must, upon boarding, be part of the airline’s in-flight team - participating in the pre-flight preparation of the cabin and obeying the Captain’s commands. Naturally, the air marshals may wear plain clothes and do sit in passenger seats in the course of performing their duties. As with full- time ASOs, air marshals do not serve in the passenger cabin. Their mission is simply to maintain the order on board, to protect life and property on board, to prevent and stop illegal and criminal activities from taking place on board a civil aircraft and to safeguard national security. In terms of recruitment, new air marshals are subject to detailed background checks and strict appraisals. The air marshal training includes induction programmes, advanced training and regular refresher training, as well as specific programmes designed for those seeking promotion. In order to graduate, the air marshal must obtain the relevant licences and exam qualifications covering theory, physical fitness and practical skills. The training courses cover civil
aviation law and regulation, tactical procedures for conflict resolution, criminal psychology, negotiation skills, basic physical training, unarmed combat in the aircraft cabin, explosive
“…part-time Airline Security Officers also perform flight attendant cabin service duties…”
ordnance disposal (EOD), firearms skills, restraint and arrest techniques, military parade, and cabin emergency management. In addition to the availability of a police arms packet on board, and training in the use thereof, China’s air marshal programme integrates traditional Chinese martial arts with modern boxing, grappling, fighting and other unarmed offensive and defensive close-quarters combat skills. All skills are designed and taught in such a way as to enable air marshals to rapidly control an opponent, whether armed or not, in limited aircraft cabin space.
The cooperation between part-
time ASOs, full-time ASOs – both of which continue to be deployed - and air marshals has become a key characteristic of the aviation security system in China. The system takes into account the need for covert and overt security operatives, gender differences, negates any potential conflict between service and security and places financial responsibility for in-flight security on both the state and the carrier.
The 2002 Dalian Disaster and the Limitation of Liquids
On 7 May 2002, whilst the air marshal force was still brewing, a China Northern Airlines MD-82, en route from Beijing to Dalian, crashed into the Yellow Sea some 50 kilometres away from Dalian Airport. All 103 passengers and 9 crew members on board were killed. Coincidentally, the aircraft, with
registration number B-2138, during its short 11 years’ service, had twice been hijacked to Taipei Taoyuan Airport - on 12 November 1993 and 8 December 1993.
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August 2012 Aviationsecurityinternational
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