Boeing wants more government contracts, and it thinks lasers are the way to get them. The company’s Laser Avenger system is something it whipped together in eight short months, and it’s pretty impressive. Mounted on a retrofitted anti-aircraft Humvee, the setup is being demonstrated as a way to zap IEDs from a distance, neutralizing them before the convoys and patrols they target ever rumble by. Its 1kw laser beam causes near-instantaneous detonation of the munitions its been used on so far, and Boeing’s also hinting that it might just work as an anti-aircraft weapon, too. Trucks with laser guns might be a lot closer than you think.

[Source: Popular Mechanics via Instapundit]

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SKYTEAM WELCOMES CHINA SOUTHERN AIRLINES AS FIRST CHINESE CARRIER
BEIJING, November 15, 2007 – Today China Southern Airlines officially became the 11th full member of SkyTeam, making the alliance the first to welcome a carrier from mainland China. China is one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world and the addition of China Southern allows SkyTeam to provide its customers around the world with greater travel options to one of the world’s top tourist destinations.

With the addition of China Southern Airlines, SkyTeam now serves approximately 428 million annual passengers through a worldwide system of nearly 16,400 daily flights covering 841 destinations in 162 countries. China Southern, with the most extensive airline route network in China, operates the largest and most advanced airline fleet in th country. The carrier is also widely recognized for its safety and customer service standards, and was honored with the Three-Star Safety Award by the Civil Aviation Administration of China in 2006 – the most prestigious award in safe flight operations in the Chinese aviation industry.

“We are excited to welcome China Southern Airlines, one of Asia’s largest and leading carriers, into our network,” said Leo van Wijk, chairman of the SkyTeam Governing Board. “This move allows us to offer our customers unparalleled access to the markets they want to reach. Offering the highest flight frequencies in China, China Southern’s membership strengthens the alliance’s position in serving the world’s fastest growing markets.”

The addition of China Southern also bolsters the alliance’s global hub network with the addition of Baiyun International Airport, a well-positioned, modern hub in Guangzhou, and Beijing Capital International Airport. China Southern is the first carrier in China to operate its own terminal at Beijing Capital International Airport, China’s busiest hub.

“SkyTeam is known for its unrivaled global connectivity and as a member, we can better serve our customers, particularly as the 2008 Beijing Olympics approach,” said Liu Shao Yong, Chairman of China Southern Airlines, at a welcome ceremony in Beijing. “China Southern’s extensive intra-Asia network serves as a powerful link in SkyTeam’s robust global network,” added Mr. Liu.

The welcome ceremony, which took place at Great Hall of the People in Beijing, was attended by Liu Shao Yong, Chairman of China Southern Airlines; Yang Yuanyuan, director, Civil Aviation Administration of China, General Administration; Leo van Wijk, SkyTeam Governing Board Chairman; as well as Yang Ho Cho, Chairman and CEO of Korean Air; and other SkyTeam representatives.

China Southern Airlines made significant progress and fulfilled all SkyTeam alliance membership requirements since signing a memorandum for membership in August 2004. The carrier earned recognition as a SkyTeam member airline after reaching a number of agreements with each of the alliance member carriers, including bilateral codesharing, frequent flyer and lounge agreements.

About China Southern Airlines
The largest airline in The People’s Republic of China for the past 28 years, China Southern Airlines – www.cs-air.com/en – connects more than 162 cities around the globe. Major business and vacation destinations served in China include: Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Guilin, Hong Kong, Kunming, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Wuhan and as well as International service, including: Amsterdam, Bangkok, Fukuoka, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Islamabad, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Los Angeles, Manila, Melbourne, Moscow, Osaka, Paris, Penang, Phnom Penh, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo.

About SkyTeam
SkyTeam is the global airline alliance partnering ten members, including Aeroflot, Aeroméxico, Air France, Alitalia, China Southern Airlines, Continental Airlines, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air and Northwest Airlines, and three Associate Airlines: Air Europa (Spain), Copa Airlines (Panama) and Kenya Airways. Through one of the world’s most extensive hub networks, SkyTeam offers its 428 million annual passengers a worldwide system of 16,400 daily flights covering 841 destinations in 162 countries. www.skyteam.com.

Ian Austin , CanWest News Service; Vancouver Province
Published: Wednesday, November 14, 2007

VANCOUVER – An Australian traveller claims there was a “major security breach” at Vancouver International Airport after he was issued a duplicate boarding pass that let him past two security points this week.

Rex Chen, 33, had just boarded Air Canada Flight 229, and was settling into his seat for the flight to Toronto.

Then another passenger, Suobin Chen, approached with a boarding pass for exactly the same seat.

“I realized then that they had checked me in as someone else,” said Chen, who works in Beijing as a translator. “They gave me a boarding pass, and I checked through two security points with it.”

Chen was thrown off the flight. His luggage continued on to Toronto, and he was put on a later flight.

Now he wants to know how it could have happened.

“It was a major security breach,” he said from his Toronto hotel room after his Nov. 11 flight.

“They took me off the plane, but they took off with my checked baggage, except it was checked in with (Suobin Chen’s) name.”

Air Canada spokeswoman Angela Mah conceded the airline made a mistake.

“This, obviously, should not have happened,” said Mah.

“Incidents like this are very, very rare.”

Canadian Air Transport Security Authority spokeswoman Anna-Karina Tabunar said her organization did nothing wrong.

“This is definitely the responsibility of the airline,” said Tabunar.

“The mandate of CATSA is to screen passengers and their luggage. Verification of the boarding process is outside CATSA’s mandate.”

Tabunar said the airline is responsible for double-checking tickets and identification twice – once at the check-in counter, and once again before boarding the plane.

She said passengers must present boarding passes before they go through security screening, but at that point the boarding passes are not cross-checked with identification.

Mah said Air Canada has launched an internal review of what went wrong, but said that at no time were passengers placed at risk.

“We are completing our own internal review,” said Mah. “There is no reason to believe that the security of the passengers was compromised.

“We are in compliance with all of Transport Canada’s regulations.”

Chen thinks that if he had just found an empty seat, no one would have questioned him.

In effect, Chen said, he would have been a passenger who hadn’t been checked in, who went through two security procedures unnoticed with incorrect identification.

“I suspect if I sat down quietly in coach, they wouldn’t have found me,” said Chen, who didn’t realize his boarding pass was made out in someone else’s name until he was challenged.

“They let me through without a ticket. They didn’t know my name.

“Then they took me off the plane, but kept my luggage on the plane with (Suobin’s) name.”

iaustinpng.canwest.com

Vancouver Province