Airport security system standards development: Challenges and outcomes

The complexity of security systems at airports within the United States - indeed, worldwide - has grown significantly over the years in response to increasing threats and regulatory developments. Initially, each airport developed its own security system without recourse to unified standards. The result was a mixed bag of proprietary systems which were typically over budget, poorly integrated, did not fully meet security requirements, and were both difficult and expensive to maintain. To address this, in the early 90s the ACC (Airports Consultants Council) chaired an RTCA Federal Advisory Committee to develop performance standards for staff access control systems to permit access to security-related areas of an airport. This was followed several years later by TSA's technical guidelines for checked baggage and passenger screening systems. Tying these together, a comprehensive document known within the industry as “The Guidelines”, (The full title is: “Recommended Security Guidelines for Airport Planning, Design and Construction “) was commissioned by TSA in 2006 to replace an earlier 2001 FAA version. This was updated in 2011, and a revision is currently underway for a 4th iteration. The RTCA access control standards are currently in their 7th iteration and the checkpoint and baggage guidelines in their 5th and 6th iteration respectively: demonstrating the need to update such standards regularly, as technology and regulatory requirements change to meet the changing threat. The RTCA access control standard is a substantial document, totaling over 300 pages. The checked baggage guidelines are over 500 pages; the checkpoint guidelines are over 150 pages. Together with “The Guidelines” they comprise a comprehensive set of airport security guidance, frequently referenced throughout the world. This paper reviews how the content of each of these standards was developed: how the developmental activity was funded: how participation by airport professionals contributed, and how the various documents continue to be coordinated. It addresses the issue of uneven technology development cycles and requirements, both within each document and between documents, and how to handle these changes without developing “silos”, as well as providing details of how these challenges were addressed in the access control system standards and the Guidelines.