Back to "hacking"...
To change the airplane's course, you have 3 options:
1. On autopilot, reprogram the route in the CDU, and allow the FMC to navigate on a new course. This is how we generally operate an airliner. Takes about 5-10 seconds for the initial route change (1 or 2 waypoints) but could take a few minutes if it's a full route with dozens of waypoints. The time is a matter of complexity of input required.
2. On autopilot, turn the heading select knob to a new heading. Autopilot is still flying, but FMC input is removed and pilot manually controls heading. We do this for quick heading changes, vectors, etc. it takes, oh 1 - 2 seconds.
3. Click autopilot off, fly airplane. This is manual flying. No autopilot, no FMC input. We do this for proficiency, for landing. Sometimes, even, because it's more fun than being a systems manager. This is instantaneous.
There are no "codes" or passwords for option 1. You just have to understand the logic for that particular FMC - Boeings are all the same, roughly, while Airbus is quite different. Honeywell builds the FMC for both companies, but the logic varies due to proprietary copyright. While the airplane is in flight, either pilot can make CDU entries and the airplane will respond.
So, let's talk "hacking". From the cockpit, with a detailed knowledge of proprietary software (unlikely) on a stack of 3 1/2 floppies, you could, in 45 minutes, reload the FMCs if you could fool the airplane into thinking it was on the ground. You would have to put the autopilot in heading select (option 2 above) while you did this because the FMCs would be offline.
So, our "hackers" gain cockpit access, and can turn the airplane in seconds by using the FMC (which they would clearly understand if they had the underlying OS) or they can spend an hour trying to "hack" something that is easily disconnected, over-ridden and not required to fly the airplane.
See why hacking makes no sense?
To change the airplane's course, you have 3 options:
1. On autopilot, reprogram the route in the CDU, and allow the FMC to navigate on a new course. This is how we generally operate an airliner. Takes about 5-10 seconds for the initial route change (1 or 2 waypoints) but could take a few minutes if it's a full route with dozens of waypoints. The time is a matter of complexity of input required.
2. On autopilot, turn the heading select knob to a new heading. Autopilot is still flying, but FMC input is removed and pilot manually controls heading. We do this for quick heading changes, vectors, etc. it takes, oh 1 - 2 seconds.
3. Click autopilot off, fly airplane. This is manual flying. No autopilot, no FMC input. We do this for proficiency, for landing. Sometimes, even, because it's more fun than being a systems manager. This is instantaneous.
There are no "codes" or passwords for option 1. You just have to understand the logic for that particular FMC - Boeings are all the same, roughly, while Airbus is quite different. Honeywell builds the FMC for both companies, but the logic varies due to proprietary copyright. While the airplane is in flight, either pilot can make CDU entries and the airplane will respond.
So, let's talk "hacking". From the cockpit, with a detailed knowledge of proprietary software (unlikely) on a stack of 3 1/2 floppies, you could, in 45 minutes, reload the FMCs if you could fool the airplane into thinking it was on the ground. You would have to put the autopilot in heading select (option 2 above) while you did this because the FMCs would be offline.
So, our "hackers" gain cockpit access, and can turn the airplane in seconds by using the FMC (which they would clearly understand if they had the underlying OS) or they can spend an hour trying to "hack" something that is easily disconnected, over-ridden and not required to fly the airplane.
See why hacking makes no sense?
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