Boeing: New auto-pilot lands plane in event of emergency
Here’s one for the paranoid jetsetter: Boeing has a patent pending in Canada for a new anti-terrorist system that they believe will help improve the survivability of passengers and crew in the event of a terrorist takeover. The device takes the form of a “uninterruptible” auto-pilot system, that once turned one, automatically locks the controls and redirects the plane to the closest runway, ensuring that hijackers can’t use the plane for other purposes.
The device, running on an independent power source to prevent tampering, activates either at the flick of a switch by either the pilot or co-pilot, by pressure sensors on the door reading forced cabin entry, or by ground control in the event the first two fail.
“There is a need in the industry for a technique that conclusively prevents unauthorized persons from gaining access to the controls of the vehicle and therefore threatening the safety of the passengers onboard the vehicle, and/or other people in the path of travel of the vehicle, thereby decreasing the amount of destruction individuals onboard the vehicle would be capable of causing,” said Boeing regarding this device.
No details on how the system works yet, though a recent issuance of a $1.9 million U.S. Federal Aviation Administration contract to Raytheon for an Advanced Route Evaluation System does give clues as to how Boeing plans to program the new system with regards to landing spots. With that said and done, we’re wondering what sort of protection they’re offering for the pilots, as the system assumes that both pilot and co-pilot are incapable of flying the plane.
Via Ottawa citizen
Here’s one for the paranoid jetsetter: Boeing has a patent pending in Canada for a new anti-terrorist system that they believe will help improve the survivability of passengers and crew in the event of a terrorist takeover. The device takes the form of a “uninterruptible” auto-pilot system, that once turned one, automatically locks the controls and redirects the plane to the closest runway, ensuring that hijackers can’t use the plane for other purposes.
The device, running on an independent power source to prevent tampering, activates either at the flick of a switch by either the pilot or co-pilot, by pressure sensors on the door reading forced cabin entry, or by ground control in the event the first two fail.
“There is a need in the industry for a technique that conclusively prevents unauthorized persons from gaining access to the controls of the vehicle and therefore threatening the safety of the passengers onboard the vehicle, and/or other people in the path of travel of the vehicle, thereby decreasing the amount of destruction individuals onboard the vehicle would be capable of causing,” said Boeing regarding this device.
No details on how the system works yet, though a recent issuance of a $1.9 million U.S. Federal Aviation Administration contract to Raytheon for an Advanced Route Evaluation System does give clues as to how Boeing plans to program the new system with regards to landing spots. With that said and done, we’re wondering what sort of protection they’re offering for the pilots, as the system assumes that both pilot and co-pilot are incapable of flying the plane.
Via Ottawa citizen
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