Just some general knowledge regarding "fly-by-wire" capabilities and whether they were installed or not.
http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/boeing-wins-patent-uninterruptible-autopilot-system
Emergency landing round-up
Boeing wins patent on uninterruptible autopilot system
Published 4 December 2006More Sharing ServicesShare| Share on emailShare on facebookShare on twitterShare on linkedin
New technology can be activated by the pilots, government agencies, even on-board sensors; not even a tortured pilot can give up control; dedicated electrical circuits ensure the system’s total independence
Although airplane cockpit door locks are now standard, worries remain about terrorists taking control of a plane a la 9/11, perhaps by extorting the pilots into opening the door against their better judgement.
Elsewhere in today’s issue we report on a new Raytheon contract to develop software that uses type of craft, location, and fuel capacity to determine the safest route for a hijacked or otherwise compromised aircraft.
This is a great idea, one that must have Chicago, Illinois-based Boeing excited — not out of envy but because it improves the value of its recently awarded patent for a system that, once activated, takes control of the airplane away from the pilots and flies it to a predtermined landing position. Put the Raytheon and the Boeing systems together — now that’s a good idea.
Boeing’s is, of course, not the first autopilot technology in existence, but this one has been designed with counterterrorism first and foremost in mind. Not only is it “uninterruptible” — so that even a tortured pilot cannot turn it off — but it can be activated remotely via radio or satellite by government agencies. The system might even include senors on the cockpit door that activate the autopilot of a certain amount of force is used against it.
“There is a need for a technique that ensures the continuation of the desired path of travel of a vehicle by removing any type of human decision process that may be influenced by the circumstances of the situation, including threats or further violence onboard the vehicle,” the patent application explains. To make it fully independent, the system also has its own power supply, independent of the aircraft’s circuit breakers.
Boeing Company
Arms Export Control Act Violation (QRS-11 Gyrochip)
Date: 03/28/2006 (Date of Consent Agreement)
Misconduct Type: Import/Export
Enforcement Agency: State Dept.
Contracting Party: None
Court Type: Administrative
Amount: $15,000,000
Disposition: Settlement
Synopsis: Boeing paid a $15 million fine for a violation of the Arms Export Control Act involving unlicensed foreign sales of commercial airplanes containing the QRS-11 gyrochip (gyroscopic microchip), a component that has military applications.
The State Department also imposed additional oversight and compliance requirements on Boeing because of three previous export violations (see Boeing instances “Arms Export Control Act Violation (Transfer of Rocket Data to China),” “Defense Services to Russia and Elsewhere (Arms Export Control Act Violation),” and “Wedgetail Project (Arms Export Control Act Violation)”). According to the State Department, between 2000 and 2003 Boeing sold to China and other countries 94 commercial jets with the gyrochip embedded in the flight boxes without obtaining an export license and in “blatant disregard” of State Department directives.
Document(s):
1. Draft Charging Letter
2. Consent Agreement
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The QRS-11 (gyroscopic microchip) is the main component for "fly-by-wire" applications as well as the guidance system on the "smart bomb missiles" used in Iraq I believe. China and the other countries did NOT know the QRS-11 was installed in the planes they bought, and obviously the US Attorney General didn't either until Boeing got busted. There are news clips and military videos showing fly-by-wire as far back as the 1990's I believe.
I can't find the link now but there were filmed military videos of the technology used on overseas flights as well. And just an added curiosity, but the Patent Attorney for QRS-11 was none other than Hilary Clinton.
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