jaytcsd

http://www.newscientist.com/article/...ight-wifi.html

PTravel

What the article is missing is that it is already possible to call a cellphone in a plane, without the assistance of a plane-mounted femtocell or the internet.

PHL

In reference to last week's bomb finds, it was revealed that the cell phones didn't have their communication boards. They were, rather, elaborate timing mechanisms.

I don't really want to see cell phone use allowed on planes, but not for the potential security risks (as small as they may be). I just don't want to be sitting amongst a bunch of primadonnas who don't know how to carry on a discrete phone conversation in public.

DillMan

Oh give me a break. What a crock of bull hooey.

So in the minds of these security experts, a conversation between two terrorists would go like this:

Terrorist #1: Let's blow up this plane with a wifi activated bomb.
Terrorist #2: What a great idea! Your input to the team is always valued. I'll remember this during your next performance review.
Terrorist #1: Oh no! I just noticed wifii is no longer allowed on US and UK aircraft. This would mean we'd have to use Wi-Fi without authorization.
Terrorist #2: Well, I'll put together some powerpoint slides so we can roundtable this paradigm shift, but I'm not willing to ask someone to break FAA rules to detonate this bomb. Let's put this project on hold for now.
Terrorist #1: Agreed. The rules against wifi are there for our protection too!

I mean seriously, do they really think that an impossible to enforce ban on wifi while in flight is going to thwart someone planning to die that day?

IC6A

I may be a little stupid but I do worry if any terriost could use their mobile device (includes I=pad aike) to hike into Airbus's computer control system to manipulate auto pilot control......

If that make sense to your guys......

tom911

Also being discussed in the Travel Safety/Security forum:
Security Consultants Claim New Terrorist Bombs May Mean No More In-Flight WiFi

siankaan1

I would be more than a little surprised if there was a wireless access point attached to an aircraft's computer control systems.

bubb1

This is definitely something that people who design the electronic systems on planes think about, and the bottom line is that they segregate control systems from everything else. Ideally, the only way to interact with the control systems is (behind a locked door) in the cockpit.

loudgonzo

Unless you're Kurt Russell, and make your way to the electronics bay, follow the planes electrical drawings....then you can morse code with the planes tail lights

beerup

If the concern with wifi is that a cellphone in the hold could be contacted if it were connected via VOIP, I would have thought that it wouldn't be too difficult to detect the person that would have to be in the hold with the phone to accept the wifi conditions of service when the flight began.

CityFlyerNYC

This theory is great but oh wait.. I forgot my Go Go login to activate my WiFi device..

QueenOfCoach

LOL!!!

dstan

As this topic is not AA specific, please continue to participate in the TS/S thread provided by tom911 above.

/Moderator