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Access Codes For United Cockpit Doors Accidentally Posted Online (techcrunch.com)

According to the Wall Street Journal, the access codes to United's cockpit doors were accidentally posted on a public website by a flight attendant. "[United Continental Holdings], which owns United Airlines and United Express, asked pilots to follow security procedures already in use, including visually confirming someone's identity before they are allowed onto the flight deck even if they enter the correct security code into the cockpit door's keypad," reports TechCrunch. From the report: The Air Line Pilots Association, a union that represents 55,000 pilots in the U.S. and Canada, told the WSJ on Sunday that the problem had been fixed. The notable thing about this security breach is that it was caused by human error, not a hack, and illustrates how vulnerable cockpits are to intruders despite existing safety procedures. The Air Line Pilots Association has advocated for secondary barriers made from mesh or steel cables to be installed on cockpits doors to make it harder to break into, but airlines have said that they aren't necessary.

109 comments

  1. In case you wondered... by JonnyCalcutta · · Score: 4, Funny

    It is 0000

    1. Re:In case you wondered... by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You joke, but you'd be surprised how much critical infrastructure is insecure simply because "Hey, nobody can get here anyway".

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    2. Re:In case you wondered... by Rockoon · · Score: 2

      Dear Valued Employee. Because your PIN has been compromised we have randomly generated a new PIN for you. Your new PIN is 5555. Please do not write this down.

      --
      "His name was James Damore."
    3. Re:In case you wondered... by JonnyCalcutta · · Score: 1

      :~$ update pin 0000

    4. Re:In case you wondered... by fph+il+quozientatore · · Score: 2, Funny

      That's amazing. I've got the same combination on my luggage!

      --
      My first program:

      Hell Segmentation fault

    5. Re:In case you wondered... by Opportunist · · Score: 2
      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    6. Re:In case you wondered... by _merlin · · Score: 2

      2580 opens a surprising number of electronic security doors, including some hospitals and brothels I know of.

    7. Re: In case you wondered... by hviezda14 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Actually, system of PINs has been hacked. Attackers had revealed all the PINs on the Internet. You can check yours, but it's there! Why are we still using them, if anyone can find them online??? http://l33tn3rdz.deviantart.co...

    8. Re:In case you wondered... by sabbede · · Score: 1

      I thought it was 0451.

    9. Re:In case you wondered... by JonnyCalcutta · · Score: 1

      Actually the real code is 58008

    10. Re:In case you wondered... by michelcolman · · Score: 5, Informative

      The code doesn't matter that much. There are two codes, a normal one and an emergency one.

      The normal code just makes an audible signal in the cockpit. The pilots then look at the camera screen to make sure that it's a crew member with no terrorists behind him/her. If all looks OK, they flip a switch to unlock the door. So what if a terrorists knows the code? The pilots will see "hey, that person's not supposed to enter" and keep the door shut. And yes, we do always check the camera. Our life could depend on it.

      Then what about the emergency code? It causes a similar sound that goes on for 30 seconds. If no action is taken by the pilots during those 30 seconds, the door is briefly unlocked so it can be pushed open. However, the pilots can simply block entry with a single switch. Since they have 30 seconds to do so, this is not really a big security risk either. The purpose is just to allow a crew member to enter if the pilot(s) are incapacitated.

      People get freaked out "OMG they have the access codes to the cockpit" but in reality this really is a non-issue. We had the same problem in my company, some comedian said the codes on a radio show and we got all these memos changing the codes and reminding us how vitally important it supposedly was that they were kept secret. Big deal. They might as well install a simple button instead of a keypad, it wouldn't make a difference.

    11. Re:In case you wondered... by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 1

      It is 0000

      Actually, it's 12345.

    12. Re:In case you wondered... by mysidia · · Score: 0

      However, the pilots can simply block entry with a single switch. Since they have 30 seconds to do so, this is not really a big security risk either.

      Ok... This is a good idea UNLESS the hostile force is Already in the Cockpit, OR the emergency is so imminent that everyone will be dead in 30 seconds. So if the terrorist is already in the cockpit, they can just take their time and keep everyone locked out, AND use the locked steel door to protect the terrorist from the passengers, Passengers who now know about 9/11 and would likely make any sacrifice needed to stop terrorists, while they plan where to crash the plane, And the steel door becomes the liability for everyone, that's not very re-assuring.....

    13. Re:In case you wondered... by michelcolman · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Well, if the terrorists are already in the cockpit, all bets are off. Obviously. Do you have a better idea?

    14. Re:In case you wondered... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I used to work at an airport. All the "secured" places were secured by a 4-digit code entered into a panel next to the door. All these panels had 4 buttons that were well worn & really shiny from being used all the time as compared to the rest of the buttons.

      Very rarely did we actually have to tell any of our trainees what the code was, they usually figured it out the first day.

    15. Re:In case you wondered... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Look, this is Slashdot. Without fail some guy will spend maybe three seconds thinking and then post his pin-headed conclusion about what's wrong with something, as if everyone else in the world is an idiot and can't consider even the simplest things. That guy is always wrong.

    16. Re:In case you wondered... by I'm+New+Around+Here · · Score: 1

      Look, this is Slashdot. Without fail some guy will spend maybe three seconds thinking and then post his pin-headed conclusion about what's wrong with something, as if everyone else in the world is an idiot and can't consider even the simplest things. That guy is always wrong.

      No I'm not! Well, not every time. I hit the nail on the head occasionally with a wildly thrown rock.

      --
      If you think I voted for Trump because of this post, you're wrong. I voted for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. Again.
    17. Re:In case you wondered... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You have to make a decision. Either the cockpit can make the final decision to keep people out, or someone outside can make the final decision to open the cockpit. Ultimately, it has to be one or the other; you're going to have to trust someone somewhere along the line.

    18. Re:In case you wondered... by hey! · · Score: 2

      Because United is run by Assholes.

      --
      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
    19. Re:In case you wondered... by h4ck7h3p14n37 · · Score: 1

      That was actually the code to get into one of the high rises I used to live in. You could use the phone in the entryway to call up to units to be buzzed in, but it would unlock the door if you dialed 0000. Management was stunned when I demonstrated this to them and finally changed the default code.

      Building security was crap overall. There had been numerous break-ins and the foolish condo association wouldn't pay for 24 hour security.

    20. Re:In case you wondered... by JonnyCalcutta · · Score: 1

      When I lived in a tenement there was a service button which would let you in if you buzzed it before 10am. I think that's quite common here (Scotland) so I guess our criminals are known to never get up early.

    21. Re:In case you wondered... by swb · · Score: 2

      The world is always more rational and well-organized in mom's basement.

      That being said, I do think there are a disturbing number of times that large groups and organizations perpetuate some really bad designs/systems and a fix is obvious (and sometimes even tested) to an outsider. Kind of an emperor wears no clothes kind of situation, and probably, if you looked into it, it's something perpetuated for reasons (like making money) that have nothing to do with problem solving or design.

    22. Re:In case you wondered... by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 3, Funny

      They might as well install a simple button instead of a keypad, it wouldn't make a difference.

      Unless the pilots are incapacitated and there's a terrorist onboard! Are you trying to get us all killed?!

      What if they put a call out for a doctor to treat the pilots and the online doctor onboard is a terrorist... wait, forget I said that, it's copyrighted and you can't have it because it's my screenplay now.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    23. Re:In case you wondered... by kbg · · Score: 1

      That's amazing. I've got the same combination on my luggage

    24. Re:In case you wondered... by mysidia · · Score: 1

      Well, if the terrorists are already in the cockpit, all bets are off. Obviously. Do you have a better idea?

      Yes -- PIN+Biometric; a Two-Person rule for opening the security door, multiple automation and redundant systems, and ground crews monitoring commercial flights with an ability to remotely override a rogue pilot.

    25. Re:In case you wondered... by michelcolman · · Score: 1

      And then that system gets hacked and flies the plane into a mountain with the pilots powerless to do anything about it. Try again.

    26. Re: In case you wondered... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh my god, they have my pin. I always put my hand over the thing; how did they know?

    27. Re:In case you wondered... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That guy doesn't come on slashdot anymore, he's working a new job in the White House

    28. Re:In case you wondered... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > Do you have a better idea?

      Different poster, but - yes.

      Pilot & co-pilot get a per-flight third code, which gives immediate access for a few seconds.

      This one's free!

    29. Re:In case you wondered... by mysidia · · Score: 1

      system gets hacked and flies the plane into a mountain with the pilots powerless to do anything about it.

      The system need not allow that, just like current flight automation systems could deny the pilots' from doing that.

      I don't think there's a material change of risk in that. Commercial planes ALREADY rely on automated navigation systems and software -- the pilots are already dependent on the computer, and already rely on consent of the computer to do any manual flying.

      At least by having a ground security crew with additional monitoring, there can be some Benefit added to go with the risks.

    30. Re:In case you wondered... by michelcolman · · Score: 2

      We don't "rely on the consent of the computer to do any manual flying". We can turn off the autopilot at any time. On Airbus there are a few very basic protections that are still active in manual flight (excessive load factor, bank angle, stall) but even those can be turned off by degrading the system to the most basic flight mode.

      There is currently NO system that prevents the pilots from flying into a mountain. We do have Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System, but it's only an aural warning. Occasionally it malfunctions because of a database problem or something like that, giving warnings during final approach ("Terrain, terrain, pull up!") while we can actually see the runway right in front of us. On one occasion it was still yelling "Pull up!" when we were already on the ground, rolling out on the runway, I couldn't believe it myself. Imagine what would happen if the system would take over and keep the pilots from landing the plane!

      Airplane design takes all kinds of possible failures into account. You might say "the computer should keep the pilots from doing such and such" but a good airplane designer immediately counters with "but what if that system malfunctions?". System malfunctions are way more common, that's why pilots have to be able to override anything.

      Just to give you an idea: there have been several instances where, due to a malfunction with the angle of attack probes, airbus flight computers were convinced that the airplane was stalling and violently pushed the nose down. The only way to save the airplane was by turning off two of the Air Data Computers, degrading the flight control mode to basic law. That's just one of many, many things that can go wrong when you let automation override the pilots. Airbus has already gone too far in my opinion.

    31. Re:In case you wondered... by DeVilla · · Score: 1

      I'm about a week behind on my reading and I only get to see this now. It's sad that it appears no one got the joke. Maybe someone will learn the hard way.

  2. The access code is by PSXer · · Score: 3, Funny

    1... 2... 3... 4........ 5

    1. Re:The access code is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      But the new secure and safe version is 123456.

    2. Re:The access code is by kurkosdr · · Score: 1

      I believe it is 123456Aa

    3. Re:The access code is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      That's the same combination I have on my luggage

    4. Re:The access code is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Funny, United didn't seem Druidish...

  3. Seems we are a good path. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Once the cockpit security barrier reaches about half the airplane's weight, things will settle into a steady state, I guess.

    1. Re:Seems we are a good path. by Teun · · Score: 1

      The ultimate safety from cockpit invasion would be to do away with the cockpit.

      Technology for remote (or alternatively autonomous) operation is existing, it 'only' needs certification for passenger transport.

      And then someone hacks the link or breaks in to the operating center and we're back at square one.

      --
      "The likes of Facebook and WhatsApp are free to those whose privacy is of zero value."
    2. Re:Seems we are a good path. by michelcolman · · Score: 5, Informative

      Technology for remote (or alternatively autonomous) operation is existing, it 'only' needs certification for passenger transport.

      It would need a little more than just certification.

      People always go "80% of crashes are due to pilot error, so let's get rid of the pilots, the autopilot can fly the plane by itself anyway". What they don't know, is how often automation screws up and no crash occurs because the pilots were there to prevent it. In 20 years of flying I've had quite a few of those.

      In fact, a lot of "pilot error" crashes were really due to automation failures where the pilots were (rightfully) blamed for not having intervened. Autothrottle pulls the throttles back to idle at 1000 ft because a failing radio altimeter said the plane was about to touch down? Pilot error, they should have seen the throttles move backward and the speed decrease, and should have immediately reacted by taking manual control. As other pilots have on numerous occasions.

      Another example, the Air France flight from Rio that stalled and crashed into the Atlantic. Yes, the pilots stalled the airplane. But the only reason they were flying manually was because the automation had already given up. The same situation had already occurred with other crews and they had corrected the situation without crashing.

      Take the pilots out, with the current state of technology, and you'll see two orders of magnitude more crashes.

      How many military drones do they have flying around? Only a few, a ridiculously small number compared to passenger aircraft, yet drone crashes are a pretty frequent occurrence. Even though their missions are usually extremely simple: take off in good weather, fly a predetermined GPS trajectory, come back along a fixed trajectory and land in good weather. And they are vastly simpler mechanically because they don't need things like air conditioning, seats, etc. Yet they crash all the time.

      Come on, we can't even write a word processor or spreadsheet that doesn't crash occasionally, and you want to make automatic planes?

    3. Re:Seems we are a good path. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If commercial aircraft were properly designed, there would be NO ACCESS to the cockpit from the rest of the plane at all! The pilots would enter the cockpit via their own entrance.

  4. Why do they have set codes? by CastrTroy · · Score: 2

    The bigger question is why they have set codes at all. There are only a set number of people on each flight who might need to access the cockpit. They should really just have the pilots set a code before anybody else boards the plane, and have the relevant people notified of the code before the flight. Even better if the code is random generated by a computer.

    --

    Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
    1. Re:Why do they have set codes? by 91degrees · · Score: 1

      It does make the physical security a bit pointless if the code is so insecure. Would probably be better to lock from the inside, and use the tried and tested "knock knock"/"Who's there" approach.

    2. Re:Why do they have set codes? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >and use the tried and tested "knock knock"/"Who's there" approach.

      Well yeah, but Security Theatre. You need to make sure your security system doesn't seem like a bit of a joke...

    3. Re:Why do they have set codes? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The bigger question is why they have set codes at all. There are only a set number of people on each flight who might need to access the cockpit. They should really just have the pilots set a code before anybody else boards the plane, and have the relevant people notified of the code before the flight. Even better if the code is random generated by a computer.

      Pilots are also average computer users, so there's a 99.99978% chance he/she writes every fucking password down because they can't remember them for shit, so let's just stop assuming they would be capable of remembering a unique code for every flight without scribbling it on their hand with a sharpie.

    4. Re:Why do they have set codes? by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      And a code to key in that does nothing but tell the people inside the cockpit that the person outside knows the code isn't a joke?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    5. Re:Why do they have set codes? by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Which isn't a problem considering that the pilot is inside the cockpit and technically, when you stand next to him and could read his hand crib sheet, you don't need it anymore.

      Flight attendants, on the other hand...

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    6. Re:Why do they have set codes? by Nidi62 · · Score: 2

      The bigger question is why they have set codes at all. There are only a set number of people on each flight who might need to access the cockpit. They should really just have the pilots set a code before anybody else boards the plane, and have the relevant people notified of the code before the flight. Even better if the code is random generated by a computer.

      The Germanwings crash is a good example of this. With codes that can be changed from inside the cockpit, once someone has access they can deny access to anyone else. Also, you could have crew (both cockpit and cabin crew) operate 3 different aircraft in a day depending on their schedule, or at elast operate with different crews. If there is an emergency and you need to access the cockpit (maybe a pilot has a medical emergency and the other pilot has to handle actually flying the plane and contacting ATC so a flight attendant needs to assist the pilot with the medical issue) it is a lot easier to remember one standard password than what the password happens to be for this leg of your shift.

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    7. Re:Why do they have set codes? by Maritz · · Score: 1

      The bigger question is why they have set codes at all. There are only a set number of people on each flight who might need to access the cockpit. They should really just have the pilots set a code before anybody else boards the plane, and have the relevant people notified of the code before the flight. Even better if the code is random generated by a computer.

      The Germanwings crash is a good example of this. With codes that can be changed from inside the cockpit, once someone has access they can deny access to anyone else. Also, you could have crew (both cockpit and cabin crew) operate 3 different aircraft in a day depending on their schedule, or at elast operate with different crews. If there is an emergency and you need to access the cockpit (maybe a pilot has a medical emergency and the other pilot has to handle actually flying the plane and contacting ATC so a flight attendant needs to assist the pilot with the medical issue) it is a lot easier to remember one standard password than what the password happens to be for this leg of your shift.

      Yeah we obviously can't have a system where the captain cannot get into the Cabin from the outside, because we have cunts like Andreas Lubitz on the planet. I hope I get a chance to piss on his grave someday.

      --
      I do not want your cheap brainburning drugs. They are useless for work. And I am a working man today.
    8. Re:Why do they have set codes? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You mean like

      Knock Knock
      Who's there?
      Ikwhan!
      Ikwhan who?
      Ikwhanna take control of this plane!

    9. Re:Why do they have set codes? by The+MAZZTer · · Score: 1

      That has the same problems as letting people set their own passwords... the passcode will likely not change between flights anyway and is probably going to be easy to guess like 1111 or 1234. And unlike with passwords a 4-digit PIN is difficult to enforce good password practice with because the key space is so small.

    10. Re:Why do they have set codes? by stephanruby · · Score: 1

      That's my thinking too.

      By having the same code for every door, United has just implied that all stewardesses, both on flights and on the ground, know the code.

      This is beyond retarded.

    11. Re:Why do they have set codes? by Z00L00K · · Score: 1

      The correct way is to have each plane programmed individually by a security officer and then only the assigned personnel for that flight will have the access through their keycards and codes.

      To allow for emergencies additional personnel could be added but never removed, but adding additional persons wold require that two different persons codes in the added personnel.

      It's of course an inconvenience to have systems like this, but the inconvenience of being dead is worse.

      An alternative is to have the cockpit inaccessible from the cabin, but that would make it hard in case of a medical emergency in the cockpit.

      --
      If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
    12. Re:Why do they have set codes? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, the correct way is to do away with this silliness altogether. Locking cockpit doors do nothing to make anyone safer.. its just more useless reactionary security theater.

      No matter what kind of convoluted schemes you can dream up, "badguys" will still find a way into places you dont want them to be.

      If you want 100% guaranteed safety, dont fly. In fact dont drive either, also stay away from stairs & pointy objects, in fact dont leave the house, put on your crash helmet & lock your doors.

      Or you could just grow a pair.

    13. Re: Why do they have set codes? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Camera in bathroom. Catch code when pilot washes hands. Watch camera footage on laptop. Take over plane.

      THIS IS WHY LAPTOPS ARE BANNED ON FLIGHTS.

    14. Re:Why do they have set codes? by vtcodger · · Score: 1

      Here's a thought. Instead of something you know (a PIN), to control cockpit access requests use something you have -- maybe a piece of metal with some unique notches cut into it. We could call it ... I dunno ... maybe a "key". Might have a few problems (many of the same ones a PIN has), but it's unlikely to get written down or posted inadvertently on the internet.

      --
      You can't see ANYTHING from a car, You've got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk...Edward Abbey
    15. Re:Why do they have set codes? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      it's unlikely to get written down or posted inadvertently on the internet.

      Yes, that would obviously never happen.

    16. Re: Why do they have set codes? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah but you could use that same argument for everything. If bad guys can get access to anything anyway, why not do away with Gmail passwords for example?

  5. TRUMP DID IT! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Come on,now! He did not divulge these code-words to the Ruskies so they could pass the intel on to terrorists. Nah. These are Ruskies, after all, they are our friends, and they seek to make contact, with you. Baby.

    Besides, Fox News is in front of this, and says, nothing to see.

  6. Re:Hmm... there were no planes on 9/11 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    All the Jews in the WTC were told not be at work on 9/11 by their Zionist Yoke.

  7. Strong door have a downside... by Bearhouse · · Score: 4, Insightful

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    According to French and German prosecutors, the crash was deliberately caused by the co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz.[29][97][98] Brice Robin said Lubitz was initially courteous to Captain Sondenheimer during the first part of the flight, then became "curt" when the captain began the mid-flight briefing on the planned landing.[99] Robin said when the captain returned from a probable toilet break and tried to enter the cockpit, Lubitz had locked the door.[29][97] The captain had a code to unlock the door, but the lock's code panel can be disabled from the cockpit controls.[7][100] The captain requested re-entry using the intercom; he knocked and then banged on the door, but received no response.[101] The captain then tried to break down the door.[16][77][102] During the descent, the co-pilot did not respond to questions from air traffic control and did not transmit a distress call.[103] Robin said contact from the Marseille air traffic control tower, the captain's attempts to break in, and Lubitz's steady breathing were audible on the cockpit voice recording.[97][104] The screams of passengers in the last moments before impact were also heard on the recording.[99]

    After their initial analysis of the aircraft's flight data recorder, the BEA concluded that Lubitz deliberately crashed the aircraft. He had set the autopilot to descend to 100 feet (30 m) and accelerated the speed of the descending aircraft several times thereafter.[105][106] The aircraft was travelling at 700 kilometres per hour (430 mph) when it crashed into the mountain.[99] The BEA preliminary report into the crash was published on 6 May 2015, six weeks later. It confirmed the initial analysis of the aircraft's flight data recorder and revealed that during the earlier outbound Flight 9524 from Düsseldorf to Barcelona, Lubitz had practised setting the autopilot altitude dial to 100 feet several times while the captain was out of the cockpit.[107][108]

    1. Re:Strong door have a downside... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      cockpits should have their own loo. airlines would be against this, too. surprise surprise. that's even more expensive than reinforcing the doors even more than they have been already. that extra 10 square feet of cabin space could hold at least 6 paying passengers!

    2. Re:Strong door have a downside... by Kjella · · Score: 4, Interesting

      cockpits should have their own loo. airlines would be against this, too. surprise surprise. that's even more expensive than reinforcing the doors even more than they have been already. that extra 10 square feet of cabin space could hold at least 6 paying passengers!

      I'm sure they could have made some kind of double-entry toilet, the question is how much of a difference it'd make. Even if we assume he was too cowardly to directly assault the other pilot, he could have drugged his food, blocked the toilet door, created some kind of pretext to get the captain to go to the passenger/cargo area or whatever. Even getting him to the doorway would be enough if you can just push/throw/kick him out and slam the door shut behind you. It's a trusted co-worker, not someone you'd suspect being a potential hijacker/terrorist so he wouldn't see it coming.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    3. Re:Strong door have a downside... by Maritz · · Score: 1, Insightful

      It's difficult to get your head around the sheer cuntishness it takes to murder 149 people as you commit 'suicide'. It's a shame there's no hell for this evil little cuntweasel to go to.

      --
      I do not want your cheap brainburning drugs. They are useless for work. And I am a working man today.
    4. Re:Strong door have a downside... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Exactly... ALL aviation safety regulations & procedures make the assumption that the pilot of the aircraft wants to live.

      We dont really have any way to protect against the possibility that the pilot may be not want to live..

      Really the only thing we could do is work to provide them with better mental healthcare, but you'd also have to de-stigmatize it, Pilots have a very stressful job with terrible working hours & often very low pay, And if you come out & admit that its getting to you and that you need help... well now your career is over, which is unlikely to help much with your mental state.

    5. Re:Strong door have a downside... by jittles · · Score: 3, Interesting

      We dont really have any way to protect against the possibility that the pilot may be not want to live..

      That's not remotely true. The actions of that GermanWings pilot would have never worked in the US. When a pilot leaves the cockpit, someone else from the crew takes his place. If you watch you'll see that they notify the flight attendants that someone is planning to leave the flight deck. Two flight attendants come forward. One blocks the aisle with a cart and the other goes into the cockpit before the pilot leaves. The US requires there to be at least two people inside of the cockpit at all times. So unless you find a rare situation where both pilots want to die, or one pilot is willing to have a physical altercation with the other prior to killing the entire flight, you'll be okay. They are not allowed to eat the same meals. One would not be messing with the others meals to drug them. Perhaps they could drug them through their coffee, but otherwise there are no real situations where a pilot can destroy the other plane without some sort of physical struggle.

    6. Re:Strong door have a downside... by houghi · · Score: 1

      So far we have a 4 to 1 in favor of strong doors.

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    7. Re:Strong door have a downside... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Meh, if your copilot really wants to kill you, himself, and everyone onboard, he doesnt have to get you out of the cockpit to do it, he doesnt even have to get you out of our seat. A well-timed flick of the right switch during takeoff or landing will do the job just as well.

    8. Re:Strong door have a downside... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I fly upwards of 100 flights a year and the only two airlines I see do this block the aisle deal is Jet Blue and Frontier.

    9. Re:Strong door have a downside... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This procedure came in to place AFTER the GermanWings incident, because of the GermanWings incident.

    10. Re:Strong door have a downside... by misexistentialist · · Score: 1

      Since flight attendants are usually female it doesn't sound like much of an obstacle. A male flight attendant, on the other hand, could probably sucker punch or strangle the pilot. Gravity is also on the side of whomever wants to crash the plane

    11. Re:Strong door have a downside... by orgelspieler · · Score: 1

      A male flight attendant, on the other hand, could probably sucker punch or strangle the pilot.

      Well, they certainly get enough practice on the passengers!

    12. Re:Strong door have a downside... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It has been a practice in the US for at least the past 7 years but not in Europe. And while they did move to that system after the GermanWings incident, most airlines in Europe have moved back to the old system of no one coming into the cockpit.

  8. Steel mesh/cable not necessary. BS! by Chas · · Score: 1

    That and manual deadlocks on the inside.

    The reasons airlines don't want to put them in?

    * Expense (because retrofits on existing planes isn't just "EXPENSIVE!!!", it's "FUCKING EXPENSIVE!!!"
    * Weight savings. A reinforced door and manual/ratcheted lock bar could easily add another 5-800 lbs to a plane. That's EASILY 3-5 passenger fares.

    Save money vs save the crew's life? Fuck the crew! SAVE THE MONEY!

    It's like these little 7-11 Slurpee stores in high crime areas. They get robbed repeatedly, yet they don't want to install safety cages for the employees. Because "it's too unfriendly", They just remove all access cash more than the current till. So what if a cashier gets shot, stabbed, beaten to a pulp or raped? At least most of the owner's money will be safe!

    --


    Chas - The one, the only.
    THANK GOD!!!
    1. Re: Steel mesh/cable not necessary. BS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Why do they not just use the 5 lb door if the range is so large?

    2. Re: Steel mesh/cable not necessary. BS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Nah the only thing they have to do is put a note on the door: "Illegal for terrorists to enter" and the problem will go away.

  9. Re:Hmm... there were no planes on 9/11 by cheesybagel · · Score: 2, Informative

    ...it was physically impossible for the top tenth (or however much it was) of each WTC to pulverise COMPLETELY the lower, much larger (and much thicker steel beams) part... How did the core columns manage to collapse all the way down? Detached core columns at the point of initiation of collapse would - by definition- have taken the path of least resistance - i.e. vertical core columns would have slid sideways and NOT HIT other vertical core columns below. After a short period of time the collapse should have been arrested, and over.

    Here, have a link to a paper:
    "The first part of this paper presents an experimental investigation on explosive spalling of six full-scale normal strength reinforced concrete slabs subjected to conventional fire curve ISO834 and severe hydrocarbon fire curve, performed at the Fire Research Centre, University of Ulster, UK focusing on concrete thermal behaviour and the explosive spalling phenomenon. Each slab was loaded with 65% of its BS8110 design load and was heated from the bottom side only. Temperatures profile was recorded at three depths within the slabs and the moisture content was also measured before and after the tests."

    If that's not enough info for you, you can read this entire PhD thesis on the topic.

    i.e. at high temperatures high-strength concrete comes apart. If the temperature is high enough it will lose all cohesion.

    The airplanes were fully fueled. The fuel basically ignited on crash and flooded the top floors and then dripped down over the elevator shafts and stairs. The temperature was high enough that the concrete lost cohesion and you basically ended up with what looked like a controlled implosion. OBL was a civil engineer. He certainly had the know how to analyze the problem and know this would happen in the first place.

  10. Re:Hmm... there were no planes on 9/11 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why are 9/11 truthers so fucking stupid? Despite all evidence that disputes and refutes their bogus claims, here they are still going on about this bullshit.

    Sadly most of them are left wingers who just hated Bush.

  11. Re:Steel mesh/cable not necessary. BS! by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    How expensive is it to replace the cashier?

    Exactly.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  12. Re:Steel mesh/cable not necessary. BS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... gets shot, stabbed, beaten to a pulp or raped.

    I didn't realize such attacks were so common on airline pilots, especially, rape, given that most pilots are male: Combined with the low pay and lengthy training, it's a miracle there are sufficient numbers of pilots for modern air travel. Now I know, it's obvious pilots should be protected with a steel cage.

  13. Re:Steel mesh/cable not necessary. BS! by Nidi62 · · Score: 2

    That and manual deadlocks on the inside.

    The reasons airlines don't want to put them in?

    * Expense (because retrofits on existing planes isn't just "EXPENSIVE!!!", it's "FUCKING EXPENSIVE!!!" * Weight savings. A reinforced door and manual/ratcheted lock bar could easily add another 5-800 lbs to a plane. That's EASILY 3-5 passenger fares.

    Save money vs save the crew's life? Fuck the crew! SAVE THE MONEY!

    Aircraft crews are trained to repel attackers, quite a few in the US are armed now with the FFDO program, there are simple methods beyond a lock that can slow down any attempt to open the cockpit door by force (for example on MD-80 type aircraft, simply putting down the jumpseat would slow anyone down), and as a last resort they literally have a weapon on hand (the crash ax). Also, especially in the US, there is a very good chance that at least one of the cockpit crew is former military and has had self defense training. You're partially right in that it is about saving money, but it's saving money because there are more cost effective ways of protecting the cockpit and cockpit crews.

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
  14. Re:Hmm... there were no planes on 9/11 by Maritz · · Score: 2

    Like all truthers, you are a crushing bore.

    --
    I do not want your cheap brainburning drugs. They are useless for work. And I am a working man today.
  15. Only one pin for all planes?? by sabbede · · Score: 1
    That's just plain dumb, right? Flight crews can't remember more than one 4 digit number?

    Why not distinct codes for each plane, or each flight? If there's only one master code for all planes, all a potential hijacker has to do is kidnap a flight attendant and beat it out of them.

    As it is, there might as well not be a code at all. It'd be just as secure to use "Shave and a haircut" as a secret knock.

    1. Re:Only one pin for all planes?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Flightcrews dont fly the same plane every day, and rather than risk losing millions of dollars by regularly having planes stuck on the tarmac while somebody calls a locksmith, the airlines (correctly) noted that this secure cockpit door stuff is just theatrics & set them all on the same password because frankly it doesnt fucking matter.

    2. Re:Only one pin for all planes?? by jittles · · Score: 1

      That's just plain dumb, right? Flight crews can't remember more than one 4 digit number?

      Why not distinct codes for each plane, or each flight? If there's only one master code for all planes, all a potential hijacker has to do is kidnap a flight attendant and beat it out of them.

      As it is, there might as well not be a code at all. It'd be just as secure to use "Shave and a haircut" as a secret knock.

      Except that there is a lockout that can be enabled while the plane is in flight. So even having the code does not guarantee you access to the flight deck.

    3. Re:Only one pin for all planes?? by Togden · · Score: 1

      Actually studies show that if you force people to try too hard to memorize passwords, they use coping methods such as keeping passwords on sticky notes which compromises the security of the password to a lower standard than if you have relatively simple pass codes. A more realistic solution might be to have a regular password rotation. This means that there is an established and tested system in place for new passwords to be issued to all staff. It also means that should passwords make it into the wrong hands by accident, this is rectified by default after a short time. Obviously this would need the rotation time to be relatively long though, otherwise the postit notes will show up anyway.

    4. Re:Only one pin for all planes?? by mysidia · · Score: 1

      I would suggest two-factor with a Biometric + Personal code for each authorized person across the fleet, synchronized from a source database.

    5. Re:Only one pin for all planes?? by sabbede · · Score: 1
      Doesn't rotation give you more to remember?

      And remembering a 4 digit number for a few hours isn't exactly a feat of memorization. It's well within the average person's ability.

  16. "airlines have said that they aren't necessary" by hcs_$reboot · · Score: 1

    of course since pilots post the access codes online

    --
    Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
  17. Re:Hmm... there were no planes on 9/11 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If they knew how to analyze facts and/or spot obvious bullshit, they wouldn't be 9/11 truthers in the first place. It must also align with their agendas of hate/persecution/racism.

  18. Is this considered... by pinzvidz · · Score: 1

    ... karma?

  19. Re: Hmm... there were no planes on 9/11 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "After a short period of time the collapse should have been arrested, and over."

    You are an idiot.

  20. Element of Surprise is Gone by Ogive17 · · Score: 1

    9/11 happened because no one had really experienced using planes as weapons in this capacity. All the cockpit doors need to do now is keep any potential hijackers at bay for a minute.. by that time crew and passengers will have subdued the individual(s) trying to break in.

    I'm not worried once I get through security.. my biggest concern is someone blowing up the line for security. Not saying it's impossible to sneak through security with bad intentions but by that point you've gone through multiple layers of security. Prior to the line, anyone can just walk in.

    --
    "Action without philosophy is a lethal weapon; philosophy without action is worthless."
  21. Re:Hmm... there were no planes on 9/11 by I'm+New+Around+Here · · Score: 1

    The truther in you is coming out.

    --
    If you think I voted for Trump because of this post, you're wrong. I voted for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. Again.
  22. Re:Hmm... there were no planes on 9/11 by Zontar_Thing_From_Ve · · Score: 2

    I appreciate your attempt to use logic and facts by providing links to a paper that showed that concrete can lose cohesion just like in the events of 9/11, but people who want to believe nutty conspiracy theories aren't going to change. Dilbert creator Scott Adams is a big Trump supporter and he sometimes allows comments to his blog and some of them are pretty nutty. One lady was ranting, yesterday I think, about how Obama's birth certificate was clearly faked. If all these years later we've still got people worked up about the birth certificate, and that's not even touching the fact that even if it was faked (which I don't believe) he was born a US citizen and thus eligible to run for president, how we know that Ted Cruz was born in Canada and he was still OK to run for president because he had one US citizen parent (even if Obama was born in Kenya, his mother was still a US citizen) and nobody complains about him, and how the entire Republican Party was unwilling or unable to provide proof of this to try to win elections against him. People are just going to believe what they want regardless of the facts. Adams himself even says as much all the time.

  23. Re:Hmm... there were no planes on 9/11 by Ungrounded+Lightning · · Score: 2

    The airplanes were fully fueled. The fuel basically ignited on crash and flooded the top floors and then dripped down over the elevator shafts and stairs.

    Also: The pilots banked the planes just before impact, so the fuel was distributed across at least three floors. (You can see it happen in the film of the second plane's impact.)

    Once enough (say, three) floors had collapsed onto one below, the load on that floor was enough to detach it from the sides of the building (where the vertical strength was) and drop that weight plus the weight of another floor onto the one below that. repeat down to ground level.

    The detached floors were the horizontal strength, so when enough were down in the middle of the tower, the side walls buckled and the upper part came down (tilting slightly as the sidewall collapse was slightly uneven).

    No mystery at all, once you know even a little about how the building was constructed.

    --
    Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
  24. Re:Steel mesh/cable not necessary. BS! by sconeu · · Score: 1

    To be fair, back in college (early '80s), I pulled graveyard at a 7-11. During training we were taught that if someone came in armed, give him whatever the hell he wanted. The actual words they used were "We can replace money, we can't replace you".

    --
    General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
  25. Re:Steel mesh/cable not necessary. BS! by Chas · · Score: 1

    You've never had a wrongful death lawsuit filed against you have you?

    --


    Chas - The one, the only.
    THANK GOD!!!
  26. reactionary nonsense by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The cockpit doors didn't used to be reinforced at all. It used to be like a bathroom door, and remained so after several hijackings. This was okay until people started dying in hijackings, and then reinforcement was a basic countermeasure, but it's just that: basic, judicious. It's not a sky-is-falling requirement, the one last barrier protecting us from plummetting into the ground.
      - wire mesh barriers are not necessary
      - brief interval of door code availability is not a big deal

  27. Re:Steel mesh/cable not necessary. BS! by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    Is it my fault that the robber came in and shot the guy? It's not like I hired him or told him it's a good idea. There's even a sign in the window that it's pointless to rob the store because the clerk can't access the big bucks, they're in a steel box (mostly so the little asshole can't steal from me... I mean, for the cashier's safety, of course).

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  28. Re:Steel mesh/cable not necessary. BS! by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    Yes, I would tell you exactly the same. If for no other reason than you hating me for telling you otherwise.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  29. Re:Hmm... there were no planes on 9/11 by jader3rd · · Score: 1

    we know that Ted Cruz was born in Canada and he was still OK to run for president because he had one US citizen parent (even if Obama was born in Kenya, his mother was still a US citizen) and nobody complains about him

    Oh, I'm still complaining about him.

  30. Re:Steel mesh/cable not necessary. BS! by Chas · · Score: 1

    So the answer is "no", you haven't had a wrongful death suit filed against you.

    A wrongful death suit is a civil suit. So there is no burden of proof protecting you. Such suits run on preponderance of evidence.

    If your establishment has been robbed multiple times in the past, and one of your employees was eventually killed, his family could get you for wrongful death simply by dropping all those previous police reports in the jury's lap and go "See! Didn't take appropriate precautions to safeguard his employees!"

    At that point, just sign your business over to them.

    --


    Chas - The one, the only.
    THANK GOD!!!
  31. Re:Hmm... there were no planes on 9/11 by Maritz · · Score: 1

    lol. It was done by Saudis, and there were no explosives in the towers. Show me a truther who says that mate. ;)

    --
    I do not want your cheap brainburning drugs. They are useless for work. And I am a working man today.
  32. Re:Steel mesh/cable not necessary. BS! by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    Note to self: Hire orphans. Lack of relatives lowers the chance of lawsuits.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  33. This is so freaking Human stupid it's getting old. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is what terrorists want - people afraid of something because of something that happened.

    Terrorists and the "bad people" aren't going to try and use passenger planes to do their evil anymore - it worked. The amount of money spent and fear related to the event is holding strong and that's exactly the point of terrorism.

    Try and be creative and stupid, not repetitive! What are "the terrorists" going to do? Not just repeat what they did - they're going to do new things that people haven't thought of to instill fear and hatred.

    Oh, by the way, did you know there is an airline company near where I live that departs from a local airport (where private pilots and rich corporate jetliners usually fly from) that allows people to enter the airport and board the jets/planes without inspecting their baggage or personal identities? Guess how many times they have been abused or taken advantage of? Yeah, 0. Why? Because it's old hat and useless to use today.