Stupid anti-terrorist idea

[Swede]

A non-pilot suggested the following as an anti-hijacking concept. Initially I thought "no way" but there are elements which might work.

A guarded "Hijack" switch is installed into the jet. Upon attempted forced entry, a pilot would press and hold the switch for, say, 4 seconds. When activated, the system would do the following...

1) In all cases the autopilot would engage, and the jet would climb to, or descend to, a safe altitude determined by the FMS for the given topography, i.e. "Level Change" to 10,000' in a wings level manner. It would then continue straight and level until the system is deactivated or the jet runs out of fuel.

2) The autopilot would lock out, and could ONLY be unlocked with a 4 or 6 digit code entered into the FMC.

3) Jet could also use comm systems to alert authorities the system is engaged.

Accidental engagement would be embarrassing, but not dangerous. If the bad guys make it into the seats, they couldn't fly the airplane anywhere. No pilot these days would reveal the code given that death is imminent anyhow.

There are elements to this scheme that might work with transport aircraft w/FMS. The big objection of course is ANY system which potentially could "take control" of the aircraft.

Thoughts?

 

[Swass]

Very interesting idea. What would keep the bad guys from getting the code, given how easy it is to get information via hackers etc. The only way to guard against it would be to change the code everytime (which is probably the idea you had). Do you think that it would work, changing the code everytime? I myself feel that it would be a good deterrent.

 

[jackotron]

Accidental engagement would be embarrassing, but not dangerous. QUOTE]

I believe that it would be dangerous, cosidering that the FAA would scrable the fighter jets to shoot you down.

 

[rumpletumbler]

Not sure about this idea but El Al who is way ahead of the game....never had a hijacking.......profiles to hell and back etc.....is installing flare systems on all of its aircraft which I think is a great idea. Its only a matter of time.

 

[Immelman]

...or you could have it tell the FMS to auto-land at the nearest airport with that capability. unless there isn't enough gas, then make it glide!

 

[IP076]

Very interesting idea. What would keep the bad guys from getting the code, given how easy it is to get information via hackers etc. The only way to guard against it would be to change the code everytime (which is probably the idea you had). Do you think that it would work, changing the code everytime? I myself feel that it would be a good deterrent.

I thought about that changing the code everytime too...but how do you let the crew know what the code is everytime? A printout from the FMS which generated the new code? Now you have a piece of paper with the code on it floating around the cockpit while the terrorists enter!

 

[rumpletumbler]

or just sticky note it to the windscreen.

 

[MarineGrunt]

Or you could just do it the old fashioned way - give em two in the chest and one in the head... problem solved for only 75 cents! But as far as the proposed system goes, I don't think it's too bad of an idea... Maybe the code can be pre-set before takeoff by the pilot
(using a number he'll remember - birthday, phone #, etc) so only he and the FO know it. Unless the terrorist is a mind reader, he's out of luck.

 

[Swede]

Or you could just do it the old fashioned way - give em two in the chest and one in the head... problem solved for only 75 cents!

I've always been onboard for your solution, but I thought this guy's proposal was imaginative.

Whoops, I just thought of an issue which would make this more expensive to implement. As proposed, the system would be mostly software, but most autopilots are designed to disengage when overriden with enough force, at least older Boeings. Any fly-by-wire airplane could probably do this setup a lot easier than older transports, as the pressure transducers in the column, designed to allow A/P override, can probably be disengaged via software with the same "hijack" switch.

 

[rumpletumbler]

Are those pork tipped cartridges?