AIRPLANE HIJACKING PREVENTION SYSTEM

• US 3,704,845 A
• Filed: 01/14/1971
• Issued: 12/05/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael Ord
• Original Assignee: Michael Ord
• Inventors: Ord, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Sroka, Edward A.
• Application Number:
  US05/106,337
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 244/1R,1P,118R,118P,119,121 109/21.5
• US Class Current: 244/121
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1469 Doors between cockpit and cabin
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0028 doors or door arrangements specially adapted to restrict unauthorized access
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0059 by communicating emergency situations to ground control or between crew members

Abstract

A method and system for preventing airplane hijacking provides for isolating the pilot and the cockpit from the passenger cabin of the airplane while nevertheless maintaining the necessary communication therebetween for assuring safety of the passengers and the airplane. Physical access between the cabin and the passenger compartment is restricted by a door which can be opened only from the cockpit, both the door and the associated bulkhead being of fire resistant, bulletproof material. An audio system provides verbal communication only from the cockpit to the cabin, and not in the reverse direction. Communication from the cabin to the cockpit is afforded exclusively by an electrical signalling system affording communication only of predetermined messages, specifically excluding any indication of hijacking attempts. The pilot'"'"''"'"'s primary response to any emergency signalling indication is to land at the nearest airport. By assuring that all passengers are warned in advance of the installation in a plane of the system of the invention, potential hijackers are discouraged from even attempting to hijack a plane, since any effort to that end would be totally fruitless.

Claims

1. A system for incorporation in an airplane to prevent hijacking comprising:

means for isolating the cockpit and passenger cabin of the airplane to prevent forcible entry into the cockpit from the cabin, means affording verbal communication exclusively from the cockpit to the cabin, and A signalling system affording the exclusive means of communication from the passenger cabin to the cockpit and providing selective transmission of a plurality of predetermined messages for at least certain emergency conditions, excepting hijacking, and directing the pilot to land the airplane at an airport selected in accordance with the emergency condition as identified by the corresponding, selectively transmitted message.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said isolating means comprises:

a bulkhead separating the cockpit and the cabin and having a doorway therein with a door mounted to close the doorway, and latch means for securing the door in closed position and operabLe exclusively from the cockpit.

3. A system as recited in claim 2 wherein said bulkhead and said door are constructed of bulletproof material.

4. A system as recited in claim 3 wherein said bulkhead and said door are constructed of fire resistant material.

5. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said signalling system includes:

transmitting means in said cabin and receiving means in said cockpit, said transmitting means including a plurality of actuation means corresponding to said predetermined messages and independently and selectively operable to effect the transmission of the respectively corresponding signal coded messages to said receiving means, and said receiving means including a plurality of indicating means responsive to respectively associated ones of said signal coded messages for indicating the message to a pilot in said cockpit.

6. A system for preventing airplane hijacking through isolation of the cockpit and cabin of the airplane while affording selective communication of predetermined messages therebetween to the exclusion of any indication of hijacking attempts, comprising:

a bulkhead separating the cockpit and cabin of the airplane and affording a doorway therebetween, a door mounted to the bulkhead for closing the doorway, latch means for securing the door in the closed position and operable exclusively from the cockpit side of said door, means affording verbal communication from the cockpit to the cabin exclusively, and a signalling system affording selective transmission of predetermined signal coded messages from the cabin to the cockpit for communicating the existence of respectively corresponding emergency conditions excluding the presence of a hijacking effort and directing the pilot to land the airplane at a next available airport.

7. A system as recited in claim 6, wherein said signalling system includes:

transmitting means in said cabin and receiving means in said cockpit, said transmitting means including a plurality of actuation means corresponding to said predetermined messages and independently and selectively operable to effect the transmission of the respectively corresponding signal coded messages to said receiving means, and said receiving means includes a plurality of indicating means responsive to respectively associated ones of said signal coded messages for indicating the message to a pilot in said cockpit.

8. In an airplane having a cockpit and a cabin separated by a bulkhead and door with a latching mechanism operable from the cockpit exclusively, a method for preventing airplane hijacking comprising:

isolating the flight crew in charge of flying an airplane in the cockpit from the passengers in the cabin of the airplane by providing for entry of the crew into the cockpit and latching of the bulkhead door by the flight crew to secure the cockpit against forcible entry therein from the passenger cabin prior to entry of the passengers into the cabin, providing verbal communication exclusively from the cockpit to the cabin and preventing verbal communication from the cabin to the cockpit to prevent informing the flight crew of a hijacking attempt during flight operations, affording a signalling system for communicating from the cabin to the cockpit, selectively, any of a plurality of predetermined messages excepting an indication of a hijacking effort for indicating at least certain predetermined emergency conditions, and the pilot responding to receipt of a message indicating an emergency condition by landing the airplane at the next available airport.