Patent ID: 7475851

Claim:
An apparatus for preventing an unauthorized flight of an aircraft, the apparatus comprising: a fly-by-wire (FBW) system coupled to cockpit controls of the aircraft for controlling the aircraft; an automatic flight control system (AFCS) coupled to the FBW system for maintaining the aircraft in stable flight; an unauthorized-flight detector coupled to the FBW system and coupled to the AFCS; the unauthorized-flight detector arranged to allow a partial transfer of control of the FBW system from the cockpit controls to the AFCS, in response to receiving a manual trigger of an operator control for the unauthorized-flight detector, the unauthorized-flight detector further arranged to carry out a transfer of control of the FBW system from the cockpit controls to the AFCS, in response to receiving a automatic trigger of the unauthorized-flight detector; an uninterruptible power system that is not routed through a circuit breaker or switch in the cockpit coupled to the unauthorized-flight detector, for supplying power to the unauthorized-flight detector and to other elements required for controlling the aircraft while preventing the unauthorized flight; and wherein the AFCS is operable to cause the aircraft to ascend to an altitude sufficient to avoid structure or terrain features upon the transfer of control of the FBW system from the cockpit control to the AFCS.