The newer fighter planes have a technology called ACFIT, which is
Anti Controlled Flight Into Terrain. When the pilot gives the plane
instructions that would result in a smoking crash, the plane assumes
the pilot injured, disabled, crazy or dead, and takes control of itself,
returning to the nearest safe landing spot.
Could we not do the same trick with commercial airliners? It
should be even easier than with fighters, for there would be a
much wider range of unreasonable commands to the aircraft,
including straying far from the predetermined flight plan. It
would not prevent terrorists from taking down planes, but it
could prevent their use as anti-building weapons. spike
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