You realize, of course, that you will never, ever hear anything from those cockpit voice recorders. No cockpit voice recordings are ever made public. You’ll get to read transcripts soon, but that’s it.
dwtno, that is patently false. I’ve heard several cockpit communications in both air crashes and other aircraft related Dateline-type TV specials.
Granted it may not be broadcast in the next days or weeks, but if they are salavaged we will hear them at some point.
From the NTSB web site: http://www.ntsb.gov/aviation/CVR_FDR.htm
“Due to the highly sensitive nature of the verbal communications inside the cockpit, Congress has required that the Safety Board not release any part of a CVR tape recording.”
That being said, I found at least one site that actually has clips of what they claim to be cockpit voice recordings:
http://aviation-safety.net/cvr/cvrwav.htm
So color me confused.
dwtno, that is unusual. I wonder if there is an ammendment or more complete version of the relevent statute on this.
I know for a fact that I saw, in the last 4 months, a Dateline special which focused on a man who in a deranged state (attributed to a brain infection in court where he was acquited IIRC) feared the aircraft was going to be crashed by the pilots. He attacked a stewardess, forced his way into the cockpit and tried to wrestle the controls away from the pilot before being physically restrained by a pair of large male passengers.
I recall vividly hearing exerpts of the CVR tapes aired to lend context to the story. Granted all this was aired over a year after the events, so perhaps there is a time limit on the ban you cited.
Wish I had a cite or could recall more specific details such as names or flight numbers, but I have no doubt it occured.
But, back to the OP…
Not that I disagree with the increased security measures, but one problem with trying to ban knives is that there are many nonferrous materials that can hold a decent cutting edge or stabbing point, and none of these will set off a metal detector: titanium, carbon fibre, G-10, fibreglass, any plastic, and even flint or obsidian. The only way to prevent a knife made with such a material from being smuggled aboard is to strip search every passenger, which is a violation many flyers will not submit to.
People won’t fly if it’s not worth the trouble. Airline business traveling will phase out if the benefit of flying does not offset the time spent. Airline leisure travel will go down the tubes, even if we don’t go to war. (Not much leisure travel in wartime.) We’ll stick to good ol’ planes, trains and automobiles. Unless they come up with worthwhile security restrictions, not just one band-aid on top of another.
And I can’t help thinking of what…was it Scotty or Spock? I always forget?..said: “The more complicated the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain.”
It’s entirely likely that passengers were ordered to close all the window shades, or, as others have mentioned, were herded to the back of the plane and the terrorists themselves walked up the aisles closing those shades. There are a lot of explanations as to why they may not have seen anything.
Absolutely untrue. Have you not been reading or listening to the news? The terrorists were trained pilots. They took control of the planes, themselves, and they flew those planes into those buildings. And they surely had control long before the final seconds.
Here’s an article that discusses some of those breaches. It’s clear that we need to improve security from the inside out. It disgusts me to know that the FAA was aware of the ease with which terrorists might be able to access planes, yet seemed to do nothing about it except levy fines ( http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2001/09/11/boston-airport.htm )
And the attitude of the airlines themselves is utterly appalling. ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/metro/crime/A14031-2001Sep11.html )
Yeah, right. Bastards. Bet you’ll fix them now, won’t you!
Frankly, I don’t care how much earlier I have to be at the airport before my flight takes off, so long as I know that airline and airport personnel are using that time to properly ensure that no one gets on those planes who doesn’t belong or who has a weapon on them or in their luggage.
I am an Aerial Photography Lab Tech. My photo lab is less than 100 feet from the tower of a large airport.
the area is surrounded with concrete that wasn’t there 7 days ago.
Roadblocks are all around.
There are armed soldiers & State Police guarding this area at all times.
All we used to have were bumbling Airport police, who got assigned to the airport because they were screw-ups on the Metro beat. Those guys had the reputation of being lazy bums who couldn’t catch a cold.
Things sure have changed.
I gotta get transferred.
Um yes, I was refering to the terrorist pilots.
If I go to a NYC danceclub my wife has her purse searched and HAIRSPRAY will be confiscated. Meanwhile I’ll be patted down for weapons. (women tend to dress in such a manor that a pat down is unnecessary)
So why am I more secure at a dance club then on a flight?
Would you put up with every carry bag searched and pat down/empty your pockets type searches?
Yup. 'Cause I’ve got nothing to hide. And the loser who does, gets caught before he gets on the plane! Bring it on.
The pilots did nothing for the same reason. Because hijackings have always been “take us” incidents, it has been airline policy that hijackers should not be attacked. This will now also change.
This morning at Houston Intercontinental Airport three people whose names appeared on the alert list because of possible ties to Osama Bin Ladin were taken into custody, two at United Airlines and one at USAirways. I haven’t a link to post as proof. My husband was eyewitness to one and notified of the others by his counterpart from the other airline.
I for one am glad for the increased airport security, most especially if it prevents escape or additional terrorist acts.
Thanks for digging that out, darlin’. Sobering reading.