Political Head warmers..rectal cavities

"Andrew Gideon" wrote in message
online.com...
Isn't there some password requirement for one of the DC airports? I
recall
reading here (which naturally means that it must be true {8^) that some
pilots have been diverted after getting the password wrong; there's no
second try permitted.

Something that's read out over the radio?

Paul

"Paul Sengupta" wrote in
message ...
"Andrew Gideon" wrote in message
online.com...
Isn't there some password requirement for one of the DC airports? I
recall
reading here (which naturally means that it must be true {8^) that some
pilots have been diverted after getting the password wrong; there's no
second try permitted.

Something that's read out over the radio?

Possibly. It could be like the military authentication codes.

"Tom Sixkiller" wrote
Something that's read out over the radio?

Possibly. It could be like the military authentication codes.

Many things are possible, but only one is true. A good friend of mine
is captain for a major airline, has flown in using the procedure, and
told me what actually happens over a beer. Here's how it really is:

It is read out over the radio. In plain english. It's not like an
authentication code. It's a password. One word. Valid for the
entire day. You only get one chance to get it right - get it wrong
and you're sent elsewhere. But all you have to do is listen on
frequency (which is public - it's the standard approach frequency) for
20 minutes or so, and you will know the secret word. It's that
simple, since every airliner uses it on first contact.

Michael

Paul Sengupta wrote:

"Andrew Gideon" wrote:
pilots have been diverted after getting the password wrong; there's no
second try permitted.


Something that's read out over the radio?

Could be: but if it were it would probably be a one-time use code for
that particular flight.

No problem.


--
Jack

"Cave ab homine unius libri"

Jack wrote:

Paul Sengupta wrote:

"Andrew Gideon" wrote:
pilots have been diverted after getting the password wrong; there's no
second try permitted.


Something that's read out over the radio?

Could be: but if it were it would probably be a one-time use code for
that particular flight.

No problem.

My recollection of this is that it wasn't a single-use code but a code that
was valid for some window (ie. a day or an hour). Of course, my
recollection could be completely wrong (even to the idea that there's a
password at all {8^), but this sounds a lot more TSA-ish than a single-use
code.

Remember: these are the same people that don't even sync up with ATC when
tracking an aircraft with a failed mode C, but that just scare everyone
into the streets.

- Andrew

Andrew Gideon wrote:


My recollection of this is that it wasn't a single-use code but a code that
was valid for some window (ie. a day or an hour).

I'll wait for a more detailed explanation from a currently active
professional pilot about the mechanics of this process, which it is
highly unlikely any are about to share on Usenet.

Either way I think we have little to worry about from this particular
aspect of the security program, other than it being a PITA for those who
have to deal with it every day.


--
Jack

"Cave ab homine unius libri"

Jack wrote:

Andrew Gideon wrote:


My recollection of this is that it wasn't a single-use code but a code
that was valid for some window (ie. a day or an hour).

I'll wait for a more detailed explanation from a currently active
professional pilot about the mechanics of this process, which it is
highly unlikely any are about to share on Usenet.

Ah. I'd not thought to search for this until just now...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp...&notFound=true

Since National's reopening last month, flight crews landing at National
have had to provide a secret code to help air traffic controllers verify
that the flight has not been hijacked.

...

Shumann said several planes have been diverted to Dulles since Oct. 4 for
"failures to authenticate."

This is pretty aged, though. I've no idea if the policy is still in place.

- Andrew

"Paul Sengupta" wrote in
message ...
"Andrew Gideon" wrote in message
online.com...
Isn't there some password requirement for one of the DC airports? I
recall
reading here (which naturally means that it must be true {8^) that some
pilots have been diverted after getting the password wrong; there's no
second try permitted.

Something that's read out over the radio?

Paul



I'd be very suprised if this were the case.

I was just at DCA not too long ago. I sat at my gate for an hour with a
scanner and I didn't hear anything out of the ordinary being said verbally.

The only unusual thing I "heard" was a stuck mic on ground, meaning the
tower had to handle most of the ground movements for about 20 minutes or so.

Maybe they expect to see a specific XPndr squawk tied to a specific flight
number and if "Cactus" 1234 isn't squawking 5678 (or whatever...) it "fails"
the test?

Jay Beckman
Student Pilot - KCHD

"Jay Beckman" wrote in message
news:gC1Kc.5213$Zr.2840@okepread01

I'd be very suprised if this were the case.

Surprise!

I was just at DCA not too long ago. I sat at my gate for an hour
with a scanner and I didn't hear anything out of the ordinary being
said verbally.

You need to listen in on the PCT approach freqs when the planes check in
after handoff from ZDC. I don't know how the codeword program works (and
I'm not really all the interested in finding out), but you'll hear something
like:

"Airliner 123, descending to 9000 feet with Lima, gezundheit."

Just to demonstrate that it's not accidental, the controller sometimes needs
it repeated.

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer
http://www.pocketgear.com/products_s...veloperid=4415
____________________

"John T" wrote in message
ws.com...
"Jay Beckman" wrote in message
news:gC1Kc.5213$Zr.2840@okepread01

I'd be very suprised if this were the case.

Surprise!

I was just at DCA not too long ago. I sat at my gate for an hour
with a scanner and I didn't hear anything out of the ordinary being
said verbally.

You need to listen in on the PCT approach freqs when the planes check in
after handoff from ZDC. I don't know how the codeword program works (and
I'm not really all the interested in finding out), but you'll hear
something
like:

"Airliner 123, descending to 9000 feet with Lima, gezundheit."

Just to demonstrate that it's not accidental, the controller sometimes
needs
it repeated.

--
John T

Very interesting...it makes sense that it would be farther out on the
approach.

Thanks John.

Jay