Fox news is reporting that in at least one of the hijacked flights (they would not say which one) one of the hijackers boarded the plane as a pilot. Supposedly, conversations from a flight recorder box revealed this info. SO, what we have is a guy that had a stolen uniform, came on posing as a pilot, and was invited into the cockpit by the flight crew apparently. The flight recorder revealed that this hijacker was in the cockpit from take off. The courtesy supposedly is often extended to pilots aboard flights if there is room, they are invited to the cockpit. If not, they are allowed to sit in the jump seats if they wish. It would be extremely easy in this case, to get into the cockpit. In addition to this report, they say several airlines have reported many sets of cockpit keys and pilot uniforms having been stolen. Boeing says the keys to cockpit doors are interchangeable between like plane types. So if I stole a key from one 757, it would work on another. SCARY.
If nothing else, I think this will teach the aviation industry that they need to be FAR more careful when in comes to security in the future.
Ya think so?! I just can't believe they don't have some serious ID qualifications that every employee must pass every single day in order to board a flight. I mean it's almost ridiculous what passengers have to go through, but as long as you're wearing a damn pilots uniform, that you can probably go and by at a costume shop, you're looked over?!!! Absolutely ridiculous!
Jumpseat also refers to the little flip up seats the flight attendants sit in. I was unaware there was one in the cockpit.
ya my dad's a pilot for continental(why I lived in Houston). i never heard the flight attendant seats called jump seats, just the one in the cockpit.
This could explain why in a few of the cell phone calls that the caller reported one less hijacker than the FBI identified. On the second flight into the towers a couple callers said 4 hijackers and the FBI said there was 5 and the flight that crashed in PA several callers said 3 hijackers while the FBI identified 4. If this is true our airlines have alot of 'splaining to do.
The flight attendant seats are called jumpseats as well. Sitting in a pilot jumpseat, I can see how you could easily hijack the plane. The pilots have their back to you and you can take it from there. All pilots have to do to get the jumpseat is fill out a jumpseat authorization and show their ID badge. You can be a pilot for any airline. They may have to get rid of pilot jumpseats all together. It would make sense in their efforts to up security.
I've sat in the jump seat (the one in the cockpit) twice - once for a take off and once for a landing, on an international carrier. I'm not a pilot, I just asked If I could and they let me. I daresay it isn't going to happen again.
Now this is absoeffinlutely amazing. Who cares about hijackers sneaking onboard to crash a plane. Hell, if they ask nice enough, they can get invited into the freakin' cockpit?!
Security is still bad. A guy in Atlanta walked on an airplane yesterday, before he realized he'd forgotten to remove his gun from his person.
I have flown since the attacks, and I will tell you that security is still less than stellar. There were only two measure that I could see that had been implemented in the terminal. 1.) They ASKED me if I had any sharp objects on my person 2.) They checked my boarding pass at the security checkpoint Man, I can truly see how difficult it will be for a hijacker to get through. I mean, how could one lie when asked the sharp objects question? CNN reported this morning that just yesterday a man was arrested on a Northwest flight for smuggling 4 boxcutters onto the flight. Yes, they arrested him, but how did he get all the way onto the jet? The FAA has a lot of work to do.
Like I've stated before in other threads, I fly to Houston pretty much on a monthly basis and I have 2 tickets that I bought ahead of time for trips in October and November. If what people like Hoop-T says above is still true, they can keep my money... I'll drive down.
I urge you to keep in mind that Fox News has reported every detail of this catastrophe completely and totally incorrectly thus far.
I can't believe I never got to sit in the jumpseat. More legroom and a better view than coach! I could have just asked?
Granted, Fox News did eventually get word of the planes crashing into the Towers, but that accidental tidbit of accuracy was not enough to drown out such false reports -- on the thursday after the attack -- as the ones indicating that Bin Ladin had been taken into custody by the Taliban for extradition and that ten cops were being pulled out of the rubble of the WTC. They say this crap and then just let it float away when they discover it is wrong. No retraction, no remorse. Just garbage and geraldo. As if Ally McBeal was not proof enough, Fox's bogus news coverage is testament to a network will put a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g on the air. Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey are more accurate reporters than the ones on Fox. Its like a sick comedy show. The O'Reilly Factor is downright hysterical. THE TALIBAN MUST NOT FAIL TO CONSIDER THE O'REILLY FACTOR WHEN DECIDING HOW TO PROCEED IN THIS HOLY WAR! AIEEEEEEE! cbfc
Another story from yesterday: A guy went through a metal detector and a search at the Philly airport and was ready to board his flight when he alerted authorities that he had gotten through with an entire box of boxcutters. When asked why he did it, he replied "I wanted to show my wife how easy it was." He was arrested and led away by authorities.
As Davo said if you ask they will sometimes let you in the cockpit. One time when i was flying to Europe I asked and they let me go into the cockpit and chat with the pilots and they showed me all of the electronics. Now I am a kid but still i've seen them do this for adults too.
