I'm a pilot and work in the aviation field, I'll respond to these ideas. I think it's easy to sit here 3 days from a terrible terrorist event and say we'll tolerate these security measures. But what about a year or two from now, do you still think people will tolerate the additional costs and inconvenience (it's a rhetorical question.)
<< 1. Have live voice/data beamed up to a satellite so that real-time monitoring can occur. This is better than trying to find a black box in the wreckage, and the data can be shared across the air traffic controller network for analysis. >>
I don't see what good this would do, the event would have ended before they would have figured out what was going on. Do you really think an audio/video feed would have alerted people on the ground the planes were going to crash into the WTC?
<< 2. Have panic buttons installed in all seats (or those AirFone units). If more than 50% of the people indicate panic, the transponder signal for hijack is set, autopilot is engaged for flight over a desolate area, and the signal is sent to the satellite system. A full dump of all audio/video/control data is transmitted. >>
Just what we need, a whole bunch of false alerts. Every time you hit some turbulence or get a surly passenger the "alert" alarm is sounded.
<< 3. Allow remote control of the aircraft of a panic or hijack is detected. A base unit, through encoded signals bounced off satellites, can control the plane and possibly land it. >>
This would cost a whole bunch of money and take a long time to implement. If a hijacker couldn't control the plane wouldn't you think they would start killing passengers or set off explosives?
<< 4. Have a panel in the cockpit that needs to have a PIN entered every 10 minutes by the pilot. The PIN is changed every flight. If the correct PIN is not entered on time, the plane goes to alert mode. The pilot can also enter a "fake" PIN that allows temporary control while secretly sending out necessary alerts, then locks out control after a while. >>
Again, too many oppurtunities for false alarms. The idea of having a "panic" button, that can't be set off inadvertenly, is a good idea but you have to ask yourself what good it would do in future terrosist situations.
<< 5. Have 2 types of knocks on the cockpit door for entry. One is the normal pass-knock for safe entry. The other would be a panic knock. A panic knock would alert the pilot to go to alert mode. Additionally, a heavier door would be prudent. >>
Again, a hijacker would likely start killing passenger or set off explosives if they couldn't gain entry to the cockpit. Having the cockpit totally unreachable may discourage many terrorist acts though.
<< 6. Have at least one armed marshal travel on each flight, disguised as a normal passenger. >>
This comes down to cost, it would be VERY costly. We have to decide how much we're willing to spend on security (I'm neutral on this BTW)
<< 7. Install the equivalent of a concussion grenade in the plane. This would render everyone incapacitated for a short time, and set the plane to alert mode. This can also be done with explosive decompression, or a very loud sound. >>
What happens when the effects wear off?
<< 8. Install lots of hidden cameras: behind cockpit buttons, in the seats, on the ceiling, in the racks, wingtips looking in, tail looking forward...EVERYWHERE. These can collect and beam visual data directly to the satellite system, or save the data in a data pod. >>
The only place worth having them would be in the cockpit and passenger area only because it would help AFTER the event to figure things out. This is a cost and privacy issue (again I'm neutral here.) The pilots have, in the past, resisted cockpit cameras for fear of inappropriate use by their employers. This tradegedy may be enough, politically, to get them installed.
<< 9. Ejectable black boxes (or data pods). In addition to the main recorders, planes could have ejectable ones. On normal approach, this is disabled. On steep approaches, collision-alert conditions, or by manual means, this pod can be ejected from the plane for retrieval away from the plane. It could have a parachute and radio/light beacon for easy location. >>
As far as I know, all of the "black boxes" are still intact and "transponding" their location. They can withstand incredible odds so I don't see what having ejectable boxes would fix.
<< 10. Thoroughly search every individual, using pat-down. Also, open every piece of luggage, whether it is checked in or a carry-on. Limit the number and size of carry-ons. >>
Again, this goes back to my original point. Will we tolerate these levels of security and the inconvenience they cause us a year or two from now?...If someone is willing to sacrifice their life an event such as Tuesday's it's difficult to preclude. All they have to say is they have a hidden bomb and they are likely to get what they want.