Sciencemadness Discussion Board - A visit to the airport

A visit to the airport

evildrome - 10-4-2014 at 02:16

I recently had a requirement to travel in the UK by airplane.

Coming through security, my laptop was randomly selected for a swab for explosives. As my interest in energetic materials is entirely theoretical I was unconcerned but it is worth considering if your interest is more practical and you are flying into the UK from a location which allows the preparation of such materials.

[Edited on 10-4-2014 by evildrome]

Praxichys - 10-4-2014 at 04:26

I am worried about this sometimes. Back when I was moving my old lab, I left a nitric acid distillation set up for over a month. I had previously moved my HCl out of the lab because fumes would escape the conainer somehow and find ammonia leaking from a similar gallon jug, condensing a white haze of ammonium chloride all over everything after a month or two. Anyway, I didn't think about the volitility of the nitric acid and when I came back to finally move the lab into my new house, a white haze of ammonium nitrate was coating everything.

I travel for business a few times a year, and I have been afraid to use the suitcase that was sitting in the same room during that time. It probably has ammonium nitrate all over it. It is a nice suitcase my mother bought for me so I don't know if I should try to to wash it with the garden hose or if I should just continue to not use it for air travel.

Turner - 10-4-2014 at 09:15

Hey what's the worst that could happen I've walked through security at the airport with tiny bit of RDX dust on my shirt from the week before. I was expecting to be taken to another room but nothing happened

Dr.Bob - 10-4-2014 at 09:22

The tests have many false positives, so they will just search you once over and look more carefully at your luggage. Shortly after 9/11, I had to fly at the last minute for a funeral, with a one way, last-minute purchased, ticket, almost no luggage, and I was a younger male. I was searched about 4 times, at every point at which I presented myself near a gate or security point. But they were polite and such. Working in a lab for 30+ years, I likely have traces of nearly everything on my luggage, computer bag, and clothes. But I have not had many problems so far.

Bert - 10-4-2014 at 13:20

I have flown wearing shoes and clothes with traces of nitrates, chlorate, perchlorate and various HE's. Never had an issue with regards to traces of energetic materials on myself or my bags.

But I always arrive at the airport early, just in case.

Proof of intellectual entropy

franklyn - 13-10-2014 at 02:58

http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/what-happens-when-you-...

Well you never know , dissolve in aqua regea , add ammonia , and you got fulminating gold.

.

Artemus Gordon - 13-10-2014 at 12:39

Quote: Originally posted by franklyn

http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/what-happens-when-you-...

Well you never know , dissolve in aqua regea , add ammonia , and you got fulminating gold.

.

It is a funny story, but if Schmidt is accurately reporting the conversation, he was being a bit of a wiseass. Expecting a TSA agent in Fargo to know what a large gold medal from Sweden means is unrealistic. If he had just said that he was a Nobel Prize winner, and that medal is the actual prize which he wanted to show to his grandmother, I think he would have had very little problem.

macckone - 13-10-2014 at 15:51

Quote: Originally posted by Artemus Gordon

Quote: Originally posted by franklyn

http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/what-happens-when-you-...

Well you never know , dissolve in aqua regea , add ammonia , and you got fulminating gold.

.

That still raises the question of why he flew to Fargo
Instead of flying his grandmother some place hospitable.

The only Bling TSA knows is what they pocket

franklyn - 13-10-2014 at 16:28

@ Artemus Gordon

" Expecting a TSA agent in Fargo to know what a large gold medal from Sweden means is unrealistic."

I don't know about TSA agents ( I don't go to the zoo that much ). 10 - 15 % being of Swedish ancestry
I'm pretty sure there are people in Fargo that would take exception with that by golly.

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/maps/north_dakota_map.html

http://www.valpo.edu/geomet/pics/geo200/pct_swedish.pdf

gregxy - 14-10-2014 at 10:12

My mom was 1/2 Swedish and from Minneapolis.

People hate the TSA, but to me they seem like the part of "homeland security" that makes the most sense. Airplanes are such soft high profile targets. I'd rather have them spend tax dollars on the TSA than the NSA.
It seems TSA finally has things to the point where it would be difficult for
a passenger to get a bomb on a plane.

I really hate the "shoe bomber". Removing the shoes and putting them back on is a pain.

Artemus Gordon - 14-10-2014 at 13:47

I didn't intend my post to disparage TSA agents, if that's how it appears. They have a job that requires following a lot of rules not of their own devising, and many of which are more Kabuki theater than sensible security, but even within those constraints, I feel I have been treated fairly well.

macckone - 14-10-2014 at 17:50

The next nut job will likely target the huge number of people waiting in line. www.CNN.com/2013/11/01/US/lax-gunfire oops too late.