Category: Industry News

Vision-Box and Bangalore International Airport Limited – operators of Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru in South India – have signed an agreement to launch paperless biometric self-boarding technology aimed at transforming the passenger experience and creating a future-ready airport.

Smiths Detection’s local partner, Oy Machine Tool Co, has been selected by Finnish operator, Finavia, to support the transition to Standard 3 at Helsinki Airport with approved hold baggage screening systems. Included in the contract are eight high-speed, HI-SCAN 10080 XCT scanners, which combine high resolution X-ray technology, computed tomography (CT) and advanced detection algorithms to increase both security and operational efficiency significantly.

Security, speed and efficiency are critical to the extensive development programme underway at the airport, which will allow the airport to serve 30 million passengers annually and increase baggage handling capacity by 50%.

The tender was awarded based on an effective overall package offering the right combination of technology, technical expertise and service support. The ability to replace the systems gradually with minimum risk or disruption was also a key factor.

The HI-SCAN 10080 XCT has achieved ECAC approval as a Standard 3.1 explosives detection system, the highest defined standard in the EU. With a very fast belt speed and large rectangular tunnel, it offers a continuously high throughput of up to 1,800 bags per hour. Extremely sharp, full colour, high resolution images, as well as a low false alarm rate also support the greater levels of efficiency required by the new regulations.

Three HI-SCAN 100100V-2is systems for screening over-sized baggage are included in the order along with 12 workstations and a MatrixServer with redundancy back-up. In addition, several existing HI-SCAN 100100V-2is scanners will be upgraded. Installation will begin in September 2018 running through to December 2019.

The training arm of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA), CAA International (CAAi), has announced a new Security Management Systems (SeMS) two-day training course.

The SeMS Framework was introduced in 2014 by the UK CAA and the Department for Transport to allow entities to identify and address security risks, threats, gaps and vulnerabilities consistently and proactively. Since its inception in the UK, the ICAO Secretariat has described the UK’s approach as “the first practical exposition of previously theoretical material”.

• Based on the concept of a safety management system, a SeMS advocates that;
• Security risks should be managed at the right level, overseen by company boards.
• Activities should be measured to provide management information on security performance.
• There should be people in the organisation who are accountable for maintaining rigorous security standards, using the management information.
• There should be a culture that promotes high-security standards throughout the company.

This brand-new course, developed by the UK CAA’s own aviation security unit, draws on the fundamentals of how to establish and maintain an effective SeMS. Delegates will learn how to apply the principles of a SeMS into the work environment, the importance of a positive security culture, and the value of an organisation having a SeMS in place to facilitate risk and threat identification leading to effective performance assurance.

Peter Drissell, Director of Aviation Security at the UK CAA said, “A Security Management System is there to proactively develop and maintain an effective oversight and quality assurance process within your organisation. It is about taking a systemic approach to managing security risks, in ways which serve to instil security in the routine daily activities of an organisation and indeed its very culture. This course will give industry professionals and fellow AvSec regulators a solid understanding of SeMS and help build the competencies needed to design, implement and maintain an effective security management system.”

The first course will take place at the CAA’s London Gatwick training facilities on between 11-12 February 2019.

For more information, visit: www.caainternational.com/sems

Integrated Defense and Security Solutions (IDSS) has announced that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has awarded a contract option, valued at approximately USD $2.8 million (approx. £2.1 million) under the TSA Accessible Property Screening System (APSS) programme. Under the option exercise, TSA acquired additional advanced DETECT™ 1000 screening systems, IDSS Auto-Diverter Systems as well as deployment and integration of the scanner with various automated screening lanes.

The DETECT™ 1000 is currently operational at Boston’s Logan Airport, Houston’s Hobby Airport and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Several other U.S. and international customers have also obtained IDSS systems. The additional systems purchased under this contract option are scheduled to be installed in Fiscal Year 2019 at six U.S. domestic airports.

The award of this contract option compliments a number of development contracts IDSS has recently been awarded by other agencies and organisations. These contracts, totalling over $13 million (approx. £9.8 million), are to add new capabilities to the DETECT™ 1000 to advance the automated detection of certain threat types, and develop new solutions for other applications and government agencies.

Aircalin is to offer its passengers unprecedented levels of inflight connectivity, after partnering with SITAONAIR to add the Internet ONAIR solution to its fleet.

The airline, based in the French territory of New Caledonia in the south-west Pacific, is engaged in a strategic development programme – Aircalin 2021 – that will see its fleet renewed with A330-900s and A320neos within the next three years.

Initiated on behalf of the airline’s major shareholder, the New Caledonian government, the programme will enable Aircalin to offer an increasing number of flights to new destinations, and boost tourism within the island group (Aircalin currently serves Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands).

As part of a strong commitment to provide passengers with the best-possible inflight experience, Aircalin approached aviation technology pioneer SITAONAIR to secure the use of its award-winning Internet ONAIR.

Powered by Inmarsat’s Ka-band satellite network GX Aviation, Internet ONAIR enables seamless, high-speed connectivity at all times, helping passengers to stay connected with loved ones on the ground, or keep up with the latest news.

Vancouver International Airport’s Innovative Travel Solutions (ITS) has announced the installation of 74 BORDERXPRESS kiosks at Paphos International Airport and Larnaca International Airport in Cyprus. This marks a major milestone for the industry and ITS, as it is the first implementation of permanent kiosks for entry and exit border control in Europe.

Hermes Airports Ltd, operating Paphos and Larnaca airports, is installing the kiosks to enable passengers to independently complete passport control procedures under the supervision of Hermes personnel and with the approval of Cyprus Police.

BORDERXPRESS uses self-service biometric-enabled kiosks to expedite the border clearance process without compromising security. The entry and exit processes are the same in that, at the kiosk, travellers select their language, scan their travel documents and answer a few simple questions. The kiosk also captures an image of each passenger’s face, which can be compared with and verified against the photo in their electronic passport, though the kiosks do accept non-ePassports and EU identity documents as well. Travellers then take their completed kiosk receipt to a border services officer. The exit kiosks are available for use by all travellers while the entry kiosks are only available to EU citizens due to government specifications.

This technology was developed by Innovative Travel Solutions, an independent business unit within Vancouver International Airport.

Oakland International Airport (OAK) announced it has installed the Evolv Edge™, a physical threat detection and prevention system powered by artificial intelligence, to streamline its employee screening program. This installation enhances OAK’s security posture by protecting against metallic and non-metallic threats while simultaneously improving operational efficiency.

As the second busiest airport in Northern California, passenger travel at OAK is on pace to surpass the 13.2 million travellers that passed through the airport last year. To accommodate this growth, more and more employees are being hired to work at OAK. Therefore, OAK began researching innovative solutions related to employee inspection methods and equipment. Evolv Edge provides OAK with the ability to screen employees for metallic and non-metallic threats with a fast, non-invasive process. Designed with built-in wheels for portability, the system can be easily moved through the airport, allowing maximum efficiency for its employee inspection programme.

Two aviation industry experts have been appointed as visiting professors by Coventry University. Philip Baum and John Strickland both have decades of experience in the airline business and will be focusing on the university’s BSc Aviation Management and MSc Air Transport Management courses.

They will also support the university’s Aviation Management courses that are delivered overseas, including at Emirates Aviation University in Dubai, and at the City University of Hong Kong.

John, who will be a visiting professor in Airline Business Strategy, has held senior positions at airlines including British Airways, KLM UK and Buzz. He was instrumental in the decision by KLM to establish the low cost carrier Buzz in 1999 and has worked as a consultant to airlines, airports and aviation investors since 2003.

Philip, who will be a visiting professor in aviation security, is, of course, Editor-in-Chief of this journal, Aviation Security International, and a regular guest on the BBC, CNN and Sky News.

Philip’s background is in international civil aviation security. He’s an expert in all aspects of inflight security, especially hijacker and unruly passenger management, and in behavioural analysis techniques. He developed the Tactical Risk Assessment of People programme – known as T.R.A.P. – a security system based on non-racial profiling, observational skills and questioning techniques.

Philip said: “I feel honoured to take up the post of visiting professor in aviation security and to continue my work with Coventry University, which not only provides an academic grounding to its students but also helps bridge the gap between the worlds of academia and industry practice, encouraging and helping graduates to find their niche within the aviation industry as they transition from student life to operational deployment.”

Jenni Fernando, senior lecturer in aviation management, said: “Bringing two internationally-renowned industry experts who have a wealth of experience and first-hand knowledge of airline business and security will further strengthen our aviation courses.

“We’re delighted to welcome John Strickland and Philip Baum to our team and look forward to their input in our degree programmes and seeing how they will inspire our students.”

The latest version of Smiths Detection’s Checkpoint. Evoplus software has been certified by STAC for use at French airports. Version 2.2. has followed in the footsteps of 2.1, which was the first ever solution for multiplexed image analysis to receive official approval from the French civil aviation authority technical centre. An advanced screening and management platform, Checkpoint.Evoplus is designed to increase passenger throughput, optimise resources, reduce operational costs and raise security levels.

Checkpoint.Evoplus transforms a collection of individual components and sensors into a single, integrated and intelligent solution. Providing valuable operational data and supporting new functions such as centralised screening and directed search, it streamlines the overall screening process whilst also enhancing security. A number of installations are already linking hundreds of checkpoints across airports nationwide – and it can also support international networking.

MultiX, a provider of spectrometric X-ray detection for airport security and non-destructive testing, has announced a partnership with Gilardoni, a provider of X-ray systems for hand and hold luggage control. MultiX will provide its multi-spectral X-ray detectors and proprietary algorithms, and co-develop new software for material threat detection based on Gilardoni’s already ECAC-approved liquid explosive detection system (LEDS) and explosive detection system (EDS) CB C1 certified software experience. The objective of Gilardoni is to increase its offer in the security scanners market. Gilardoni, with its expertise in X-ray scanners for various applications, will combine the benefits of this partnership to address the European certification in Explosive Detection Systems (EU EDS CB C2).