Duress

[Bill Frantz]

At  2:49 PM 3/3/96 -0500, Dr. Dimitri Vulis wrote:

>As a side remark, every burglar alarm connected to a phone that I've ever seen
>has this feature: a code that one can type under duress that will both turn
>off the alarm and call for help. I wonder how many users will remember this
>code when under duress.

The air-transport system has had a Hijack transponder code for years.  The
pilot dials it into the air traffic system radar transponder when the plane
is hijacked.  However there is a problem.

One of the private pilot magazines reported that a small plane operator
used the code (because his airplane was, in fact, being hijacked).  When he
landed the airplane, it was surrounded by LEA, and in the ensuing gun
battle, everyone on the airplane died.  The went on to say that the safety
of the passengers and airplane are the pilot's primary responsibility and
that pilots should consider this incident when deciding to use the code.

Duress codes need to be designed to minimized the chance of such responses
when they are used.

Regards - Bill


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