Now working for an aerospace company that is penning out a concept of the next generation cockpit. About 30 or 40 years out, such design features an on board Captain, but with a ground based FO. With full authority retained by the Captain, both will be virtually paired together, with each having equal control capability of the airplane. . . . . Personally, I suspect such an aircraft would be difficult to hijack, maintain a new standard of situational awareness, and always retain a surviving witness in the case of an accident.
If your going to stowaway on a Boeing, then choose the left wheel well as that is where you will find an 11" diameter hot stainless steel bleed duct running through to the cabin.
Won't help with oxygen requirements though - young and athletic stamina is required for that - and with lots of luck. . .
Hard prison time is no answer for "kids playing with toys" - and the Feds will prove that they will not discriminate. A witch hunt at best, the answer is to sock em with heavy $$ fines and lengthy probation.
MH370/ like AF447 and Colgan 3407 - growing reasons why the next technological advancement of large transport aircraft will be to place the FO as ground based. Full duel human control of flight preserved - but one in the air/ and one on the ground.
Well OK that will do, but which freight outfits still have three man crews? Not UPS / Fed Ex use the MD-10's (two man converted). The DC-8's are gone/ no more L-1011's or B-742's/ cant imagine B-727's at todays fuel costs/ maybe Evrett DC-6 in Alaska. . . . Where are the three man airplanes today (other than pt.91 corporate /ie Sands Casino B-747sp)?
The City and Port Authority should acquire/ share this property as a NYC welcome center. A 1964 Worlds Fair 1/24th scale model of NYC could be relocated there from Queens as an added attraction. Rent-able sleep modules with showers available for the 6 hr itinerant traveller. A golden age aviation museum with a restored TWA B-707 parked at a gate. lots of ideas for this landmark, all to enhance JFK and NYC. This building must be preserved!
Thales Avionics (Airbus avionic supplier) is now working on just that. It's called Cockpit 3.0 - Near future airplanes will still have a two pilot crew, but the FO will be ground base. Two in control - 1 inflight and 1 on the ground,
http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/farnborough-air-show/2010-07-18/next-gen-cockpits-will-be-single-pilot-posits-thales
