The move to repeal the controversial Real ID law hit the U.S. Senate this week when Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI)--along with five other senators--introduced a bill that would replace Real ID with a similar law. The Providing for Additional Security In States' Identification Act of 2009 (PASS ID) would keep the basic idea in place--require states to issue state-issued driver licenses and identification cards with minimum security standards to be used for boarding airplanes and entering federal facilities--but would provide federal funding. PASS ID also tweaks certain aspects and, according to proponents, includes more privacy protections than its predecessor.
Although I have learned the logic, and despite spending my professional life around aviation, I still find it incredible that a chunk of metal filled up with people, baggage and cargo can take to the sky. Not only does it do this, but it happens almost every second of the day and night somewhere in the world and it is promoted as being safer than getting in your car. Absolutely incredible--and a testament to the designers and builders who create these amazing, and mainly reliable transporters of people and goods across the world.
Long may it continue; however, the modern world has come up with at least two major challenges to this status quo, and they are terrorism and the acute competition between airlines in a recessionary market.
