A Question For Real Airline Pilots

I have a question that can only possibly be answered by real airline pilots
and pilots of the heavy oil-burners at that. Even they may not know - or
want to tell the answer.

I have heard that most if not all of the heavies now flying have special
equipment in them to thwart hijacking. The equipment that I am referring to
is not just an autopilot which is standard but additional mechanical devices
to completely remove control from the cockpit making it possible to take
control away from the flight officers and giving that control to an outside
pilot which could be in a following aircraft or at an airport or anywhere.

Hope a real airline pilot will comment on this question.

"Blue" wrote in message ...
[...] additional mechanical devices
to completely remove control from the cockpit making it possible to take
control away from the flight officers and giving that control to an
outside
pilot which could be in a following aircraft or at an airport or anywhere.

If you believe airliners have remote controls, you probably also believe a
shoulder-fired missile shot down TWA 800.

In any case, even if such an absurd idea were true, no one would ever admit
it.

That's the hallmark of all the best conspiracy theories. The theory itself
precludes the conspiracy ever being revealed.

Pete

Yes I did read where this is being developed so that the plane could be
controlled from the ground or another aircraft. I dont know the status of
the project.

Bill


"Blue" wrote in message ...
I have a question that can only possibly be answered by real airline
pilots
and pilots of the heavy oil-burners at that. Even they may not know - or
want to tell the answer.

I have heard that most if not all of the heavies now flying have special
equipment in them to thwart hijacking. The equipment that I am referring
to
is not just an autopilot which is standard but additional mechanical
devices
to completely remove control from the cockpit making it possible to take
control away from the flight officers and giving that control to an
outside
pilot which could be in a following aircraft or at an airport or anywhere.

Hope a real airline pilot will comment on this question.

If I WAS a real life airline pilot, there wd be no way that I would answer
such a question, for Pete's sake!

Even asking it is a bit dogy..

Well I heard it on CNN some time ago and also read about it , so its not a
state secret. The guts of the technology might be, but the fact that its
being developed has already been stated.

Bill


"Quilljar" wrote in message
...
If I WAS a real life airline pilot, there wd be no way that I would answer
such a question, for Pete's sake!

Even asking it is a bit dogy..

"Bill-R" wrote in
:

Well I heard it on CNN some time ago and also read about it , so its
not a state secret. The guts of the technology might be, but the fact
that its being developed has already been stated.

Bill


I just saw something on Discovery Wings (I think it was) about this.

They did something like this back in WWII. Outfitted B-17's with remote
control gear, and had another aircraft fly along side to direct it. The
B17 was packed full of bombs, etc. and to be flown into the heavily
fortified submarine pens in France and Germany.

On Wed, 19 May 2004 11:22:17 -0400, "Bill-R" wrote:

Well I heard it on CNN some time ago and also read about it , so its not=
a
state secret. The guts of the technology might be, but the fact that its
being developed has already been stated.

Bill

It already happens in the Predator drones, so utilizing it in a civil =
aviation
environment should be trivial. I wouldn't be surprised if El-Al have =
something
like this in the pipeline if not operation.

"Whistler" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 19 May 2004 11:22:17 -0400, "Bill-R" wrote:

Well I heard it on CNN some time ago and also read about it , so its not a
state secret. The guts of the technology might be, but the fact that its
being developed has already been stated.

Bill

It already happens in the Predator drones, so utilizing it in a civil
aviation
environment should be trivial.

What I am specifically referring to is not trivial. The guidance
electronics and mechanics which I am sure you are referring to is "trivial"
in the sense that it is all available now and has been for years.

Though trivial in the engineering emplementation, what I am referring to
mind bogglingly complex in the political implementation. The word "evil" is
unescapable

I am referring to the complete taking away of control from the cockpit,
i.e., NO cockpit override of control surfaces, engine controls, gear
control. No one in the cockpit could have any control whatsoever over the
plane, including the decision to relinquish control.

The first to reply have been revealingly strident in their disagreement to
discuss this question, even stating that it is "none of my business."
Nothing could be MORE of "my business," and everyone else in this country
old enough to vote .

"Blue" wrote in message ...
I am referring to the complete taking away of control from the cockpit,
i.e., NO cockpit override of control surfaces, engine controls, gear
control. No one in the cockpit could have any control whatsoever over the
plane, including the decision to relinquish control.

The first to reply have been revealingly strident in their disagreement to
discuss this question, even stating that it is "none of my business."
Nothing could be MORE of "my business," and everyone else in this country
old enough to vote .

Freaking out about asking this question is ridiculous. I would imagine that
every pilot out there would walk off the job if something like this was
implemented. I guess the people who suggest it have never heard of secure
cockpit doors with locks.

"FLY135" fly_135(@ hot not not)notmail.com wrote in message
link.net...

"Blue" wrote in message
...
I am referring to the complete taking away of control from the cockpit,
i.e., NO cockpit override of control surfaces, engine controls, gear
control. No one in the cockpit could have any control whatsoever over
the
plane, including the decision to relinquish control.

The first to reply have been revealingly strident in their disagreement
to
discuss this question, even stating that it is "none of my business."
Nothing could be MORE of "my business," and everyone else in this
country
old enough to vote .

Freaking out about asking this question is ridiculous. I would imagine
that
every pilot out there would walk off the job if something like this was
implemented. I guess the people who suggest it have never heard of secure
cockpit doors with locks.



The more I think about this question, and it is certainly not a ridiculous
question, I recall Boeing doing tests on jets going back to the 707 days
with complete ground control via remote, so that they can crash test the
planes. So its been around and its been used and if it were implemented in
civil aircraft then it would be a bonus. Maybe it has been the cost factor
over the years why it hasnt been done, but I dont think it would be
technologically difficult to do it.

Bill