Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Aviation Instruments Encrypt Engine-Monitor Data

Posted by timothy on from the must-be-in-the-public-interest dept.

kitplane01 writes "Airplanes engines need to always work, and are monitored by engine monitors. JP Instruments' engine-monitor units have begun to encrypt the data output of its monitors so it can't be read by third-party software. Whether this is to protect itself liability-wise or to discourage competitors is unclear. It seems the company is working on a fix, which may require a fee from users to translate the file format."

6 of 152 comments (clear)

  1. Terrorism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think its to prevent terrorists from listening in on engine data.....God Bless America

    1. Re:Terrorism by xlv · · Score: 2, Funny

      Call me dense, but how would this help?

      In this post 9/11 world, sarcasm is no longer allowed as it is unpatriotic. If you need proof of that, remember that it is often practised in old Europe and thus not in line with American values...

    2. Re:Terrorism by Alsee · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yeah yeah yeah... it's there to help defend against terrorists too...
      but this is content encryption. Obviously the main justification for it is to stop the pirates. God Bless the DMCA.

      Oh, and it's also there to protect our children against the child molestors. Uhhhh... but I haven't quite figured out that part yet.

      -

      --
      - - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
  2. Re:proprietary lock in? by Jorkapp · · Score: 4, Funny

    this seems like an incredibly stupid and public way of locking customers into paying for information they were already previously getting for free.

    We can still get it for free. Just set a camcorder in front of the instrument panels and press "RECORD".

    --
    Frink: Nice try floyd, but you were designed for scrubbing, and scrubbing is what you shall do.
  3. Re:ACARS telemetery data by lxw56 · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's not hidden, you just aren't 31337 enough. It means "left engine 3045 RPM, right engine 3230 RPM, right engine chopped up 2 birds since last reset."

  4. Re:Auto industry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    The commercial pilots who fly the heavy overseas iron (actually Al) have said ETOPS really stands for Enginges Turn Or Passengers Swim!