Aviation Conspiracy: Aircraft Baggage STILL Not Being Scanned!!!
Bill Mulcahy
http://pages.prodigy.net/rockaway/newsletter138.htm
"Some people will hear my plan and accuse me of breaking a campaign promise,
and it's true. I did" Illinois Governor Ryan commenting on breaking his
campaign promise to fight building new O'Hare Airport runways.
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Aviation Conspiracy Newsletter
#138................................................Oct. 21, 2001 Past
newsletters can be accessed at:
http://pages.prodigy.net/rockaway/ACNewsmenu.htm Affiliated with, but not a
publication of, the U.S. Citizen's Aviation Watch http://www.us-caw.org/
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Aircraft Baggage STILL Not Being Scanned!!!
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As Bill Sees It: (Editorial) Aircraft Luggage STILL Not Being Scanned!!! I
was surprised to read this week that the FAA allows the airlines to STILL
not scan luggage on most domestic flights!!! That means any terrorist who
wants to blow up a plane can get on a flight with a bomb in his luggage.
Even a simple time bomb, with a little C-4 explosive the size of a cigarette
case, could bring down the largest airliner. What does it take before the
FAA and the Republicans in Congress put passenger safety before airline
industry profits? German-Swiss Treaty To Create Night Curfew And Flight
Number Reduction: The International Aviation Cabal (IAC) took another hit
this week with a "treaty" being signed by Switzerland and Germany banning
night flights and reducing the numbers of Germany overflights from Zurich
Airport. Two weeks ago the European Court Human Rights ruled in favor of
Hearthrow Airport activists on banning night flights over residential areas.
I hope this trend continues. The United Nation's Aviation Pollution Increase
Organization (ICAO) Oct. Meeting: While European Court decision and
German/Swiss treaty was welcome news, the United Nations International
(Un)Civil Aviation Organization met and completely ignored issues like night
curfews and the health impacts of aviation. They continue to inflict the
aviation industry's agenda on the world's peoples.
http://www.icao.int/icao/en/nr/pio200112.htm
German-Swiss Treaty To Cut Night Aircraft Noise And Limit Overflight
Numbers: Switzerland and Germany have signed a treaty to reduce the number
of flights to and from Zurich Airport over German territory because of
complaints about noise. .The treaty forbids flights over Germany from 10
p.m. to 6 a.m. daily. Zurich Airport must reduce by one-third the number of
planes that approach it by flying over southern Germany. By February 2005, a
maximum of 100,000 flights a year will be allowed on the route, compared
with 154,000 at present. http://www.iht.com/articles/36269.html Editor's
Note: Too bad American communities and cities can't get the same kind of
treaty with "our" Federal Government.
Boston: Logan Airport Communty Sues Airport Authority: The town of Hull, in
a lawsuit aimed at blocking construction of a new runway at Logan Airport,
has accused the Massachusetts Port Authority of lying to state environmental
officials about the impact of the proposed expansion. Hull, which is
concerned a new runway will triple air traffic over the town, filed the suit
in Plymouth Superior Court yesterday. Hingham and Revere have joined in the
action.
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/290/metro/Hull_sues_Massport_over_runway+.
shtml
Airports Security Still Not In Compliance With Regulations: Airlines in the
United States are not complying with government instructions to screen
checked baggage for concealed explosive devices, according to the Department
of Transportation's Office of the Inspector General (OIG). In checks at
seven of the 20 highest risk airports in the US over seven days, the OIG
found widespread non-compliance with orders to scan baggage before carriage.
"At most of the machines we observed no bags were being searched," said
Inspector General Kenneth M Mead.
http://www.janes.com/transport/news/jar/jar011017_1_n.shtml
"Internal Clashes" Led to Ouster of FAA Security Chief: Apparently the Sky
Marshals on Bush Cabinet member's flights was not the only reason that the
FAA security chief was urged to resign. According to a Washington Post story
"The general just didn't understand that he was not totally in charge," a
source said. "He didn't understand that he was now in an environment where
politics plays a role and he had to consider the wishes of the White House
and Congress." Editor's Note: Politics influencing FAA decisions? How
absurd!!! We all know how the FAA carefully avoids letting corrupt local
political considerations influence their decisions in important matters like
aircraft routing and fairly sharing noise impacts over communities.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46162-2001Oct11.html
S.A.F.E. Wants New York Airports Air Pollution Monitored: Dr. Allan Greene
is pushing New York State politicians to pass a bill to monitor the air
quality around New York City's airports. Dr. Greene and others feel that the
air pollution near airports is much more toxic than at other parts of the
city and may pose a serious health hazard for residents. Read about the
"Bubble Bill" below.
Concorde To "Test" Fly To New York: British Airways is to fly Concorde to
New York on Monday for its first full transatlantic flight since it was
grounded. The flight from Heathrow comes some two weeks before commercial
services are due to resume. Concorde has previously carried out two test
flights halfway across the Atlantic. The tests are to check the safety
modifications put in place in the wake of the Air France Concorde tragedy
last year, in which 113 people were killed when a plane crashed near Paris.
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_429243.html?menu=news.latestheadlines.u
knews http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-conc16.html
Airport security firm failed to check employee backgrounds: PHILADELPHIA
(October 19, 2001 9:21 p.m. EDT) - A company accused of hiring criminals to
staff security checkpoints at Philadelphia International Airport has
admitted in court documents it failed to check employees backgrounds
nationwide. http://www.nandotimes.com/nation/story/147764p-1442507c.html
Reagan Airport Expand Flights Despite Safety Warnings: WASHINGTON
(Reuters) - Restrictions at Washington's Reagan National Airport will be
eased further, with flights to an additional 18 cities beginning Oct. 26,
the U.S. Transportation Department announced on Thursday."The Bush
Administration will continue to work with aviation and law enforcement
officials to ensure the safety and stability of flight operations at DCA
(Reagan National), and we look forward to further operation expansions,"
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said in a statement. Editor's Note: I
guess convenience won out against safety with the Congresscreeps:
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/reuters20011018_454.html
Ryan changes tune in O'Hare runway proposal: The memories of his voters are
still fresh, and the videotapes don't lie. So when Gov. George Ryan stepped
to the podium Thursday and announced he had changed his mind, that he will
indeed support new runways at O'Hare International Airport, there was no
hiding from his promises of old. "Some people will hear my plan and accuse
me of breaking a campaign promise," Ryan said matter-of-factly. "It's true.
I did." http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dsindex/19-ds2.htm
United Airlines Bankruptcy Really A Labor Bargaining Ploy? LOS ANGELES (Dow
Jones) -- UAL Corp., parent of United Airlines, on Thursday filed a warning
with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it is in danger of going
out of business. "The letter speaks for itself," said United spokesman Joe
Hopkins, who declined to comment on speculation by analysts and the union
that the letter was aimed at strengthening the company's position in labor
negotiations. http://www.canoe.ca/MoneyNews/oct18_ualbankruptcy-dow.html
China: Maglev Experts Gather In Shanghai (10/18/2001) (xinhua) Over 100
magnetic levitation (maglev) experts gathered Wednesday in Shanghai's
tech-intensive Tongji University to discuss the feasibility and future of
the maglev development in transportation. Papers presented at the forum
covered the latest research and progress in this field, and included papers
on a German consortium 's contract project to build a high-tech magnetic
levitation train in Shanghai.
http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/news/cn/2001-10-18/39142.html
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Aviation News Stories
US airports fail security audits
By Chris Yates, Jane's Aviation Security Editor
Airlines in the United States are not complying with government instructions
to screen checked baggage for concealed explosive devices, according to the
Department of Transportation's Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The
revelation comes just five weeks after the worst terrorist attack in the
history of civil aviation, in which four airliners were hijacked from three
US airports and used in suicide attacks on the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon.
In checks at seven of the 20 highest risk airports in the US over seven
days, the OIG found widespread non-compliance with orders to scan baggage
before carriage. "At most of the machines we observed no bags were being
searched," said Inspector General Kenneth M Mead.
The comment broadly supports anecdotal evidence suggesting that airlines
have quietly returned to the status quo of minimal security applied to
domestic flights. Nevertheless, a spokesman for the Air Transport
Association (ATA) immediately disputed the findings, arguing that its member
carriers were doing all that was required by the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA).
Separately, two of the biggest manufacturers of screening technology have
pointed out that the current screening process is much the same as it was
prior to 11 September and that only one in every 10,000 bags is being
checked on domestic flights. The requirement to screen domestic baggage was
introduced by the FAA immediately after the terrorist hijackings.
Meanwhile, Patricia Friend, President of the Association of Flight
Attendants, has charged that security measures at US airports are purely
"cosmetic". She said that checked baggage is still not being given the same
scrutiny as carry-on baggage and that passengers could still check luggage
for carriage and then simply choose not to board the flight. Worryingly, she
added that ground crews and non-flying airline staff still do not have to go
through the same screening procedures as pilots, attendants and passengers.
Rather they simply have to show picture identification.
The Bubble Bill
Brief History-This Bill directs the New York State Dept. of Environmental
Conservation to measure air pollution from JFK and LaGuardia Airports and to
seek ways to reduce this pollution.
The Bill introduced by William Scarborough in the Assembly passed each year
for the last three years. The Senate Bill was introduced by Serphin Maltese
has been help up in the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee headed
by Carl Marcellino of Oyster Bay
This year the Bill had to be re-introduced as per Senate rules. Serphin
Maltese has not re-introduced the Bill. Dan Hevesi, a Democrat,
re-introduced the Bill but it will not anywhere in the Republican controlled
Senate. It is necessary for a Republican to re-introduce the Bill for it to
stand any chance of passing.
Please write to N.Y. State Senator Maltese urging him to re-introduce the
"Bubble Bill."
Write to: Senator Serphin Maltese
409 Legislative Office Building
Albany, N.Y. 12247
Internet Address: mal...@senate.state.ny.us
Website Address: www.senatorserphinmaltese.com
Bertie the Bunyip
> The graphic (website) version of this newsletter can be accessed at:
> http://pages.prodigy.net/rockaway/newsletter138.htm
>
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> Aircraft Baggage STILL Not Being Scanned!!!
Far more important to start a scan of your head, Billy boy.
Bertie