The federal government is evaluating technology that would put video cameras on commercial flights so people on the ground could monitor pilots and passengers and get an early warning of hijackings or other trouble on board. The Boeing Co. demonstrated a satellite system to Federal Aviation Administration officials in two test flights early this year, showing how images could be sent from a plane to the ground, said John Loynes, an FAA program manager in Washington. A Boeing 737, equipped with seven cameras, transmitted images of the cockpit and cabin. Pilots have fiercely opposed efforts to put cameras in cockpits as an infringement of their authority. Passenger advocates have supported cameras as a way to prevent terrorist acts. FAA officials stressed that the tests, conducted in January and February, were preliminary and said the agency’s focus is purely on whether the technology would affect air safety. There will be further tests and other agencies could decide whether or how to use the technology, said Greg Martin, FAA chief spokesman. Full Story
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