Breathing at 6 miles up is an issue, retrofit the pilot cabin with a panic-button that

1. deadbolts the door.

2. deactivates the air masks in the passenger compartment .

3. rapidly de-pressurises the cabin. ( hypoxia does the rest)

A plan needs to be in place for a quick landing, with the authorities waiting.
-- Mr_Turner, Apr 25 2006

See under L http://www.iasa.com...lethalweapons2a.htm
[DrCurry, Apr 25 2006]

I believe this is one of the options already available to pilots aware their plans are being hijacked. See link.
-- DrCurry, Apr 25 2006


[+] Great idea.
-- kuupuuluu, Apr 25 2006


umm... doesn't this arrangement just mean that the passengers become the pilot's hostages instead of the hijackers.

Hijacker: "Do what I say, or I start shooting the passengers"

Pilot: (Click) "No. And using my new weapon, if you don't surrender, I'll starve you and everyone else in the passenger area of oxygen! Muahahahah!"
-- ChangeSomething, Apr 25 2006


If you don't keep the air thin in the cabin, wouldn't the occupants wake up as the plane decends? How well do planes hold up when the higher pressure is outside the cabin? I would assume okay, but are the seals designed to hold a "vacuum" in the cabin?
-- half, Apr 25 2006


what if the terrorists get to the cockpit first?
-- sninctown, Apr 25 2006


[Half]: You keep the air thin, while the co-pilot dons his portable oxygen mask and disarms the unconscious terrorists. By the time the plane has descended low enough that passengers start waking up, the terrorists would be disarmed and strapped firmly in their seats.

This is considered a near-last resort, as it does not account for passengers that may be killed by this procedure. But if it's "maybe kill a few or let everyone die", then it is definitely an available option. If this weren't already baked, I'd bun it.
-- Freefall, Apr 25 2006


Mr T pities the fool who would try to hijack his plane
-- wakeNbake, Apr 26 2006


Better than adding nitrous to the air, which if the guy hold his breath and lights a match turns the aircraft into a bomb...BOOOOOM all over someones back yard flaming bits of aircraft and people and lugauge.

The needs of the many out number the needs of the one, the few or the self.
-- Mr_Turner, May 03 2006


I'm in a bad mood .....so I voted against myself...wahoo!
-- Mr_Turner, May 03 2006


Hmm, depressurise the cabin, which puts an ENORMOUS strain on the cockpit door, which blows out, knocking over the hijackers.
Bun!
Not.
-- AbsintheWithoutLeave, May 07 2007


Dr. Curry's linked page appears to be a very interesting page written by a loony.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, May 07 2007



random, halfbakery