Pilot health monitoring systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided. A pilot health monitoring system is configured to collect information regarding the pilot's physiological and/or physical characteristics, and information regarding a state of the aircraft; analyze the information; determine a health condition of the pilot and/or a state of the aircraft; and/or provide warnings and/or commands as a function of the information.

A control device for an aircraft is disclosed including a push-button switch that is configured to be held in a depressed position by a pilot during taxiing of the aircraft. The push-button switch is configured to return automatically to a released position if it is not held in the depressed position by the pilot. The control device is configured to output a command for braking to a braking system of the aircraft, if the push-button switch moves to the released position during taxiing of the aircraft and does not return to the depressed position within a set time. The button may be provided on a tiller. A method of detecting on-board pilot incapacitation during an aircraft taxi phase is also disclosed.

An aircrew automation system that provides a pilot with high-fidelity knowledge of the aircraft's physical state, and notifies that pilot of any deviations in expected state based on predictive models. The aircrew automation may be provided as a non-invasive ride-along aircrew automation system that perceives the state of the aircraft through visual techniques, derives the aircraft state vector and other aircraft information, and communicates any deviations from expected aircraft state to the pilot. The aircrew automation may also monitor pilot health and, when needed, function as a robotic co-pilot to perform emergency descent and landing operations.

An aircraft emergency control system comprises at least one sensor (104A, 104B, 104C) configured to output an electronic signal relating to detection of incapacitation of at least one aircraft crew member. A processor (108) is configured to receive and process the electronic signal to determine whether emergency action is to be taken. A control unit (114) is configured to communicate, in use, a control signal to an avionics system (116) of the aircraft (100) in relation to the emergency action if the processor determines that emergency action is to be taken.

The airplane anti-hijacking system is an access control, alarm, and lockout system that is installed on commercial aircraft for the purpose of preventing unauthorized persons from taking control of the aircraft. The airplane anti-hijacking system is a biometric system that authenticates the identity of the flight crew and automatically monitors the flight operation for anomalies. Should an anomaly occur in-flight, an emergency message is sent via satellite to the appropriate authorities. Upon receipt of an emergency message, airplane anti-hijacking system gives the appropriate authorities the ability to seize control of the aircraft by locking out in-flight control of the operation of the flight controls and operating the aircraft remotely. The airplane anti-hijacking system further comprises a craft control module and a plurality of biometric scanners.

An apparatus comprising a system with an array of sensors, sound and light emitting and receiving devices having at least one object control from a monitored object comprised of an operator, a patient, an animal, or machine, control of at least one performance parameter of the system; at least one iris/retina biometric sensor; at least one physiological iris/pupil sensor; at least one infinite random light emitter; said at least one iris/pupil biometric sensor; said at least one physiological pupil sensor and said one infinite random light emitter operatively connected and synchronized communication with each other utilizing at least one central processing unit; said at least one biometric sensor and said at least one physiological sensor delivering a parallel array of sensory readings to said central processing unit; said central processing unit capable of detecting a normal or an abnormal sensory reading; said at least one central processing unit capable of effecting said at least one performance parameter in response to said sensory reading; and said central processing unit recording said sensory reading on a storage medium to be used for identifying and detection of said alive status and health condition of the monitored object in real time.

A system and method are disclosed for selectively enabling a control system using a biometric and a physiological sensor to determine the status of an operator. An input component is operatively coupled to the sensor to permit an operator to initialize the sensor. A central processor unit is operatively coupled to the operator sensor and the central processor unit has a transceiver operatively coupled therewith for processing and evaluating the biometric and physiological information; A transceiver coupled with a remote ground control; an override operatively coupled to the ground control. Alternatively, the present invention comprises a security control center, which controls the operation of at least one biometric sensor and at least on physiological sensor; the security control center also capable of detecting said normal and said abnormal sensory reading and the central processing unit in response to said sensory reading.

A passenger aircraft includes a plurality of passenger seats arranged in seat rows, and a disembarkation guidance system. The disembarkation guidance system includes a plurality of electronically operable visual indicators, each of the plurality of electronically operable visual indicators being assigned to a respective seat row. The disembarkation guidance system further includes an indicator control device coupled to each of the electronically operable visual indicators. The indicator control device is configured to individually control electronically operable visual indicators to indicate passengers in the assigned seat row whether they are permitted to disembark the passenger aircraft.

An apparatus comprising a system with an array of sensors, sound and light emitting and receiving devices having at least one object control from a monitored object comprised of an operator, a patient, an animal, or machine, control of at least one performance parameter of the system; at least one iris/retina biometric sensor; at least one physiological iris/pupil sensor; at least one infinite random light emitter; said at least one iris/pupil biometric sensor; said at least one physiological pupil sensor and said one infinite random light emitter operatively connected and synchronized communication with each other utilizing at least one central processing unit; said at least one biometric sensor and said at least one physiological sensor delivering a parallel array of sensory readings to said central processing unit; said central processing unit capable of detecting a normal or an abnormal sensory reading; said at least one central processing unit capable of effecting said at least one performance parameter in response to said sensory reading; and said central processing unit recording said sensory reading on a storage medium to be used for identifying and detection of said alive status and health condition of the monitored object in real time.

A method of operating an aircraft during a flight is provided. An onboard monitoring subsystem of the aircraft detects that a flight crew member is fatigued, and an automated flight crew training exercise is activated in response to detecting that the flight crew member is fatigued. The flight crew member is then engaged with the automated flight crew training exercise, including instructions intended to alleviate flight crew fatigue.