The airplane manufacturer, Airbus, has registered a patent for a virtual cockpit visit. According to a report in the Swiss Aero Telegraph magazine, the system would be available to passengers via the entertainment unit at their seats. It would supply images from exterior cameras and those inside the cockpit. Passengers would also be able to call up data about the airplane and the instruments. The system is designed to replace the much-beloved ‘cockpit visit’, which is no longer permitted – since the attacks on September 11, 2001. It’s unclear if the system will ever actually be put to use. “The airlines decide which system they (wish to) install in their fleet,” said a company spokesman. Airbus registers hundreds of patents annually for various ideas regarding the building of airplanes.
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