To me this makes no sense at all. The visual (or computational) ID check takes a second. Why is a manual entry of someone's name/DOB something that takes 5-15 minutes? This is a process control issue, not a technical problem.

You're misunderstanding. What's preventing me from finding someone on Facebook who looks kind of similar to me, finding out their address and phone number, and then claiming I'm them but forgot my ID? Or if I'm a serious criminal planning ahead, applying for a legitimate driver's license in that other person's name with easily-forgeable documentation that less strict DMV's accept when they aren't RealID?

That's what they're guarding against. There's is no secure enough visual or computational ID check that takes a second when you're not already carrying a RealID or passport, that's the point. They have to start getting a bunch of information from databases, determining if it seems like a real person, and quizzing you on information you should know if you're the real you, and seeing if it all adds up or not.

How about we restrict airport and aircraft access based on individual's ability to do harm, rather than on the information in some trusted database? It sure seems like the major incidents in my lifetime would have been better prevented by keeping people with guns and bombs out than people with poor paperwork skills…

The most "major" incident in recent history was 9/11 which involved neither guns nor bombs. So I don't know what you're talking about.

9/11 hasn't been a relevant threat since halfway through 9/11

Because we closed the door. Like was policy already.

9/11 could not have happened had the doors been closed.

The door being closed is how the Flight 93 terrorists prevented passengers from re-taking the flight.

Don't forget about the critical check for whether or not you possess JD Vance meme contraband.

If you are able to follow simple written instructions and enter several pieces of information on a keyboard in less than five minutes... why would you work for the TSA?

5 minutes for $45 bucks seems expensive. Also, they don't have to check your ID if you don't have one so less time spent on that