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IP: RE: Two notes on The tragedy in NYC
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 18:16:08 -0400
From: "Meeks, Brock (MSNBCi)" <Brock.Meeks () MSNBC COM> To: "'farber () cis upenn edu'" <farber () cis upenn edu> Yes, we'll have to guard against the immediate, knee-jerk backlash. Because this has nothing to do with crypto or the failings of the spook community; this comes down to a failing of the airline industry. And it comes down to an age old trade-off of convenience vs. security. The airlines have, for a long time now, known that for extra security of the cockpit crew, they should all install what are called "sallie doors." These are, in effect, a double set of doors in which one can't be opened until the other is locked and secure. A person enters one door and is basically "sandwiched" in the gap between the two and when the one door is secured the person then opens the second secured door. But this is costly to refit on all planes and it's inconvenient; it doesn't allow flyers to "peek into" the cockpit as they get on board. And yet, it likely would have helped stave off today's tragedy. Most likely teams of terrorists stormed the cockpit. Experts in martial arts, it would take nothing to snap the necks of the air crews strapped into their flight harnesses. Then a trained pilot takes over and flies the plane on its death mission. No weapons needed. Once again it comes down to economics and saving a few bucks.
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- IP: RE: Two notes on The tragedy in NYC David Farber (Sep 11)