From: Robert J. Bradbury (bradbury@aeiveos.com)
Date: Tue Aug 20 2002 - 20:43:26 MDT
On Tue, 20 Aug 2002 Spudboy100@aol.com wrote:
> If preventative messures are in order, one could start with a plane that is
> harder to hi-jack. One that will immediately program the controls to its
> destination, once a cabin breach is detected and confimed. This isn't
> nanotech either, but I am sure it would be mighty expensive, [snip]
Actually, at least the modern Boeing planes are supposed to be able
to land themselves. I don't believe it would be hard to modify
the software for the ground to take control if it discovered
a plane was severely off course and didn't respond to ground
communications. (The FAA apparently did know a number of the
planes used during 911 were in serious trouble.)
You have a couple of problems -- what happens if it drops out
of radio contact (flying low). (One could have the plane have enough
intelligence to take over the controls and return to a higher
altitude). I think the plane that crashed in PA had significantly
exceeded its flight margins (flying at very high speed very close
to the ground) -- that should trigger an automatic response on
the part of the plane to correct the situation. These aren't
"rocket science" type improvements.
I think the real fear is that ground control could be taken
over by terrorists. Bruce Willis had a film with a related
plot, though I don't remember the name right now. That
movie would have been even worse if the terrorists could
take control of the planes and start steering them into the
ground.
Robert
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