Here's something comforting...in recent tests, the TSA showed they fail miserably at detecting these things. There was one test where "undercover" TSA personnel went through security at major airports with items in their bags that looked like bombs & bomb making material (things described in this story)...and liquids like shampoo and Red Bull. In almost all cases, the TSA agents confiscated the liquids and let the "bombs" right through with no hassle. I don't think the terrorists will use commercial aviation again. At least not 'til the big A380 goes into service. It's been done and they're all about the new, unexpected stuff...we're watching aviation more than anything. As much as it pains me to say this...if the next "terrorist plot" involves commercial aircraft, I think the supplies will be supplied by people on the inside...airport employees. There are tons of airport employees, who are not citizens of this country, with access to the "secure side" through "side doors", with little to no checks. (I should say that the airline background check process is pretty through, but who knows about these wheelchair pushers and bag transfer drivers.) When I was working at DFW (and this was as recent as last October), we had at least one "Employee Bypass" door in each terminal. All we had to to was swipe our airport SIDA badges and we were in. No TSA checks, no xray, no metal detector. Just some Middle Eastern guy in a Rent-A-Cop uniform who looked in our bags to see if we were carrying liquids. Nevermind the lighters and pocket knife I had in that same bag. Vehicles drive onto the ramp areas with no checks...and the people signing these vehicles in at the gates are not DPS officers or TSA agents. Just unarmed Rent-A-Cops. Everytime I escorted a delivery truck onto the ramp in DFW, the driver would tell me, "Wow, that was easy...they didn't even check my cab or trailer". Simply put, it's gonna take one person that is in on the plot to have ramp access and the ability to commandeer one vehicle on that ramp...these are the areas that are most vulnerable and are being ignored by Homeland Security.