Hello Ghengis,
Many thanks for your comments, it sounds to be a relatively simple process. I imagine the first airlines to have such a modification as this installed will enjoy a tremendous marketing advantage, which should placate the accounting department somewhat for the loss of revenue earning cabin. The MD-11 I fly has room for such an installation with no loss of seating capacity, although the first class lavs would be rendered inaccessible to the passengers. Regarding seating capacity, I believe the same could be said for most 747 models, I don’t know to what extent other aircraft types would be affected.
Could you take a wild stab as to how long something like this would take to develop and how much it might cost?
On thinking about your comments regarding the UAV technology issue, I suppose it would be wisest to limit remote command of the aircraft merely to the continuation of the flight plan loaded in the FMC, which could be easily and quickly modified via ACARS uplink for routing to the nearest suitable airport. It would mean, however, that on all non fly-by-wire aircraft, a way would have to be found to mechanically render inoperative the flight controls, fuel levers, and virtually every other switch, button and lever in the cockpit that might affect safety, the only possible exception being the seat belt/no-smoking switch and the logo light. Such a system malfunctioning is an uncomfortable thought. Then again, I guess the Airbus pilots go through this all the time.
Leaving aircraft essentially as they are at present and preventing any possibility of cockpit intrusion with a barrier strong enough to resist a deranged and armed terrorist appears to be a much better and more efficient solution.