In the wake of Germanwings Flight 4U 9525’s tragic crash, there has been much talk about how this will affect the aviation industry going forwards. Will all airlines adopt the “rule of two” cockpit procedure? Should there be more intense scrutiny of pilots’ mental health?
The debate over what can be done to limit a repeat of the catastrophe will rage on and on, but away from the human causes and aftermath, there is an existing technological solution that could potentially have saved the lives of all 150 on board.
Back in 2006, a patent was granted for the “Boeing Honeywell ‘Uninterruptible’ Autopilot System,” a remote method for gaining full control of an aircraft from the ground. The feature removes the pilot from the equation and would prove valuable in the event of a terrorist attack or any other deliberate attempt to crash the plane.
“The “uninterruptible” autopilot would be activated – either by pilots, by onboard sensors, or even remotely via radio or satellite links by government agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency, if terrorists attempt to gain control of a flight deck,” according to a report made at the time of the patent approval.
The system even has its own power supply, completely independent of the rest of the craft, meaning that the autopilot mode will remain engaged until the plane has landed.
In 1984, a NASA controlled impact test used a remotely controlled Boeing 720 aircraft to ascertain the effectiveness of a new fire retardant. The test saw the craft take off, ascend to an altitude of 2300 feet and then deliberately crash land, all without any onboard input.
A remote controlled system is not an all-questions-answered solution, in fact it may pose more security questions. The main reason why the Boeing patent has not been formally implemented is due to concerns that the system could leave aircraft vulnerable to hacking.
If aircraft can be controlled from the ground, flight companies must entertain the possibility of hackers, perhaps terrorists, hijacking aircraft remotely. While this security pitfall is significant, there are possibly numerous others that haven’t yet been thought of. Often the introduction of new features can result in unexpected issues – after all, it was the post-9/11 cockpit door system that ultimately locked out the pilot during Flight 4U 9525’s final journey……..
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