Fingerprint-scanning technology tests are to be carried out on board a long-range Airbus aircraft early next year as part of plans by the European manufacturer to offer the system to its A380 customers.
The tests will evaluate the technology's ability to control crew access to the aircraft, cockpit and flight data. Passengers' fingers could also be scanned as they board, instead of them showing boarding passes. The recording of who has boarded would enable rapid passenger counts and instant identification of missing customers. However, issues with integrating scanning tests into the A380 test and certification programme mean the technology will be evaluated on existing long-range models.
A source at Airbus says: "We have not yet decided which aircraft, but it will be long range. We will be evaluating all the biometric technology we can find as soon as possible, probably early next year."
Fingerprint scanning will be offered first because it is the most accurate, but there are other biometric technologies, such as iris scanning, that may be considered in future. In mid-November, Airbus engineers met to identify possible suppliers of the fingerprinting technology.
ROB COPPINGER / LONDON
Source: Flight International
