No More 9/11's

[TheWebHead]

A SECRET machine which would stop a September 11-style massacre has been invented by US scientists.

The device uses satellite technology to prevent terrorists crashing planes into buildings.

A computer fitted inside the cockpit automatically takes over the controls of the jet and steers it to safety 30 seconds before impact.

It is also being designed to prevent terrorists from flying into restricted airspace - such as over Downing Street or the White House.

more...
http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=14098672%26method=full%26siteid=106694%26headline=no%2dmore%2d9%2d11s-name_page.html

[mot78]

1. I had been thinking of this coincidentally

Weird huh?

[DulceDecorum]

2. And can some evil mastermind

find a way to take over the controls and fly the airplanes INTO buildings or each other?

Or will we have to wait for some fool 14 year old hacker to do that for us?

[mouse7]

12. "2500 airborne aircraft seized and landed at LinuxCon"

Yep... doesn't take a hell of a lot of imagination to see those headlines coming.

[cloudSeven]

3. This sure makes MIHOP easier

Mind if I drive???

[Minstrel Boy]

10. exactly

Would you feel safer knowing control of your plane can be taken by a software program?

[newyawker99]

11. Hi cloudSeven!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[shanti]

4. oh, so NOW it's coming out

the secret of how it HAPPENED by remote control. there are lots of DU'ers who brought this up before, but were slapped down and branded as "tinfoilhatters".

interesting...

on edit, here's an old DU thread about this:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=193546#193660

[RC]

5. This reads like something

from the Onion.

Get real. The cost to implement this would be in the billions and involve every passenger plane in the world.

What about charter craft? Private planes?

It would be much cheaper and easier to imprison the bu$h administration and the safety factor would be the same.

[TheWebHead]

8. the idea would be

put them on commercial passenger jets, and even if 10% of them had the equipment in the intial phases, it would be a deterrent... The same argument behind air marshals.

[rfkrocks]

6. classic way to hide from the real problem

We won't protect ourselves with even better technology if our foreign policy is a disaster-we need to get out of wars and back in with other nations if we want to survive

[mike1963]

7. This will never fly, so to speak.

No pilot is going to put up with any such damn fool apparatus. Damn few, anyway...I know I wouldn't.

[never cry wolf]

9. Not so secret anymore now, is it?

I hope diebold didn't do the programming.

[Minstrel Boy]

13. The Maginot Line seemed like a good idea at the time, too.

The next attack won't be the last attack.

[Deb]

14. Robust?

"Mr Crotty added: "We have made it robust enough to prevent a plane being flown into a tall building or a mountain.

"We are now working on making it robust enough to withstand being tampered with by terrorists."

Robust, that tells me they already have a nice little contract direct from the WH.

[ex_jew]

15. A better approach would be to keep anyone from disabling the autopilot

without a secret code. That way, once the destination is locked in, no one can mess with it. Nor is there any need, since modern planes can land themselves.