Upcoming Very Light Jets and Inflight Security

[WhiskeyNovember]

As most of you are probably aware, quite a few very light ~6 pax jets are currently under various stages of development...Eclipse, Safire, and the Avocet models come to mind. So far, several hundred have been ordered by charter companies who intend to establish a "Sky-cab" network of frequent on-demand charter flights. Assuming (for this discussion) that this idea takes off, how do you suppose these companies or their governments will address the issue of inflight security? I can't imagine it would be feasable to seperate the pilot when he/she is brushing shoulders with five pax in close quarters...

Any insight would be appreciated!


-JM

[CJ Driver]

I don't think you need to wait for the new very light jets - as far as I know none of the current light to medium jets has provision for a serious cockpit door (although most have a curtain and some have a flimsy partition, primarily for privacy for the pax or to keep the light out of the cockpit on a night approach). Unfortunately this provides considerable ammunition to the fear-and-loathing lobby who would like to ban all such aircraft immediately.

In practice it is infinitely easier to positively identify, profile, and discretely check all your passengers when there's only 3 of them, so the risk is much lower than you might expect compared to airliners. Air Taxi companies have customer procedures in place both for security and credit control reasons, and because it is a more "personal" service, they can be much more effective than the airlines.

If the worst came to pass, a light jet is also a much less effective weapon than a large transport aircraft - there are SUV's with a higher all-up weight than the very light jets - and whilst it would still be a tragedy, a suicide attack in an Eclipse might not cause much more damage than a nasty road traffic accident.

[Tinstaafl]

Why would you bother? Go grab one of the thousands of semi-trailers on every road & fill it with semtex. 30 tons of that goes off with a bigger bang than a any six or 10 seat aircraft. Damn sight easier & none of the security bullsh!t we're lumbered with.

[mutt]

Why pick on the poor little 6 seaters, we have 870,000 lbs airliners that we will rent to anyone, as most of these arent in airline service they wont have sky marshals or enhanced cockpit doors.

Mutt.

[WhiskeyNovember]

I think I must have not been clear enough when I posted the question, because everyone seems to be missing the point so far...

The issue here isn't whether or not this new category of jets is capable of inflicting much damage unto buildings. Nor is the issue whether or not people will attempt to use the jets in that way.

Just because all of us here on PPRune know these jets won't present much danger doesn't mean the general public and media won't fear them. Because of this, it seems that the issue of inflight security will have to be addressed at some point.

Also, bear in mind that the air-taxi concept as these jet manufacturers see it brings a level of anonymity to the cabin that thus far is rarely seen. These companies propose the establishment of a network of air transportation that has more in common with taxicabs than limos. It seems that positively identifing, profiling, and discretely checking all your passengers will be quite difficult when marketing your aircraft as a taxicab to the general public.

I'm just curious to hear what measures might be taken to protect the flight crew, whether in the form of physical barriers or digital information tracking/technology.


-WN

[604guy]

Perhaps I am not getting the drift here. I am not sure I understand the difference in the class of aircraft you have raised and machines like 'ho's, King Air's, Cheyenne's etc etc etc that have been plying the skys for decades in the "sky-cap" role. Whatever security issues that you have with the new generation of very light jets would be the same as what exists with the aircraft I mentioned. Or am I just completely missing the point?

[Daysleeper]

even in the "skycab" role the DOC's on these new aircraft are unlikely to be below $600 an hour, so even with 6 pax its still $100 a head for 350Nm. So its unlikely to attract the very general public.

[FLAMBEBOBO]

In the UK the Dft have reduced the MTOW for aircraft that require full pax/baggage screening from 15mt MTOW to 10mt MTOW. Anything below 10mt is exempt from any form of search other than that that may be required by a companies SOP's. There is talk within the Dft that in due course the weight limit maybe reduced still further to 2.5mt MTOW, in which case all pax and bags will require full screening in accordance with the NASP. Seems to me to be an enivatibilty that all pax,baggage and all crew on all flights (except those that are purely private) will eventually have to be screened. It therefore bodes well in my opinion for a big increase in privately owned aircraft no matter what the weight, and it would therefore follow that any crew operating a purely private flight would not feel threatened as they well know there passsengers. Any operator considering a public taxi type operation at this moment in time may well be considering a non viable operation.....................

[WhiskeyNovember]

604guy...Flambebobo hit the nail on the head.

The main factor, security-wise, that will potentially differentiate these new very light jets from King-Airs, Cheyannes, etc. is the customer base. Generally well-aquainted corporate employees, for example, versus complete strangers off the street looking to hop a cheap, quick flight to a relatively close destination.

Thanks for being patient with me and my admittedly vague question, by the way. :)


-WN

[entrail]

Sounds to me someone is fishing for a story!

[WhiskeyNovember]

Ha! No, I'm honestly not fishing for a story...just interested in the marketing aspect of these new jets. I'm really hoping the powers that be don't doom the concept by introducing ridiculous security regulations.


-WN

[FLAMBEBOBO]

WN - I hope you are right too, however here in the UK it would definatley be slowed (and possibly become too expensive)by security search/pax/bag screening, if the Dft choose to lower the MTOW limit from the current 10mt. And what you must remember now is that the Dft are effectively following European wide directives. Out of interest what is the MTOW of these next generation light jobbies. Thanks in advance.

[WhiskeyNovember]

Here are some MTOWs:


Avocet Projet: 7160 lbs
http://www.avocetprojet.com/images/ext1.jpg






Diamond D-Jet: 4750 lbs
http://www.diamondair.com/Graphics/D-JET.jpg




Safire Jet: 6250 lbs
http://www.safireaircraft.com/ground_showroom_hires.jpg




Eclipse 500 Jet: 5640 lbs
http://www.eclipseaviation.com/press_photos/jet_photos/twilight_md.jpg





Cessna Mustang: Unlisted on their website
http://mustang.cessna.com/graphics/mustang_08_800.jpg






Adam Aircraft A700: Unlisted on their website
http://www.adamaircraft.net/images/a700/DSC_0277-700.jpg