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This blog falls into the “What the heck are they thinking?” category.

Last April, I wrote about a couple of idiots who smuggled guns and drugs on a flight. That incident caused the TSA, Congress and airline representatives to discuss whether or not airline employees should be subjected to the same screening as the general public is. You can read that blog here.

Apparently, some people think that is the case. H.R. 1413, a bill sponsored by Congresswoman Nita Lowey, a Democrat from New York, passed the House last month. In summary, the bill:

Directs the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration) to: (1) implement a pilot program at five commercial service airports to screen all airport workers with access to sterile areas of the airport; and (2) conduct a vulnerability assessment of each airport participating in such program.

Requires: (1) at least two of the participating airports to be large hub airports, with each of the remaining airports representing a different airport security risk category; (2) screening to be conducted under the same standards as apply to passengers at airport security screening checkpoints and to be carried out by private screeners at a designated screening lane for their exclusive use at a minimum of two airports; (3) the program to be carried out for not less than 180 days; and (4) each participating airport operator to conduct an assessment of the screening technology used at the airport and to submit the results to the Assistant Secretary.

There is a related bill that was introduced in the Senate last April (S. 1095: Airport Security Enhancement Act of 2007) that would:

Amend passenger and property screening provisions to require the screening by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel of: (1) air carrier employees that board a passenger aircraft; and (2) as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of certain airport perimeter screening provisions, airport and air carrier employees, contractors, and vendors before entry into a secured area of an airport in the United States.

Requires the heads of specified hub airports and nonhub airports to: (1) submit to the Administrator of TSA a plan for comprehensive screening of all individuals entering a secure area of an airport; and (2) implement the comprehensive screening plan not later than 60 days after its submission.

Maybe it’s just me, but how do you screen airline employees to the same standards as apply to passengers at airport security screening checkpoints? Do we now have to pack lunches with little 3-ounce bottles of juice that can all fit in a quart-size bag? What about purchasing new tools? How do we get a screwdriver, wrench, or other tool to work? I could go on and on, but you get the point.

Lets just hope that if the H.R. 1413 passes, the assessments of the trial security screenings will show that such a program is not feasible.

What are your thoughts? Do we need to suck it up and be subjected to security screening to protect the flying public from possible terrorist attacks? Is the government overreacting?

Thanks for reading!

Joe Escobar

As the editor in chief of AMT, I receive all sorts of press releases. Some of them aren’t related to aircraft maintenance, but they are still pitched as containing “relevant and important information” for our readers.

I received one of those press releases last week.

People say time flies when you are having fun. Well I guess we need to change the saying to, “Time flies when the universe expands.”

Enjoy,

Joe

Photon Energy to Peak in 2012 

She says that people are finding there aren’t enough hours in the day because of something called the “Photon Energy” which peaks in 2012. “No, it’s not the end of the world, but it’s going to feel like it to many.” Who is she? Her name is Margaret McElroy, or Margaret M as she is known. An Australian now living in Seattle with her husband Alan, Margaret says “The Photon Energy is causing so many problems for people all around the world. We think there are 24 hours in the day, but really there are only about 6–8. So many people don’t have the time to do the things they plan each day. They go to the bank and, before they know it, it’s lunchtime. One more appointment when they should have had two or three, and it’s time for dinner!” 

Scientists have long recognized that the Universe has been growing larger since its origin 13.7 billion years ago, but it was assumed the expansion should be slowing down due to the pull of gravity. In 1998, two teams of astrophysicists discovered that the expansion is actually speeding up. Scientists call it the “Dark Energy” because they have absolutely no clue as to what it is. Margaret said her friends in the world of spirit have told her it is called “Photon Energy,” a band of energy traveling the Universe that is speeding everything up.

Margaret also says the Photon Energy is causing many problems in the world today. It is compressing time, pressuring people, causing road rage, and bringing a lot of anger out. Metaphysically, it is designed to do just that – to bring out of humanity all the trapped energy that the majority on the Earth plane have, not only from this lifetime, but – as Margaret says – from previous lives. Margaret is renowned around the world for her accurate past-life readings both on radio and in person that tie in with people’s lives today. She is uncannily accurate if one listens to the radio show “The Sixth Sense” which is broadcast on WARM FM 106.9 HD3 in Seattle, KCAA 1050 AM in San Bernardino, California, and also streamed and archived on www.contacttalkradio.com and www.kcaaradio.com. As soon as Margaret hears a person’s voice she tunes in to their energy and hones into a past life and the problem it is causing in their life today. 

“If people understood the Photon Energy, many of them would feel better about their lives instead of thinking there is something wrong with them because they do not have enough hours in the day. I am not a scientist,” Margaret says, “but I do have the metaphysical reason for the phenomenon and, for those who have discovered what it is, it has created a great deal of relief in their lives.” 

Reuters is reporting that this past Tuesday, Chinese inspectors found eight mice (dead and alive) on a United Airlines aircraft. The airline had reported the unwelcome stowaways to local quarantine officials upon landing in Beijing Sunday after a flight from Washington, D.C.

The report prompted an “emergency team” to rush the aircraft to put rat poison and mouse traps at every possible corner of the aircraft including the cockpit. The inspectors said that eight mice were found (dead and alive) hidden in pillows onboard the aircraft.

As would be expected, the media had a field day talking about the dozens of fatal viruses that the mice can spread and the risk posed from mice chewing through aircraft wiring and circuits.

In a statement, United Airlines said, “We are taking this matter seriously and have begun a full investigation with the authorities to determine how this happened and ensure it is resolved.”

I have been to Washington, D.C. before, and I can’t help but think that the passengers of that flight are lucky that it was mice that snuck onboard the flight and not some of those huge rats that scurry around D.C. at night. 

You can read the entire Reuters article here.

Thanks for reading.

Joe Escobar

Yesterday was my first day back in the office after taking some time off during the Christmas holidays. After I cleaned out my inboxes (both on my desk and e-mail), I sat down to write this week’s Technically Speaking blog posting. As I prepared to write my blog, I scanned the wires to see if any news items caught my eye.

A news story on maintenance offshoring caught my attention. The story may sound familiar. Large airline decides to establish a maintenance base in Asia to save money. Union wants five percent pay raise for its members. Airline offers three percent. Airline’s 1,700 mechanics threaten industrial action. Company counters by unveiling contingency plans to offset any industrial actions by rescheduling flights and hiring non-union licensed former employees to replace them (at salaries that are twice what the airline’s current mechanics are making).

But this is not a story of the struggles between a U.S. carrier and its mechanics. It is of Quantas. The article appeared in the December 27 issue of theage.com.au. Reporter Scott Rochfort notes the airline fueled anger among staff when it announced plans to establish its first heavy maintenance base in Asia in partnership with Malaysia Airlines. The article goes on to note that Quantas says the new base will only serve as an “overflow” facility when its maintenance facilities in Australia are booked out.

Odd, but why would an airline build a new maintenance base in a foreign country only to use it as an overflow facility? Wouldn’t an investment of that magnitude mean more than just occasional maintenance work would be sent there?

Maintenance offshoring is a trend that affects mechanics around the world. Airlines around the globe are looking at all options when it comes to saving money — especially when it comes to maintenance costs.

You can read the entire article by clicking here.

Thanks for reading!

Joe Escobar