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Fast, Accurate Detection of Explosives
It doesn't come easy writes "Fast, highly reliable detection of residues that could indicate the presence of explosives and other hazardous materials inside luggage is now possible with technology under development at Purdue University. Recent improvements to a previously developed prototype have proven successful at detecting at the picogram (trillionths of a gram) level in lab tests, about 1,000 times less material than previously required. From the article: 'In the amount of time it requires to take a breath, this technology can sniff the surface of a piece of luggage and determine whether a hazardous substance is likely to be inside, based on residual chemicals brushed from the hand of someone loading the suitcase.'"
This is certain, just like the current TSA baggage screening, to be used to justify unlawful searches for drugs and other contraband. In fact, just like those baggage searches, this will undoubtedly become the #1 use of this technology, in fact I would bet good money that it is part of the intent of the people funding the development of this stuff. Just wait and see.
Good luck to explosives manufacturers - there go your chances of ever flying again!
Not just manufacturers. In Western Australia, and presumably other parts of the world, most mines operate on a fly-in fly-out basis. People work onsite for a fortnight, then fly back to the city for a week to live with their families. A fairly large proportion of those are exposed to explosives or their by-products pretty much constantly while they're on site.
The existing sniffers don't appear particularly sensitive. A few months ago I flew to site, worked with the shot crew for a day, including contact with ANFO emulsion and primers (TNT), then flew home. I expected the detector to pick it up, so I kept the work order on hand to explain the situation to security, but it didn't happen - not a peep.
"I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
No kidding. My recent business trips have mostly been Pittsburgh-to-and-from-Toronto. Door to door is about seven hours if I drive, and six hours if I fly (compared to about four hours before 9/11). Any more BS added onto the airport security check, and they lose this passenger permanently.
>I thought carrying an unloaded pistol in your checked baggage was legal anyway.
It depends on your destination, as always.
You cannot fly into Massachussetts or DC, for instance. But I routinely take firearms on trips from Arizona to Oregon. There's a little drill at the baggage check, where you have to say certain words verbatim; the weapon has to be unloaded in a locked container, and any ammo has to be in the packaging as it came from the factory and also locked.
There's always a little stressful situation at the counter where you have to take the gun out of the box, show them it's unloaded (open the revolver, rack the slide, etc.). Invariably, there's someone in line behind me that freaks out on this.
Then you have to carry your bag to a special X-Ray line, and tell the X-Ray guy what's in there. They make sure you have the only key.
At the destination, nobody ever seems to care, or know, what's in the suitcase, and rifle cases are always just piled with the golf bags.
But there's nothing to it. Get this -- in AZ, it's perfectly legal to wear a pistol openly in a holster on your hip, in the airport, all the way to the first checkpoint (but absolutely not past it!).
-fb Everything not expressly forbidden is now mandatory.