http://www.whoohoo.net/pilot/index.htm


Give it a chance to load.

HEHE ...That is funny RS

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Brandon



2008 S550
1957 Dodge D100
1967 VW Microbus 21 Window
2001 Suburban
2004 Beach cruiser bicycle
-----------------GO DUKE!-----------------

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here." Patrick Henry 1776

That's funny, but serious at the same time. You can't fly a plane into a building with a hole in your head.

Why can't they make a plane such that ground control can take over if something happens up there?

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

Cost, followed by security and safety issues. It could be hacked, there would be terminal access points that would have to be defended, and a malfunction could take control away from the pilots.

At least on an airplane, you've got a bulletproof door and 100-200 passengers who know not to go quietly into the night.

-anthony

Several firearm manufacturers are testing 1 1/2" barrel revolvers designed to use prefragmented/plastic/rubber projectiles which would be lethal in the confines of a cockpit, but not likely to penetrate the skin of the aircraft (or penetrate deeply into tissue) at more than 5' range. They are planned for last ditch cockpit defense only, with no intention of trying to retake an occupied passenger compartment.

In the early 1960s, a hijacker was shot and killed by the pilot of a commercial passenger aircraft during an attempt to divert the aircraft and passengers to Cuba. At that time passenger aircraft carried US mail on contract, and the Post Office required the pilots to be trained and armed with 357 revolvers issued by the Post Office. The pilot shot the criminal after he broke into the crew cabin.

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John

2003 Firemist Red/grey leather SL 500
2015 Palladium Silver/black mbtex GLK 350
1987 Smoke Silver/burgundy mbtex 300E Sportline (SOLD)

Click to see 87 300E

Maybe the better idea is to simply reinforce the cockpit door to keep unauthorized personnel out. Pilots packing pieces should not allowed.

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1986 420SEL. 200,000 miles plus.
1991 Cutlass Supreme
1980 VW Vanagon (Old Smokey)

RE: Maybe the better idea is to simply reinforce the cockpit door to keep unauthorized personnel out.

British Airways have this now.

They started converting the doors one week after 9/11.

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Paul Gibbons
'93 320CE
'73 Jensen Interceptor (Resting)
Giant Full Sus Mountain Bike

Is there a reason why not? Why should we reinforce only the cockpit door? You can do quite a bit of damage outside the cockpit as well. And if a Spitfire can land safely after being riddled by an ME-109 why not a DC-10?

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

Many American aircraft also have the reinforced cabins, but why not give the pilot more options?

1) The Maginot line fortifications were an 'impregnable' barrier, yet circumvented by the invading army it was designed to stop, leading Gen Patton to observe "Fixed fortifications are monuments to man's stupidity". A fortified cabin may slow them down, or even stop them, but if they suspect they are going to encounter an armed pilot, it may prevent them from even starting an attack (at least on passenger aircraft).

2) I am asked to put my confidence in the judgement and skill of complete strangers (the aircrew) to transport me through the air at 600feet/second to my destination. To me it is not unreasonable to also trust their judgement to not injure me or the aircraft with their use of a very limited range prefragmented projectile traveling at roughly the same velocity. This may also give the aircrew another option set when the bad guys are pounding at the door with small shaped charge door busters smuggled on board as fountain pens or baby bottles.

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John

2003 Firemist Red/grey leather SL 500
2015 Palladium Silver/black mbtex GLK 350
1987 Smoke Silver/burgundy mbtex 300E Sportline (SOLD)

Click to see 87 300E

because Spitfire had armored cockpit for one pilot, the aluminium frame and canvas skin, and a 12 cylinder Merlin ( still the best plane ever built), but an airliner would have to have engines like a C-5 to carry all that weight. Impractical.

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1985 190D 2.2l Sold-to Brother-in-law
1996 Mustang 3.8l -"thinks it's a sports car"
1988 Grand Wagoneer - Sold (good home)
1995 Grand Cherokee Ltd -"What was I thinking??!!"