What would happen if you were listening to ATC and you talked back?

Question

Say you also had a transmitter, and you told planes they were cleared for takeoff, cleared to land, etc etc and got the pilot's confused and made h**l.

What kind of trouble would you be in?

Answer 1

One guy got sent to prison for 10 years a while back: http://www.newsweek.com/id/86089

By impersonating ATC issuing clearances, that's grounds for even more trouble.  By endangering airplanes, you could be tried for interfering with air crews and attempted murder.  If it caused any real problems, you're looking at life in prison.

So big trouble.  Not funny either.  Don't let that little idea go any further than this question.

Answer 2

First of all, atc transmitters are way more powerful than anything you could buy in a store.  Anything you said would be literally over powered.  Then, the people that handle the atc radios can triangulate your position in minutes.  That would be turned over to police who would find you and arrest you.  That would be turned over to the FCC and FBI and you could be charged with something like terrorism.  You would probably find yourself in Guantanamo Bay wondering why you would ever want to do something like that.

Answer 3

You would lose your freedom,  do not pass go and go directly to jail.

Answer 4

if you could manage to decrypt and unscramble the frequencies using stolen military equipment you would go to jail

Answer 5

Unauthorized communication on an Air Traffic Control frequency is a felony crime at the federal level, punishable by decades in prison and thousands of dollars in fines.

In addition to being dangerous and stupid.  Don't even think about it.

Answer 6

Why would you want to put people in danger?! You would be a complete idiot to do this..not to mention having no regard for innocent human life...

If you were to get caught doing this IF no one got hurt...you would still be charged with a felony...not state...FEDERAL...If people got hurt or killed you would more than likely face the death penalty ( we like that here in Texas).

If you were my son or little brother..and were behaving this way...I would tear you a new ****** so big you could swallow the grand canyon....good luck

Jonathan S

ATP-LRJET,HS-125

CFI/AGI

Answer 7

What a classic bunch of answers, especially the first one, which is also probably the most accurate. Most modern airports are equipped with VDF(VHF Direction Finding), which allows ATC to see the direction of the incoming transmission. Once they find you, as has been said, do not pass go, do not collect $200, the Patriot Act gets waved in your face.......... next stop GITMO:)

Answer 8

i assume the  first question you're asking is about being insubordinant. insolent or whatever when you say "talk back" to atc. i'm one insubordinant sob when i'm pilot in command. my craft, crew and passengers  come first and controllers will comply with my wishes above all if there is a decision to make regarding those three things.

Answer 9

Any conversation with ATC and the pilot is recorded in the Black box. This is done to find out the actual cause of a/c. meeting with accident . The Black box is well protected against fire and water. After any accident of a/c the black box is searched and checked for all the conversation with the ATC and the Pilot which will lead to actual reason for accident.Well firstly it is highly impossible to get the frequency used by the ATC and the A/Cs. These frequencies are allotted when the a/cs are prepared for flight and the pilot is given the briefing before flying but as per your question if it happens then anything is possible. One wrong talk can caused accident. You can make the plane land any place or wrong information can divert the plane out of its schedule flight route. and for doing so you can be punished by the court of law.