Solution to vulnerability of aircraft to NYC style terrorism / variation on a theme

[Zones]

Here's an idea, or rather a variation on a theme, that I have yet to see:

Introduction of a "panic button" in the cockpit.

Such button, when pressed, would engage autopilot to fly a pre-set diversion route to nearest alternate, and to subsequently land by autoland.

Probably irreversible, certainly without a special PIN, which itself could only be accessed from the ground, it would deter hijackers from taking over flight control of an aircraft, if they managed (by whatever persuasive means) to gain access to the flight deck.

Perhaps allied to decent strengthened flight deck doors, and a sensible SOP, it would hopefully eradicate the threat of a/c as a means of devastating terrorism...

And if the button was enacted, either deliberately, or as an accirdent, then all that would happen would be the aircraft would land safely. Then we would either be back to traditional hijack circumstance (not pretty, I agree), or hopefully, just a bit of annoyance caused by a diversion en route...

Technology available now, certainly on fly by wire aircraft. Possible on all aircraft. Would require some re-design and a sensible procedure plus back up...

Any comment ?

Rgds
Z.

(as this is my first post NYC post, may god rest all their souls.)

[Dockjock]

Yup, now I think I've heard it all.

[Dagger Dirk]

You've actually not heard it all until you've read:

this solution (http://www.iasa-intl.com/RoboLander.htm)

and all its links.

Then if you understand it, you might be able to clearly elucidate your objections and its possible failings. However I suspect that you're a man of few words and even fewer thoughts.

It's already been published in ASW and it will be coming soon in two more industry mags.

cheers
DD

[Bally Heck]

The problem with this idea is that on non fly by wire aircraft, ie. the majority of aircraft flying in the world today, It is easy to overide the autopilot by operating the manual flight controls. Even if it is technically possible, it would require the mass replacement of the flight control systems of most of the worlds aircraft = far too expensive.

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Totally unfeasible.

The next WTC will be done by inserting sleeper agents into the Professional Pilot Community.

This time they trained their agents right through to the type rating courses.

Next time - possibly already - they will simply wait until their agents get legitimate jobs in airlines. It would not be difficutly - they could easily afford it.

Which makes all this malarky rather redundant.

Not to mention the simpler technique of just sitting in Hounslow on the approach to 27 with a few stingers and turning all three aircraft on final into gliders with the obvious consequences...

Intelligence and appropriate security service actions are the only solution.

WWW

[Dockjock]

Interesting, but impractical, the focus of the system is too specific, and led to its logical conclusion supports the case for pilotless aircraft which I am, understandably, inherently opposed to.

Our single greatest resource in the cockpit at any given time is a human crew dealing with contingencies as they arise on a case by case basis. I am cognoscent of the rhetoric regarding how much better than people machines and computers can fly airplanes, and not doubt, Dirk, you will aprise me of the facts again citing that computers in fact can be programmed to perform at levels the human brain cannot ever hope to achieve. But as I said above its focus is too specific: it only addresses the case when an aircraft is being used as a projectile by a suicide terrorist.

Crew incapacitation is not, statistically, a factor. Nor is this level of paranoia needed to prevent the crew falling asleep (how about just using good CRM by the FA's continually checking in with the flight deck, as per normal). Additionally, ss mentioned in the article, this system depends SOLELY on the crew having the intestinal fortitude to not divulge the PIN.

What about a stolen PIN? What about a mole on the inside at Boeing? What about the terrorist killing the entire crew and hacking at the panel with the fire axe? I mean, how paranoid can we get here?

We need action, not OVERREACTION. Locked doors, increased vigilance, death to Osama Bin Laden. NOT an alarm every 20 mins, PIN numbers, and geeks on the ground playing RC with transport aircraft. Sorry this solution is last on my list....

[TAT Probe]

All the so-called technical solutions that I've seen so far have been, frankly, loony. The panic button in the cockpit, or PIN numbers solution, is just totally unworkable.

The only answer I think is in controlling access to aircraft, and this depends on much better surveillance at the boarding point. We could probably assume that any would-be hijacker could be highly aroused while going through security procedures, and it should not be impossible to monitor heart-rates while passengers pass through screening. OK, so a few nervous fliers may get falsely picked out, but maybe it could catch the bad guys as well.

If we plug all the gaps in passenger security, where does that leave cargo aircraft? I have a vested interest here, and I am convinced that it would be easy for terrorists to conceal themselves in a cargo pallet. Once aboard, they would have only two or three crew to overcome, and then be in charge of an (often) very heavy and highly fuelled missile.

Some kind of check of cargo must be instituted, based on the technology now used to find illegal immigrants in lorry cargo.

As for the idea of "Trojan Horse" flight crew, infiltrated into airlines, is this really any more likely than infiltration into Nuclear Power plants, the Military or other vulnerable areas?

[Dagger Dirk]

Looks like there's some people in the Bush Administration interested in the IASA RoboLander concept.
Either that, or G.W. is an IASA fan. Or maybe he just reads Air Safety Week.
And of course, Air Safety Week said it first again!

Might develop into his version of JFK's aim "to put man on the Moon by the end of the decade". (which means he'd have to follow through).
We shall see.
But it'd be a nice poke in the eye for terrorists if the WTC outrage were to promote yet another spurt in technology-based Western Prosperity - entirely based on a terrorism-inspired quest for another needed plateau in high tech safety and security.
Doncha just love the irony. :D

Extract from Pres G.W. Bush's Chicago O'Hare Speech on Airline Security (28 Sept 01).

"And third, we will set aside $500 million in new funding for aircraft security. Grants will go to airlines for enhanced cockpit protection. We look forward to working with the pilots and airlines to fortify doors and provide stronger locks so our pilots will always be in command of the airplanes.

We will invest in new technology for aircraft security, with grants to develop transponders that cannot be switched off from the cockpit; video monitors in the cockpit to alert pilots to trouble in the cabin.

And we will look at all kinds of technologies to make sure that our airlines are safe, and for example including technology to enable controllers to take over distressed aircraft and land it by remote control.

With all these actions, we're returning airlines back to the American people. "
.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20010927/us/bush_security_text_1.html
.
http://www.iasa-intl.com/security/text_of_bush_security_speech.html
. http://www.iasa-intl.com/RoboLander.htm

[Dockjock]

Dirk- this is insane. As noted in another thread in Tech Log, now you don't even have to been in the plane to hijack it. You just have to take over the ATC centre, then you have access to ALL aircraft in the air by remote control.

Like I said, this is a WAY overreaction.

[Wino]

IF you read last weeks flight international neitheir the airframers or the avionics builders think this is a good idea. Among other things it violates the single failure can't crash an airliner theory of building jets.

This is a crackpot idea that simply took off on the internet like so many other goofy ideas.

Cheers
Wino

[Scotflight Aviation]

Why didn't I think of it before? Every time I fly I'll take my pet rattlesnake with me. (Yes folks..it's well known where I work..I actually AM crazy and keep snakes) If any hijackers board, I'll just let old Fido lose and bite 'em (specially trained to bite groins) In the event of Fido biting the wrong person accidentally, I'll carry a measure of anti-venom. This cannot fail !!
Nobody in their right mind will even try to enter the cockpit.
Trouble is though, I'd have to be single crew, (cos no co-pilot would fly with me)and poor Fido would soon catch cancer going through the xray machines every day.
Spitting cobras are good too 'cos they can blind the attacker before he gets near the door.

Hisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss-spit !!

[Scotflight Aviation]

OK..so I'm taking the HISS, but seriously...Jones..I got no idea what your involvement is with aviation, but I fully understand the press articles tend to mislead people about the automatic landing capabilities of fly-by-wire airliners.
having flown Airbus and Boeing, both with autoland capability, it has to be said that there's no way these aircraft can land automatically without substantial pilot intervention throught all stages of the approach. Unfortunately, when intelligent but innocently mis-informed members like yourself place ideas which the rest of us know wouldn't work, they tend to receive some undeserved criticism rather than more constructive educational explaination. So please keep bringing your ideas here.
Besides...perhaps something sounds sensible about your idea of a "panic button" which may do something to distract, confuse or injur attackers. After all, the banks have panic buttons which activate a strengthened curtain between the robber and cashier.
Haven't figured out what though...but look forward to seeing your comments again..

And welcome to the prune brigade of sarcasm and cynicism!

[RatherBeFlying]

In the imaginative spirit of this thread, one post touched on bringing a pet rattlesnake on board with all the attendant dangers. Having seen the hysteric reaction of Middle Eastern types to any kind of snake, maybe cockpits should have a dozen non-venomous bullsnakes crawling about a la Indiana Jones. They grow to about six feet long, hiss loudly in a compelling threat display and are colored like the local rattlesnakes. Keep them well fed (3-4 dozen rats every two weeks) and the cockpit floor will be nice and slippery. Keep the oxygen mask on to keep from gagging. Too bad the F/As will refuse to visit.

[Plap]

Robolander... what a concept. What happens when the crew are having to deal with an in-flight emergency (engine failure, something...) and are too involved flying the airplane / clearing the failure to be distracted with the entry of a PIN to prevent remote operation? Sounds like a bad plan to me...

But what do I know, being a lowly PPL =)

-Plap

[askop]

Hm...

On piston pressurized acft I have flown, there are cabin pres. dump handles. What about dumping the pressure. All terrorists need O2 or air to bread. So do pax, but having to sit still you can't run around cutting peoples troughts.

I know this sounds a little strange, but would this work? Would be nice to be able to pick up the exhausted terrorists with the cabintrolley during the descent!

[RATBOY]

There are six basic technology type "solutions" for aircraft security.

1.Cockpit separate from cabin. Either through entirely separate access or through strengthened bulkhead/door of current practice

2. Surveillance/communications: various combinations of cameras, peepholes, radios, microphones, panic buttons and other communications technologies to provide intra aircraft or air to ground surveillance of cabin and cockpit.

3. Countermeasures in aircraft: various countermeasures , both active and passive, covering the range of lethality and obtrusiveness. Various weapons, gasses and other drugs, aircraft pressurization and law enforcement personnel. Design features that limit pax mobility and ability to interact with aircraft or crew. various aircraft hardening concepts.

4. aircraft as countermeasures: variations on aircraft being remotely controlled, on a programmed flight path, limited control or navigation authority to deviate from planned route of flight. Unresetable transponders, beacons, automatic signals, PINs, deadman switches, simulated turbulance induced by flight controls and fun house floors. Various kinds of data linking of extensive aircraft state and internal surveillance information.

5. preflight: preflight security of aircraft, crew and passengers

6. airport and airport environment

[terrafirma]

Prevention is the best cure!
On any jetliner, no unauthorized person should get access to the flightdeck. This means simply that previous methods of dealing with hijackers must be discarded. The cabin crew will have to learn how to use all available means to keep the bad guys out of the cockpit. This includes use of PA as well as focusing their training on possible onboard equipment that might serve as an effective weapon.
In the meanwhile, leave the flying to the guys up front.

[Dagger Dirk]

terrafirma
reference your comments about alternative onboard weaponry:
see the conspectus at this URL: http://www.iasa-intl.com/RoboLander_files/non-lethalweapons2a.htm

published last week in Air Safety Week and based upon a briefing given to Congressmen, Airline, and Industry Executives by the USMC Directorate of Non-Lethal Weaponry.

In this ASW treatment it is compared with the RoboLander Concept for a view on which would be less likely to scare away the paying punters. Form your own opinions.
. http://www.iasa-intl.com/RoboLander.htm