Question

Read the airport security control case posted under to answer the following questions.

Everything you do as an official at the Department of Homeland Security is about control. Your task is to maintain strict security standards at all U.S. airports, while also trying to keep things running smoothly and efficiently. As the training program you created repeats emphatically, and as recent events have demonstrated, just one slip, one small mistake, can quickly escalate into a disaster. It is your responsibility to make sure that tragedy does not occur again. The security measures that DHS has put in place have created a complex system of checks. Passengers are now required to show a valid photo ID and a boarding pass to proceed to the terminal. They cannot take knives or other sharp objects onboard the plane, as a reaction to the events of 9/11. They need to take off their shoes at the x-ray machines, as a precaution against the shoe bomb plot of 2001. There are strict limits to how much liquid they can take on board, as a reaction against the liquid bomb plot of 2006. And at many major airports, they are subject to full body scans, as a reaction to the underwear bomb plot of Christmas 2009. In addition, the DHS maintains several lists of people who are either subjected to additional security or prevented from flying at all. There are, however, many critics to these measures. They argue that scanning shoes or limiting liquids is only a reactionary step against tactics that future terrorists wouldn’t think of using. They argue, further, that DHS’s control methods are not refined enough. Mikey Hicks, an eight-year-old boy from New Jersey, is included on a “selectee” list maintained by the government that subjects him to a high level of security every time he flies. Even when he was two years old, he was subject to pat downs, a thorough frisking, and even an interview with DHS screeners. There are many other stories about people who, because they have the same name as a suspected terrorist, are subjected to extraordinary delays. Even the late Senator Ted Kennedy found himself on a suspected-persons list! As congressmen William J. Pascrell comments “We can’t just throw a bunch of names on these lists and call it security. If we can’t get an 8- year-old off the list, the whole list becomes suspect.” Other critics argue that the primary effect of federal control methods is to heighten the sense of paranoia in the skies. In January of 2009, a US Airways flight heading to Louisville, Kentucky, was diverted to Philadelphia because passengers saw a Jewish passenger wearing phylacteries, leather straps that Jews wrap around their heads and arms as part of a prayer ritual. After the underwear bomb plot of 2009, some airlines prohibited passengers from using blankets or toilet facilities for the last hour of the flight.

1. In your opinion, is there a way to maintain airport security without sacrificing efficiency? What would such a system look like?

2. How could you incorporate feedforward control (gathering information about performance deficiencies before they occur) into airport security measure?

Answer 1

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1. On the basis of the above scenario, it could be stated that there is several fault in the current security system in an airport that creates issues. To eliminate the issues from security, the other security option that could maintain the airport security without sacrificing efficiency is pre-screening initiative in an airport that would qualify the passenger for the screening process. It would insure, who will go from the flight and who will not go inside the airport. This system would help the airport authority to check the flyers before entering in an airport. Through this, the security authority could stop the terror activists from entering at the airport.   

The above program would facilitate the security systems to take only few second in physical checking of passengers and this process would not required to remove the shoes, belt, jackets, underwear, etc. For example, as like existing security system, this security system would also reduce the possibility of the security threats and it would not require including any name in security threat list that would also provide the facilities to passengers to travel effectively.

As per the above discussion, it could be stated that the new security process would not change the efficiency of the current security system. On the other hand, the addition of additional process would facilitate passengers and security authorities to take few minutes in security checking.  

2. Feedforward describes a pathway that is working within the existing control system. It transfers a controlling signal to the external environment from internal sources. It is a command signal that comes from an external operator. Under this system, the adjustment of the control system would be free from any kind of error.

The advantages of feedforward control are effective from an airport security system that justifies the involvement of extra cost, efforts, time that is required to implement the new technology to improve the security measures and its efficiency. Hence, I would incorporate the feedforward control to analyze the performance of security at the first stage and the final stage with the help of part performance of a security system. On the other hand, this control system is quite effective for the security of the airport authority because it reduces tear and wear on equipment. I would also corporate this system with the management of security related technology that would reduce the cost of maintenance; increase reliability over security systems and reduce the hysteresis. Feedforward control has also optimized the performance of security system. This is because that feedforward control integrates mathematical model within control algorithm that is used to control the action of the system.

On the basis of above discussion, it could be said that the airport security measures would be enhanced in performance after the incorporation of feedforward control that would incorporate each functional mathematically and control commend through algorithm.