If you fly anywhere from Iowa, your safety will be improved by the latest FAA rules.The FAA just completed a review of security. New guidelines will be effective in November, says Des Moines airport ops and maintenance deputy director Bob Hagener. He says yes, high technology is watching us, from X-rays to bomb-detection sensors, but he won’t tell much about it. Hagener says security is being upgraded all the time, from hi-tech to checking I-D. The Federal Aviation Administration’s completed its review of airport security, five years after the tragic crash of TWA Flight 800. Hagener says a lot of the new security rules will involve the way things are done, not hi-tech devices.They’ll be things like ensuring only authorized people are in secure areas, and screening people thoroughly before they get on or near a plane. International and U-S terrorists are a primary focus of airport security, and a lot of what’s done to protect it is classified. While he can’t talk about some security measures, there are many you simply won’t see.Technology checks baggage and also ensures it gets on the plane with the right traveler. Hagener says airports nationwide are improving technology all the time, and that’s one area where you’re not likely to see job cutbacks.Hagener says there are a lot of new and recent security improvements at the International Airport in Des Moines, but he can’t talk about most of them, for reasons of …security.
