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Category Archives: Safety and Security

How dependent is the FAA on Boeing?

Boeing 737 MAX 8Following a second disaster with a Boeing 737 MAX 8, all countries but 1 ground the aircraft. Eventually, the USA does the same as the very last. Not the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) makes the decision, but rather president Trump. This is one of the rare good decisions he made since taking office.

Fraud?

Two federal agencies, the US Department of Justice and the US Department of Transportation, are conducting a criminal probe of Boeing, according to The...
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How dangerous is a lightning strike?

JetBlueA jetBlue flight departs Los Angeles International Airport on January 31, 2019, when a lightning strike occurs. The captain decides to turn around to make an emergency landing. As the fuel tanks are fully loaded it is going to be an overweight landing. Less than an hour after takeoff the plane is back on the ground.

Another emergency landing

The same morning, a lightning also strikes a Southwest Airlines flight departing the same airport. This aircraft makes an emergency landing as well, although in nearby Oakland.
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How useful are air marshals?

air marshalThe Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has investigated the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS), which is part of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The conclusion is shocking, but doesn't come as a surprise. Air marshals are not very useful as half of the FAMS budget could be put to better use.

Inefficient use of funds

According to the Inspector General's report, no less than $394 million (€349 million) in funds could be spent better. The total FAMS budget amounts to...
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North Korean-like statistics in Washington

Trump live on TVDonald Trump said on live TV that he owns the government shutdown and will take the blame. But later on more and more Americans sure enough blame him for the emerging harmful effects and that the safety is at stake. So he walks back and blames the Democrats.

Berlin Wall

Trump wants a border wall alleging that it aims at protecting the American people. In a distant past this made sense. The Chinese built their Great Walls as early as the 7th century BC. In the Middle Ages...
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Safety and Security
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Trump puts flyers’ safety at risk for political gain

Waiting times at security check points at US airports rapidly get longer. The US Transportation Security Administration closed security checkpoints at airports around the USA the past weekend.

Calling in sick

The TSA is experiencing a national rate of 7.6% unscheduled absences compared to a 3.2% rate 1 year ago. The number of TSA security officers calling in sick increased by more than half. TSA employees missed their first paycheck on January 11, 2019. Those are some of the consequences of Donald Trump's government shutdown.

Security checkpoints closed

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Trump kicked out of Bavaria

If the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) kept airline passengers safe, Donald Trump has changed that. He said live on TV that he was proud to shutdown the government and would not blame the Democrats. "I own the shutdown," he said.

Trump backtracks

Meanwhile, Americans are experiencing many disturbing effects of the shutdown. As a result, Trump backtracked. He now seems less proud of the shutdown and, indeed, is blaming the democrats for it.

Dodging the draft

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