ABSTRACT
The history of civil aviation security can easily be measured in the span of one or two recent generations. As recently as 1970, one needed merely to purchase an airline ticket, walk out onto the airport tarmac, climb up some air stairs, and board the aircraft. There was no screening of either passengers or their baggage. The sophisticated and ubiquitous screening portals of today’s airports were unknown less then 40 years ago. What then, has occurred in that span of time to explain the shift? Why is aviation security a subject of worldwide concern and what will the future bring?
