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TSA puts controversial scanners in storage

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Old Nov 15, 2012, 3:04 pm
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TSA puts controversial scanners in storage

USA Today Article
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Old Nov 15, 2012, 3:16 pm
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It seems the puffers are no longer the big dog in the pound.
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Old Nov 15, 2012, 3:32 pm
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So it was the privacy concern that pushed the backscatter machines into the warehouse, not the radiation concern. But yet many TSOs are more than happy to inform passengers that the MMW machines are not the backscatter radiation ones, so no concerns.

$14 million worth of backscatter machines are now in storage, but the TSA spent $40 million for backscatters. Where is the delta? Still in the field or written off?

Also note, "Sanders couldn’t say how soon the software would be updated for the warehoused scanners." That means an intent still exists to use these machines in the field if the stick software can be made to work.
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Old Nov 15, 2012, 5:25 pm
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I think the biggest joke is the claim of an "80-second patdown". I've never had a patdown waste less than three minutes of my life, including the time spent waiting for the one-striper to finish his donut and come grab your nuts. Typically, it's at least a five-minute deal for me. I can speed it up somewhat by intentionally blocking the line and refusing to put my belongings through until I'm able to join them on the other side, but not by much. Besides, doing that prompts an even harder nut-shot.
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Old Nov 15, 2012, 5:29 pm
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Originally Posted by ND Sol
So it was the privacy concern that pushed the backscatter machines into the warehouse, not the radiation concern. But yet many TSOs are more than happy to inform passengers that the MMW machines are not the backscatter radiation ones, so no concerns.

$14 million worth of backscatter machines are now in storage, but the TSA spent $40 million for backscatters. Where is the delta? Still in the field or written off?

Also note, "Sanders couldn’t say how soon the software would be updated for the warehoused scanners." That means an intent still exists to use these machines in the field if the stick software can be made to work.
There's still quite a few of the Blue Cancer Boxes in use out in the field - PHX still has them in use (and I don't see T4 at least getting MMW as I don't think it would fit).
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Old Nov 15, 2012, 5:43 pm
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Originally Posted by mrstraveler
The maker seems to have manipulated the tests:

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/201...udulent-tests/
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Old Nov 15, 2012, 5:43 pm
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No, this is the funniest line:

Full-body scanners are used to find non-metallic items, such as the underwear bomb discovered on Christmas 2009.
Except the 'full-body scanner' would NOT have found the underwear bomb, and it wasn't 'discovered', either.

Do they think we're that stupid?
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Old Nov 15, 2012, 6:18 pm
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They still have the backscatter's at Delta's T3 at JFK as of last Saturday

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Old Nov 15, 2012, 7:20 pm
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Should have left them in place and made TSA employees go through them before ending their shift.
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Old Nov 15, 2012, 7:33 pm
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They were at BDL a month ago as well.

Privacy is the excuse. Safety is the reason. They can not say that. (My humble opinion.)

Sanders couldn’t say how soon the software would be updated for the warehoused scanners.
Never works for me.

Welcome to FlyerTalk mrstraveler. Nice first post.
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Old Nov 15, 2012, 8:45 pm
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The backscatter machines were pulled three weeks ago from New York's LaGuardia and JFK, Chicago O'Hare, Los Angeles, Boston, Charlotte and Orlando airports. The move was designed to speed up security lines at checkpoints there.

Sanders said it's worked and that lines at those airports are now moving 180,000 more passengers each day.
I find this confusing. Were the TSA lines the gating factor in keeping 180,000 passengers from flying each day? According to A4A, 2.4 Million Passengers will fly on 11/25/2012. 180,000 passengers is 7.5% of that figure. An average travel day in the US looks to be roughly 1.8 million passengers. 180,000 is 10% of that figure.

What did those 180,000 people do? Wait in line until it closed/they missed their flight, then try again another day? Decide not to fly?
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Old Nov 15, 2012, 9:18 pm
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The move was designed to speed up security lines at checkpoints there.

Nice spin.
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Old Nov 15, 2012, 9:29 pm
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Maker of Airport Body Scanners Suspected of Falsifying Software Tests

Rapiscan has a contract to produce 500 machines for the TSA at a cost of about $180,000 each. The company could be fined and barred from participating in government contracts, or employees could face prison terms if it is found to have defrauded the government.

It’s not the first time Rapiscan has been at the center of testing problems with the machines. The company previously had problems with a “calculation error” in safety tests that showed the machines were emitting radiation levels that were 10 times higher than expected.
Wired Article
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Old Nov 15, 2012, 10:02 pm
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Originally Posted by Ysitincoach
The move was designed to speed up security lines at checkpoints there.

Nice spin.
They didn't remove them to speed up lines, but there is some truth to it.

Fewer full body gropes after the BSX and there are folks who opt-out of the BSX who do not opt-out of MMW (although there are so few who voluntarily opt-out that it isn't really a factor in overall time).

The business about 180k more people per day was hogwash. Maybe he was trying to say that they are capable, based on time saved, of processing that many more people a day, but as it stands, there's no way his statement makes any sense at all.
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Old Nov 15, 2012, 10:04 pm
  #15  
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Originally Posted by JObeth66
No, this is the funniest line:



Except the 'full-body scanner' would NOT have found the underwear bomb, and it wasn't 'discovered', either.

Do they think we're that stupid?
Plenty of people shuffle into the NoS wearing socks, too...and the NoS won't catch anything attached to the soles of the feet, like those famous ceramic knives (that could take down a plane how?) or, for that matter, razor blades or molded nastiness...
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