| No current airliner will automatically change course in response to a traffic conflict. If TCAS [0] gives an advisory, the pilot takes manual control or reprograms the autopilot. Spoofing transponder returns wouldn't do much to the aircraft except annoy the pilots. Another reason traffic spoofing wouldn't cause the aircraft to deviate is that airliners fly standard approaches and departures (STAR [1] and SID [2]) and heavy traffic away from the approach paths would definitely get noticed. Even the fly-by-wire Airbus can be flown manually using differential thrust and/or pitch trim control. The only time I've heard of an Airbus loosing control of a damaged engine is when the electrical cable was physically severed. This was Qantas QF32 [1], after one engine exploded and damaged the cables to another engine. To "take over" an aircraft with pilots in the cockpit, would require the compromise to multiple systems. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_collision_avoidance_sy... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_terminal_arrival_rout... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_instrument_departure_... [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qantas_Flight_32 |