveness from the company’s covert testing program, it’s essential to think about the approach and methodology towards covert testing, otherwise you may end up with a false sense of security. In other words, just conducting covert tests is not sufficient; the planning, execution, and follow up is critical.

There are a few considerations that should be applied towards the covert testing methodology:

Types of test pieces being utilized.

Placement of the test piece and accountability.

Who was involved during the test.

Documentation and reporting.

Starting with test pieces, the approach here needs to be a holistic one. More often than not, security officers have fallen into a complacent pattern of searching for a specific test item. If a company is constantly testing the team using this one specific item, the daily routine has now become search an aircraft for the “orange ball.” The search mindset needs to change to item recognition. It is not about looking for the “orange ball”; the mission must shift towards what item does not belong on the aircraft. As we all know, threat items can be disguised as anything!

Selecting the test pieces for a covert testing program is a very sensitive area that requires careful consideration and collaboration for multiple stakeholders. One popular opinion is to utilize lifelike test pieces that will require a heightened level of vigilance from security officers. The upside to this strategy provides more of a real-world simulation, raising the performance bar for compliance, but the risk level for potential lack of accountability becomes severe. If a test piece goes missing and is potentially found while in-flight, a disruption to operations will come at a very high cost to an air carrier. It’s recommended that any sensitive test pieces be approved by the specific air carrier, and loop in your regulatory partners.

The execution of a covert test requires planning. It is important the security providers are familiar with the aircraft configuration and conduct tests in multiple areas. Repetitive test piece placements will ultimately result in a false sense of security and lead to complacency among the security team.

The last component here for covert testing is the emphasis on documentation and effective reporting. Putting the mechanisms in place to gather a wide range of data will prove invaluable when the shift to proactive mitigation is put into place. If an organization has the capability to track the trends of who located or missed a test piece, where it was placed, the type of aircraft, what type of item was used, now more effective decisions can be made going forward on operational procedures. Could failures be due to a gap in the training program? Does the current SOP not require a specific area to be searched? Is a change needed in the staffing plan? These factors can now all be data-driven decisions.

Aside from the covert testing, another key layer of quality control involves paperwork review, and verifying people versus time. And what this boils down to is the accuracy of data. This is the area where technology can play a pivotal role.

An effective aircraft cabin search is going to average a certain amount of time, with a designated amount of security officers assigned to the task. Conducting frequent reviews of the flight turnaround data will help to ensure a level of consistent service is maintained. If there are any anomalies, those instances will need to be investigated. For example, if on a given day two security officers search an entire widebody aircraft in 30 minutes which usually takes a staff of eight officers, that needs to be marked as a red flag and investigated. Currently, there is proven technology out in the market that can be utilized to track and trace airport personnel movements. Having a platform such as this in place provides that layer of transparency for auditing operations in real time.

The Regulatory Perspective

Aviation security regulators remain focused and vigilant on keeping the traveling public safe. And the same core mission applies to all transport sectors — including maritime, railroad, bridges and roadways. Here in the U.S., the TSA will continue to utilize their intelligence to prepare for emerging threats.

It is important to remember that security regulators and inspectors are on our team. The purpose of any government and/or civil aviation authority audits are to ensure all stakeholders are maintaining an acceptable level of compliance based on a determined threat level. They are not out for the “we got you” mentality. The goal is to establish the assurance that aviation is operating at an optimal level of public safety (this includes the aviation workers as well).

The best way to develop a solid working relationship with the regulatory entities is through communication. Set up a regular meeting cadence. Topics on the table for discussion can include local and foreign concerns, joint-testing and audits, best practices, and clarifying any unclear regulatory guidelines. Having this type of relationship and open dialogue in place between stakeholders will have a direct positive impact on compliance and culture within the security scope.

About the Author

Douglas O’Mara is based in New York and works for Global Elite Group, the U.S. aviation security division of Securitas Transport Aviation Security. He is senior vice president of performance and regulatory compliance, with focused oversight of company AVSEC training, quality control, safety, and regulatory. Doug is an ICAO AVSEC PM and Airport Certified Employee – Security (American Association of Airport Executives). He can be contacted at domara@globaleliteinc.com.

Civilians Killed in Erroneous Drone Attack in Nigeria

As many as 85 civilians were killed by an army drone attack which was meant for a group of terrorists and bandits, according to officials.

The attack happened Sunday, December 3 in the Tuden Biri village located in Nigeria’s Kaduna state. Residents were celebrating a Muslim holiday honoring the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad. Government officials said the military believed it was targeting terrorists.

“The northwest zonal office received information from local authorities that 85 bodies have been buried so far, while searches continue,” said the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in a statement. NEMA stated that 66 other people were being treated at the hospital.” The president of Nigeria ordered a probe into the mistake.

Bombardier Defense Delivers Seventh Global Aircraft for Saab’s GlobalEye Airborne Surveillance Solution

Bombardier Defense announced the seventh Global aircraft delivery to defense and security company Saab, ready to be transformed into Saab’s Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) solution known as GlobalEye. This new delivery comes as the two companies attend the Dubai Air Show 2023, where Bombardier presents its versatile Global and Challenger business jets to the Middle East market, and Saab showcases the leading capability of GlobalEye.

Bombardier’s latest Global aircraft delivery is destined to join the Swedish Air Force and will be Saab’s second GlobalEye aircraft to join Sweden’s military fleet. The 7 aircraft delivered by Bombardier to the GlobalEye program highlight a successful collaboration and echo Bombardier’s thriving, long-standing reputation manufacturing specialized aircraft for the defense industry.

“More and more countries are preparing for the future by choosing modern, more efficient business jets as strategic assets for their military fleet,” said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, executive vice-president, aircraft sales and Bombardier Defense. “With the rapid progression of technologies, there is a growing realization that business jets, such as our Global aircraft, can seamlessly integrate the equipment and capabilities that were traditionally carried by commercial aircraft.”

In addition to offering lower operating costs than commercial aircraft, Global business jets have takeoff and landing capabilities that allow them to fly in and out of more strategic locations. The agility granted by the steep approach certification and the advanced wing design of the Global aircraft is an advantageous feature to airborne surveillance platforms, designed for long-range air, maritime and ground surveillance.

As such, Saab’s GlobalEye incorporates some essential attributes of the Global business jet including over 11 hours of operational endurance, state-of-the-art avionics, and class-leading maintenance intervals. Paired with ample cabin space for workstations and mission equipment for ideal crew conditions, the Global aircraft is perfectly suited for situational awareness missions of large areas.

Rohde & Schwarz’s QPS201 Ultra High-Definition Body Scanner Receives DHS SAFETY Act Designation

Rohde & Schwarz (R&S) announced that its Ultra High-Definition (UHD) Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) body scanner, the R&S QPS201, has been Designated as a Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology under the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies (SAFETY) Act by DHS. 

“We are honored to receive SAFETY Act Designation for the R&S QPS201,” said Frank Dunn, president and CEO of Rohde & Schwarz USA. “This Designation validates Rohde & Schwarz’s commitment and capability to develop and deliver cutting-edge security technology solutions to a wide range of critical security missions.”

“SAFETY Act Designation provides users of the R&S QPS201with important liability protections and guards against potential claims from acts of terrorism,” Dunn continued. “And it further strengthens Rohde & Schwarz’s position as a trusted partner to U.S. Federal, State and local governments, as well as commercial and critical infrastructure security missions, to mitigate the risk of terrorist threats.” 

The R&S QPS201 utilizes safe millimeter wave radio technology to automatically identify concealed on-person objects and threats. Assessed by global regulators, its proven high-resolution performance supports high-volume and highly accurate and effective people-screening for a wide range of security screening operations.

Horse Breaks Loose On Plane, Forces Fuel Dump/Landing

An Air Atlanta Icelandic flight that departed John F. Kennedy International Airport on Nov. 9., heading to Belgium had to dump 20 tons of fuel off the coast of Massachusetts and turn around for landing. The cause? A horse had escaped its secure enclosure on the aircraft. The plane was south of Martha’s Vineyard when the pilot informed air traffic controllers in Boston about the situation.

Audio from LiveATC.net, a site that tracks air traffic communications says, “We are a cargo plane. We have [a] live animal, a horse, on board the airplane. And the horse managed to escape the stall. We don’t have a problem as of flying-wise but we need to return back to New York. We cannot get the horse back secured.” 

The pilot was cleared to turn towards New York and the aircraft then contacted air traffic controllers in Boston again to say that about 20 tons of fuel had to be dumped. The fuel dumping is required since otherwise the aircraft would land overweight. It began about 10 miles west of Martha’s Vineyard, the recordings indicate. The plane offloaded the fuel for about 20 minutes, as it passed south of Cape Cod. 

During that time, the pilot contacted air traffic controllers to request that a veterinarian for the horse be called to JFK. 

The plane landed back in the city just after 4 p.m.

Former Delta Co-Pilot Indicted for Threatening to Shoot Captain During a Flight

The co-pilot of a Delta commercial flight threatened to shoot the captain during a flight in August 2022. He has now been federally charged with threatening to shoot the plane’s captain. The threat was prompted by a disagreement over a passenger’s medical event and the need to divert the aircraft to another airport other than the intended destination, authorities said. He is now facing a felony charges.

First officer Jonathan Dunn told the captain they would be shot multiple times if the flight was diverted. The Department of Transportation Inspector General’s office detailed the occurrence in a report that said the two disagreed about the situation related to a passenger medical event. Dunn, who is from Marysville, Calif., was indicted by a Utah grand jury. The court documents say Dunn “used a dangerous weapon in assaulting and intimidating the crewmember.”

Dunn was authorized to carry a firearm as part of the The Federal Flight Deck Officer Program that authorizes flight crew members to use firearms to defend against an act of criminal violence and air piracy while attempting to gain control of an aircraft. Dunn was not only removed from that program but fired from his position at Delta Air Lines, according to the company.

Hostage Situation at Hamburg Airport Wreaks Havoc

A hostage situation occurred at Hamburg Airport Saturday and Sunday November 4 and 5 and lasted almost 18 hours. The tense situation began when a man drove his vehicle through the gates of the airport according to airport authorities. The man had his 4-year-old daughter with him in the car.

The airport was closed and flights were cancelled on Saturday night when the armed man, drove through the airport gate with his vehicle and shot a firearm into the air, the German news agency dpa said in a report. The man then continued on with the vehicle until he was just outside a terminal building and parked the car under a plane.

The German police said the 35-year-old Turkish citizen had his daughter with him in the car and had reportedly taken her by force from the mother in a custody battle. Authorities said the man’s ex-wife had contacted them earlier about a child abduction.

Local media reported that the man, who parked his car next to a Turkish Airlines plane during the standoff, had demanded that he and his daughter leave Germany and fly to Turkey.

More than 100 flights were cancelled, planes were diverted from Hamburg and thousands of travelers were impacted by the situation. Reports say hundreds were put up at nearby hotels while the event took place.

A psychologist negotiated with the man for hours. Nobody was injured during the standoff and all passengers had been evacuated from the airport, police said. Flight operations at the airport resumed on Sunday night.

In a news statement, Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher expressed relief that no one was hurt. “The hostage-taking at Hamburg Airport is over after long, dramatic hours,” Tschentscher said. “I wish the mother, the child and her family a lot of strength to cope with these terrible experiences,” he added.

Angry Mob Storms Russian Airport, Surrounds Aircraft Arriving from Israel

An angry crowd numbering the hundreds, was shown on video footage posted to social media shouting “Allahu Akbar” and waving Palestinian flags at the Russian airport in Makhachkala, a predominantly Muslim area in the Russian republic of Dagestan. The crowd was reportedly searching for people arriving on a flight from Tel Aviv, Israel. Some people were able to gain access to the ramp and ran out to the aircraft and surrounded it. Social media postings showed video of the crowd running through the airport shouting antisemitic slogans.

The airport was closed and security forces there later brought the situation under control, according to a report on the BBC. Sixty of the alleged mob participants were arrested according to Russian news reports. The airport reopened Monday but flights from Israel are being “temporarily redirected to other cities.” Israel urged Russia to protect “all its citizens and all Jews.”