Questions tagged [security]

Security refers to protecting aircraft, passengers and crew from deliberate attacks or sabotage

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Has any manned aircraft been hijacked electronically?

Has anyone ever taken control of a manned aircraft from the pilot by exploiting security vulnerabilities in the electronics system?
Someone's user avatar
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Private Plane security United States 1975

in 1975 Famous Teamster Boss Jimmy Hoffa disappeared after being picked up at a local restaurant. One of the theories is that men from New Jersey boarded a plane, landed in Detroit, and assisted with ...
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Is it suspicious or odd to stand by the gate of a GA airport watching the planes?

Would it be likely to be seen as odd or suspicious for someone who is not a pilot to stand outside the fence around a GA airport in the US watching the aircraft?
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Is there any way to bring down a large spy balloon without force?

This might seem like a silly question, but I mean it. A Chinese spy balloon recently flew over the US and was taken down with a missile. Apparently, it was very important to recover its payload safely,...
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If they really wanted to, COULD they make a 100% fail-safe airplane? [closed]

With literally every single electronics device that I have bought in the last X years breaking very quickly or immediately, and being of horrible quality, this thought keep popping up in my mind: If ...
Coron's user avatar
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Why do air planes not have a "grating" in the front of the jet engines for safety? [duplicate]

This is what a typical jet engine looks like: Considering the horrible dangers with birds getting in there and crashing planes, why doesn't it look like this? Why don't they have a "grating&...
Caymon Sawaged's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
428 views

Do GPS systems in modern avionics mitigate against spoofing attacks?

There exist a number of different techniques [PDF] to mitigate (or at least detect) GPS spoofing, but the most effective techniques require access to the military-only M-code [PDF]. However, there was ...
forest's user avatar
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Do airplanes really expose their internal wires and electronics like this on the wings when braking?

While watching a video today about airplanes and how they have little thingies on their wings to make them come to a stop much quicker than otherwise, I noticed something very odd: Are those cables ...
C. Oesterle's user avatar
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Do any subterranean runways exist for airplanes?

Are there any examples of runways that are under the cover of some terrain such as a runway built into the side of a mountain as a tunnel, perhaps with an entrance and an exit on both sides to ...
Ryan Mortensen's user avatar
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Are converted airliners fitted with key-operated locks/switches for security?

Light aircraft are commonly fitted with key-operated doors (cabin, cargo compartments) and key-operated switches (magneto/starter) in a manner very similar to most road vehicles. Airliners are not ...
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Why are Israeli planes followed by an armored police truck at ZRH?

While I was actively traveling to Zürich (for three years before Covid pandemic), I noticed that the Israeli airplane is always being followed by an armored police car with a machine gun turret on top....
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Does the FlightRadar24 pose a risk to aviation security? [closed]

As you may know, on the internet there is the FlightRadar24 website where you can see the flight information of planes worldwide in real time. Although this is wonderful for those who like aviation, ...
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How will LiFi application in an aircraft change the security of an air travel? [closed]

In a near future, LiFi technology will replace WiFi in a commercial aircraft. LiFi will make nonstop internet service possible. This will generate some new issues in air travel security. Especially ...
Willy satrio nugroho's user avatar
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1 answer
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How is a stolen aircraft returned to its owner?

Once the authorities figure out where a stolen GA aircraft is, do they get the owner to come take it back? do they fly it back to its home airport? How exactly does the owner get his hands back on it?
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How safe are commercial airliners from gallium infiltration?

I recently saw a video on gallium infiltration on YouTube. Gallium is a metal with a melting point somewhere between standard room temperature and human body temperature, meaning if you pick up a ...
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Are old illegal air transfer methods still feasible today? [closed]

A retired soldier told me he used to know people who smuggled jewelries, hard drugs, guns and even people from middle eastern countries to Europe, specifically, Germany! Via planes! In fact, he said ...
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How do people smuggle stuff with private airplanes? [closed]

I get it, the question seems as if I'm reaching out for answers from experienced smugglers! But no. As a matter of fact, I'm trying to get answers on air surveillance & security. Love it or hate ...
INF's user avatar
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What is the two-person cockpit rule, as of February 2020?

In the comments to the accepted answer on this question, there is some conflicting information about the current regulations around the 2 person cockpit rule. I was under the impression that there ...
Cloud's user avatar
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Locked out of private jet - how do you get in?

Ok I'm not a jet owner, I'm a novel writer. I wanted to get my airplane facts right for the story. Say my character has a mid-size (can go overseas) private jet. Has a door lock on the outside door ...
Angela's user avatar
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Why are commercial flights not (publicly) trackable in some locations?

Flying BA15 from London to Sydney, I noticed that the flight is not tracked over Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, except for a short ping. Is this for security reasons? Do planes disable their ADS-B, or ...
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Why isn't luggage that goes in the hold scanned as thoroughly as hand luggage? [closed]

I'm a regular international flyer, my hand luggage is always scanned, and despite my best efforts it often gets searched, either due to mistakes on my part, or security being extra cautious. On my ...
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Can pilots take multitools on board in Canada?

Can pilots in other countries or Canada carry Swiss army knives onboard on commercial flights? Passengers are not allowed to do that in Canada.
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Can diplomats be allowed on the flight deck of a commercial European airline?

If a diplomat were to request access to the flight deck with proper identification, would he/she be allowed to visit the cockpit of a commercial airliner during flight?
Kolindar Rosé's user avatar
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Can I carry a waveform generator with me inside an airplane? [closed]

I have recently learned that I have an urgent domestic flight tonight. I am curious about whether I can carry the device with me. The device I want to carry is 33120A Arbitrary Waveform Generator. I ...
selubamih's user avatar
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Are airlines responsible for Airport security or Airports concerned or third-parties on terminal-side? [closed]

In Indian Airports, all sort of terminal-side security is done by CISF . They do all the frisking and baggage screening etc. I am concerned more for the terminal-side security rather than airside ...
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Why shoot down a passenger plane without knowing it will crash? [closed]

Flights threatened by a passenger and flights with lost coms and even flights in technical difficulty without criminal intent and not posing a security threat are sometimes intercepted and escorted by ...
summerrain's user avatar
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In what cases does an airplane return to airport? [closed]

I’m just wondering in what kind of emergency cases an airplane would return to the airport? I am a programmer and security enthusiast — what kind of security issue should I have to find that would ...
Ionică Bizău's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
667 views

Why in certain airports the windows are blocked while others not? [closed]

In certain airports, like the T1 of MMMX the windows are blocked or semi-blocked while in others are not (MMGL) I understand this could be done to avoid debris hit the windows, but then why?
riccs_0x's user avatar
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12 votes
4 answers
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How is the marine perimeter of a coastal airport secured?

Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is bounded on three sides by the sea, which is infested with oligarchs screaming around in powerboats and industrialists on huge yachts, all in close proximity (meanwhile the ...
Daniele Procida's user avatar
23 votes
1 answer
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Is it possible to drive into Gibraltar Airport's runway?

The runway of Gibraltar Airport crosses an active 4 lane highway Example Video. My question is are there any security measures which prevent normal traffic from entering the airport through the ...
anshabhi's user avatar
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Why are liquids deemed hazardous in airport security? [closed]

Airports seem to have strict rules for the amount of liquids the passengers are allowed to take on a plane. Why is that so?
unfa's user avatar
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What is the current state of the practice regarding surveillance and surveillance data integrity?

I am experiencing difficulties in finding out exactly how air traffic surveillance works in practice, and more specifically what is done to verify the integrity of surveillance data. ADS-B and other ...
AleVe's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
227 views

Why does airport security use numbered baskets for my carry-on stuff to be x-rayed? [closed]

I recently flew from TPE and noticed that there, the baskets for the carry-on stuff that gets scanned are numbered: I can't think of any reason why this would be useful. Can anyone explain?
user63726's user avatar
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2 answers
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Why offload bags for missing passengers when flights are allowed to carry unaccompanied non-PAX air-cargo in holds?

Several times, my flight has been delayed when passengers don't make it to the gate in time and then (after a long wait) the baggage-handlers have to go into the holds and manually find the bags to ...
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33 votes
4 answers
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What precautions prevent 'insiders' from stealing a large aircraft, as in the Horizon Air Q400 incident?

For those who haven't heard it yet, a ground worker stole a Q400 at SeaTac this week, performing an unauthorized takeoff and going for a joyride before eventually crashing into an island. The plane ...
jdude97's user avatar
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79 votes
4 answers
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How do civilian pilots and ATC verify that other people on the radio are who they claim to be?

I am interested in authentication - how identity is verified - in civilian aviation radio transmissions. I know that when someone is speaking on the radio he tells his call sign. But is there any ...
vasili111's user avatar
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Does an airplane need a key to start? [duplicate]

Does an airplane require a key to unlock the doors and start the aircraft engines? Is it somewhat like how a car does?
Super's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
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How much can a plane deviate from its route to Paris (CDG and ORY) before an alert is raised?

I was reading about the 9/11 hijacks and the Wikipedia information about flight AA 11 mentions that Of the four hijacked aircraft on 9/11, the nine minutes of advance notification about the ...
WoJ's user avatar
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6 votes
3 answers
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Airport Security Pre-1970-s?

I just accidentally discovered a few pictures on the web, that seem to imply, that there were some sort of airport security checks on passengers all the way back in the 1960-s. It was always my ...
Kit Smith's user avatar
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22 votes
1 answer
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Is it allowed to mount fake missiles on a civilian aircraft?

In this answer to a question asking to identify an aircraft, we can see a picture of a Aero L-39 Albatros with some missiles hanging from the wings: (flickr.com) N915WE. Supposedly, this is a ...
Fabio says Reinstate Monica's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
4k views

Do airplanes have a maximum headwind gust component when landing?

An aircraft POH generally gives a maximum demonstrated crosswind component but I have not seen any indication with regards to maximum gust component. I understand that one is supposed to increase the ...
assylias's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
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What happens if a passenger passes through the boarding gate, but doesn't get on the aircraft? [closed]

At one time, I was bored because of a delayed flight and that question arose in my mind just for curiosity. I haven't observed any mechanism that checks or counts the passengers who get on the ...
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3 votes
1 answer
598 views

What would escorting an airliner which is the subject of a security threat by fighter jets achieve? [duplicate]

Today, a Ryanair flight from Lithuania to London Luton was the subject of a presumed hoax, and had some form of security alert. In the incident, it was diverted to Stansted, while being escorted by ...
Muzer's user avatar
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2 answers
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What happens if I cross the ADIZ line without a flight plan and no clearance or contact with ATC?

I'm on a flight to/from the Caribbean on a single engine Cessna and I crossed the ADIZ (Air Defense Identification Zone) line. I haven't filed a flight plan, I don't have clearance from ATC, and I'm ...
0tyranny0poverty's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
10k views

Are matches in checked baggage a safety problem?

A friend of mine checked in on Singapore Airlines a bag which had a box of matches in it. They are regular matches and not the "strike against anything" type. My friend subsequently realised that ...
user1205901 - Слава Україні's user avatar
-8 votes
1 answer
318 views

Why can't we think of mechanism to save people in case of airplane problem? [closed]

Given it is 21st century, why we can't think of mechanism which will save people in case there is problem with the airplane during flight? e.g. so that cases like MH370 don't happen? Is this really ...
user200300's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
473 views

How secure is an airplane on the ground whilst passengers are boarding the aircraft? [closed]

On my recent flight to Ibiza, as I and the other passengers were boarding, there were many occasions where I could see right into the cockpit as the pilots and cabin crew were communicating back and ...
Kxy's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
662 views

Are some airline's flights more noisy than others for security reasons?

LHR has published a table ranking the noise and pollution levels of the different airlines using the airport. At the bottom of the list is Israel's El Al. El Al, in their official statement, say that ...
David Glickman's user avatar
28 votes
5 answers
9k views

Can a few random interaction with cockpit controls result in a crash?

Lets say a monkey / snake interacts with 3 random controls inside the cockpit within less than 3 seconds until the PIC / SIC can take control of the aircraft again. Could such interactions result in a ...
McFarlane's user avatar
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108 votes
7 answers
43k views

Can a fighter jet be stolen?

What (if any) sort of pilot authentication systems do fighter jets have? Could anyone with the required skills simply take the aircraft or is a key or authorization code required?
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