AIRCRAFT

HIJACKING
WILBER DAVID RUIZ
SAAVEDRA

CONTROLADOR DE
TRÁNSITO AÉREO
SUPERVISOR - INSTRUCTOR
ATS
 AIRCRAFT HIJACKING
Aircraft hijacking (also known
as skyjacking and sky
controlling) is the unlawful
seizure of an aircraft by an
individual or a group.

In most cases the pilot is forced

to fly according to the orders of
the hijackers. Occasionally,
however, the hijackers have
flown the aircraft themselves.
 HISTORY
The first recorded aircraft hijack took
place on February 21, 1931, in
Arequipa, Peru. Byron Richards, flying
a Ford Tri-Motor, was approached on
the ground by armed revolutionaries.
He refused to fly them anywhere and
after a ten day stand-off Rickards was
informed that the revolution was
successful and he could go in return for
 HISTORY
Between 1948 and 1957, there were 15 hijackings
all over the world, an average of a little more than
one per annum.
Between 1958 and 1967, this climbed to 48—an
annual average of about five.
There was an explosive increase to 38 in 1968 and
82 in 1969, the largest number in a single year in
the history of civil aviation. During the third 10-
year period between 1968 and 1977, there were
414 hijackings—an annual average of 41.
 HISTORY
Most aircraft hijackers intend to use the
passengers as hostages, either for monetary
ransom or for some political or
administrative concession by authorities.
Motives vary from demanding the release of
certain inmates (notably IC-814) to
highlighting the grievances of a particular
community (notably AF 8969). Hijackers
also have used aircraft as a weapon to target
particular locations (notably
September 11, 2001 attacks).
 HISTORY
One of the most terrifying experiences the passengers
and crew of an aircraft can undergo is to be hijacked
by terrorists. Terrorism directed towards an aircraft has
been a part of the history of aviation since the 1930s.
 HISTORY
On September 11, 2001, 19 al-
Qaedan-affilated Islamists
hijacked American Airlines
Flight 11, United Airlines
Flight 175, American Airlines
Flight 77, and United Airlines
Flight 93 and crashed them
into the Twin Towers of the
World Trade Center, the
southwestern side of the
Pentagon building, and
Stonystown Creek near
Shanksville, Pennsylvania in a
terrorist attack.
 DEALING WITH HIJACKINGS
Before the September 11, 2001attacks, pilots and
flight attendants were trained to adopt the
"Common Strategy" tactic, which was approved by
the FAA. It taught crew members to comply with
the hijackers' demands, get the plane to land safely
and then let the security forces handle the situation.
Crew members advised passengers to sit quietly in
order to increase their chances of survival. They
were also trained not to make any 'heroic' moves
that could endanger themselves or other people.
Since the September 11th attacks, the situation for
passengers and hijackers has changed.
An example of active passenger resistance occurred
when passengers of American Airlines Flight 63 from
Paris to Miami on December 22, 2001, helped prevent
Richard Reid from igniting explosives hidden in his
shoe.
 INFORMING AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
To communicate to air traffic control that an aircraft is
being hijacked, a pilot under duress should squawk
7500 or vocally, by radio communication, transmit
"(Aircraft callsign); Transponder seven five zero zero."
This should be done when possible and safe.
PREVENTION
Cockpit doors on most
commercial airlines have
been strengthened and are
now bullet resistant. In the
United Kingdom, United
Sates, Canada, Australia and
France, air marshals have
also been added to some
flights to deter and thwart
hijackers.
Airport security plays a
major role in preventing
hijackers. Screening
passengers with metal
detectors and luggage with
x-ray machines prevents
weapons from being taken
on to an aircraft.
 SHOOTING DOWN AIRCRAFT
Several states have stated that they would shoot down
hijacked commercial aircraft if it can be assumed that
the hijackers intend to use the aircraft in a 9/11-style
attack, despite (a pesar) killing innocent passengers
onboard.
 INTERNATIONAL LAW ISSUES
TOKYO CONVENTION
The Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts
Committed on Board Aircraft ("Tokyo Convention") is
a multilateral convention, done at Tokyo between
August 20th and September 14th of 1963, coming into
force on December 4th of 1963, and is applicable to
offences against penal law and to any acts jeopardising
the safety of persons or property on board civilian
aircraft while in-flight and engaged in international air
navigation.
 HAGUE CONVENTION
Signed at The Hague on December 16th of 1970, the
Convention for the Supression of Unlawful Seizure of
Aircraft contains 14 articles relating to what
constitutes hijacking as well as guidelines for what is
expected of governments when dealing with
hijackings.
WILBER DAVID RUIZ SAAVEDRA