Aviation Security Aboard Commercial Aircraft

Becky Neal

Beth Schuetz

Brad Steinfeldt

Andrzej Stewart

Agenda

• Introduction

• Background Legislation

• Disadvantages

• Alternatives

• Recommendations

Introduction

• Federal Aviation Act of 1958 proved inadequate to growing security threats.

• Antihijacking Act and Air Transportation Act of 1974.

• No U.S. based airlines suffered hijackings from 1991 through 2000

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Consequences of Sept. 11

• September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks bring down four commercial airliners into selected target buildings.

• Homeland Security Act of 2002

• Arming Pilots Against Terrorism Act of 2002

Goals

• Investigate the Federal Flight Deck Officer Program

• Provide evidence of problems with the program

• Propose alternative security solutions

Background Legislation

Disclaimer

Sources

• Code of Federal Regulations

• United States Code

• House Resolutions

• Senate Bills

Legal Basis for Arming Pilots

• 14 CFR 121.538

• 49 CFR 1544.201

• 49 CFR 1544.219

• 49 USC 44921

14 CFR 121.538

• Title 14 – Federal Aviation Regulations

• Part 121 – Operating Requirements: Domestic, Flag, and Supplemental Operations

• Rules dictated by 49 CFR Chapter XII

49 CFR 1544.201d

• Prohibitions on Carrying a Weapon, Explosive, or Incendiary

• Lists exceptions

49 CFR 1544.219

• Carriage of Accessible Weapons

• Federal law enforcement officers

49 USC 44921

• Federal Flight Deck Officer Program

• 107th Cong. HR 5005, Title XIV

Modification of Regulations

• 49 USC 44921

• 49 CFR 1544– 49 CFR 1544.201– 49 CFR 1544.219

Alternatives

• 28 USC 570

• 49 USC 44912

• 49 USC 44918

28 USC 570

• Federal Air Marshals Program

• 107th Cong. S.1444

• 49 CFR 1544.223

49 USC 44912

• Research and Development

• Scientific Advisory Panel

49 USC 44918

• Crew Training

Disadvantages

Overview of Problems

• Effectiveness

• Harm to aircraft

• Pilot Distraction

• Removed from Pilot’s Possession

Effectiveness

• Knowledge that pilot is armed– No element of surprise by the pilot – Plan for guns in the cockpit– Attack differently

• Guns are not always the best method of eliminating danger

– Not user specific

Harm to Aircraft

• Bullets depressurize the cabin– Two outflow valves that control the pressure– Bullets alter the amount of pressure the

valves can handle

• Harm to passengers if the cabin is depressurized– Or if the attackers or pilots miss

Pilot Distraction

• Focus on flying the aircraft

• Other people should be responsible for security

• Back up plan– Be prepared for the worst – Not be the single protector

Removed from Pilot’s Possession

• Evaluate the Flight Deck Officer Program for proper training

• Israel’s El Al has the tightest security– Removed guns from the cockpit– Reasons: can be taken away from pilot, not

user specific

Alternatives

Overview of Available Alternatives• Firearms

– Different bullet types– Locking devices

• Other Weapons– Electrical defenses– Knives– Clubs

• No Weapons– Martial arts– Cockpit separation

The Traditional Bullet

• The Traditional Bullet– Metal jacket with solid metal core– High energy impact

                                                       

                                                    

HowStuffWorks

Rubber Bullets

• Developed by Israel and Northern Ireland for crowd control in the 1960s

• Plastic or rubber casing

• Increase impact time– Reduces impulsive force

• Less transmitted energy

• Requires a special gun

Fox Labs

Frangible Bullets

• Core composed of small spheres– Disperses energy on impact to a larger area– Bullets remain lodged in target

• Originally used by Air Marshals

Glaser Safety

Locking Guns

• Magnetic Rings– Ring worn on pilot’s finger emit a magnetic

field– Only when the ring is in contact with gun will

weapon fire

• Biometric Technology– Biometrics: Use of specific human

characteristic– Use fingerprint to “lock” gun to the pilot

Electrical Defense

• Stun Guns– Create a potential difference between two electrodes– Provide a low current, high voltage shock to attacker– Temporarily incapacitate the intruder

• Tasers– Similar to stun guns, except the electrodes detach

and fly about 15 feet

• Liquid Stun Guns– Use current carrying fluid to transmit potential

difference

Hand Weapons

• Clubs– Use a brute force method of incapacitating

attacker

• Knives

• Effective during close combat

Cockpit Isolation

• Weapons should be totally removed from the cockpit

• Bulkhead between cabin and cockpit

• Implementation problems– Modification of structure

• Door for the cockpit• Rest facilities• Barrier

Recommendations

Proposed Actions

• Create new legislation– Phase out firearms in pilot’s control over time

• Research new means of aircraft security

• In interim, implement currently existing alternatives – Acknowledge existing legal foundation for

changes