The airport security scanners are most likely reacting to “distrubances”
in a field, generated by the scanner, caused by metal.
If this is the case (there may be more than one detection method in use
at the same time.) then there are a couple of things to consider..
A “loop” of metal (such as the loop formed by the top section of a kafo
between the proximal thigh band, the side bars, and the distal thigh band)
will look like a “solid” piece of metal of the same area.. (REALLY big)..
Avoiding conductive “loops” will help some.
Sensitivity is an “airport policy issue”.. in the middle east they commonly
set them not to trigger on 1/2 of a US penny.. and trigger on a whole
penny. They are inspected by throwing a penny thru.. if it beeps it’s
“tuned”..
The field is usually set up so that it doesn’t extend all the way to the
floor, so there is a small area at the bottom where it is “less sensative”..
but I wouldn’t depend on this too much.. you have to pick your foot up
to step.. and that takes it into the scanned area..
Personally, in going thru airports, with a hybrid KAFO, I find that I
trigger them 99% of the time.. And I’m used to standing there till they
get thru frisking me.. Just for fun, I’ll sometimes act like I’ve been
“goosed”.. I don’t recomend that you do this, if you have a tight
airline connection.. Some of those guys had their humor surgically
removed at birth.
The “scary” part is when you walk thru with an “arsenal” sized hunk of
metal under your slacks and NOTHING happens. I wonder how many “terrorists”
found the same dead scanner.. and what they were hauling…. And when you
are used to stopping to get “groped” and it doesn’t happen, you are kinda
at a loss for what to do next! 🙂
Steve
