Original subtitles

Juliet Echo, you're ten miles from the airport and cleared to land.

Roger, Control.

See you in ten minutes.

I'll be in time to make the airline's meeting, after all. You were right about

the following wind, Phil.

The airport should use your forecasting skills.

I'll talk to... No, I've got a problem. I'm... I'm... What the

hell's happening?

Think it'll be flying itself.

I've got no control.

I've got nothing.

Look out!

I'm doing all I can, but nothing will respond.

I think that should do.

It's back.

I've got her. I've got her. I've got control.

I hear an echo.

I'm coming in to learn.

This fax arrived immediately after the incident.

Next time we keep control, Icarus. A saboteur with a classical education.

You think it was sabotage?

Your job to find out.

I've had ground crew all over the aircraft itself, but not... Although

just don't decide to start killing people if it was the autopilot.

Have you traced it? There's no ident.

But you have a core recording system, yes?

Of course.

I can fish out the fact signal and get the sender's identity.

You're in here.

These your experts?

Yes. They'll need airside partners.

Of course.

This is Nigel Todd, head of airport security.

Nigel, this is Nick Beckett and his team.

I hope you know what you're doing. There could have been a major incident this

morning. Yes, I know.

I was nearly killed.

I didn't mean just you, Mrs Langford.

Supposing your plane had come down on the school or on the ring room? They'll

need your cooperation, Nigel, if they're to investigate.

I'm sure that's a perfectly logical explanation for all this. What, pilot

I've known Phil for years. He's rock solid.

Neither human error nor mechanical failure can explain the fact that was

received. Exactly.

Someone knew there was going to be a problem. Someone caused it.

Who's the, uh... Who's the guy being shown the exit?

Just our resident plane spotter.

He'd be a bit old for all that, wouldn't he?

Kirkby. He's a nuisance.

Always here jotting down plane details and asking questions.

What he really wants to be is a pilot.

The other day he even managed to get airside.

Found him wandering around one of the hangars.

Really?

Hmm.

Perhaps we'd better have a word with this Kirkby.

He, uh... He wouldn't have a reason to want to hurt you, would he?

You mean what happened with some kind of murder attempt?

Well, we can't dismiss the idea.

Got the fax signal. What's next?

Him. Chat him up.

Why me?

Well, he's not my type.

The plane's in isolation.

No -one's been in here since security finished their check.

Any ideas?

Well, it could be a software problem. Maybe a virus.

What about radio interference?

Some sort of jamming signal. Yeah. Confusing the onboard system.

Hey!

Hey!

I thought this place was in total isolation.

So did I.

Someone was keen on giving me a lobotomy.

Somebody doesn't like us.

It's new.

You see what it was?

No, mate.

Security will pick him up.

Look, we need to know about the plane.

Do you think it could be a computer problem?

It's a possibility, yes.

You should talk to Quentin Elverson. What he doesn't know about aircraft

computers isn't worth knowing. He invented the Navcom guidance system.

Navcom?

It's state -of -the -art. It is, and it's in that plane. Look, he only lives

locally.

What happened?

Oh, nothing.

Usual thing, you know. Someone tried to kill me.

This is Richard Wyman, my technical director.

Oh. Did you see anyone?

No. I was in the lab.

Did you find anything faulty?

Sound as a pound.

While Ros is with Kirby, I think I'll check out this Elverson, see if he

Elverson?

He won't have anything to do with it.

No -one's suggesting he has.

We're just looking for information, that's all. Elverson's an eccentric.

You're wasting your time.

Mr. Elverson?

No, no, no, it's impossible.

My navcom system cannot malfunction.

You'll find it was the pilot. The human brain can't cope with all that

information. The pilot checks out. The hardware checks out.

It must have been the software.

It's been tested and tested.

The software is recognized as a work of genius.

I never got any royalties, mind you.

What about some kind of virus?

My software incorporates the most rigorous antivirus protection.

It's tamper -proof.

My programs have won awards, commendations.

Well, something went wrong with this plane.

Well, it wasn't my software.

Now, here's a copy.

Compare it to the bots in your plane. You'll find there are no differences, no

glitches. My navcom system has revolutionized flying.

We don't need pilots anymore.

Planes can fly themselves.

Good afternoon, Mr Kirkby. My name's Shelley King.

I'm doing a feature on the impact airports have on the local economy.

Mrs Langford gave me your name. I wonder if you could spare a moment.

Lovely, isn't she?

Yeah.

You know, I'm proud of the fact that there have been Kirkbys on this land

the Norman conquest.

I'm sure you are.

But between you and me, I'm not really interested in farming much.

You prefer flying? Yeah.

I suppose you'd call me a plane spotter, but I prefer the term aviation

enthusiast myself.

Is that why you were at the airport earlier? Yes, yes, I like to watch a few

arrivals and departures most days.

You will let me see what you write, won't you?

Oh, of course.

Because last time I gave an interview to the press, they made me out to be some

kind of overgrown schoolboy.

Can you imagine what it must be like to fly one of these?

Controlling the destinies of all those passengers.

What paper did you say you were with again?

Oh, excuse me.

This girl here.

Mr. Kirkby?

Mr.

Kirkby?

He was a boring, barking man.

He didn't deserve to die.

How was he involved with the plane's loss of control?

Watch this.

This is the signal of the facts received by the airport.

No?

No, what?

This is the facts I sent from Kirkby's house.

Good enough for me.

I can't believe Kirkby was mixed up in all this.

Perhaps he was being used.

Maybe the facts are some kind of smoke screen.

Who killed him?

Same guy who tried to flatten me.

Icarus. What are you doing here?

This is a restricted area.

What's this?

Microwave and UHF scanners.

And do you have authority to set that up?

Mrs. Langford has asked us to do whatever is necessary to get to the

all this.

And she is the managing director, is she not?

Well, yes. Right.

And does Wyman know about this?

Yes.

What now?

Mayday, incoming from Malaga.

They've reported complete loss of all control systems.

Confirm autopilot disengage.

But it makes no difference.

We have no control.

Repeat, no control.

Roger, Hotel Lima 647.

Standing by for emergency landing.

Airspace has been cleared.

You're alone, right?

How can we land?

We can't do anything.

We're climbing now, for God's sake.

This is the captain speaking.

You will notice strange movements, ladies and gentlemen.

This is due to a temporary fault in the aircraft system. We are doing our best

to rectify it.

What kind of guidance systems does the aeroplane have?

Delighted. What, one of Albertson's navcoms, the computers that are better

humans? Probably. Why?

These pay particular attention to the cabin crew and obey their instructions

carefully.

Hotel Lima, you're too low. Repeat, too low.

Race. Race!

Level up, damn you!

What's happening?

Here.

Take a look at that.

Still think it's pilot error?

Well, this is incredible.

It's all over the airport.

Can we trace the source?

Is this the local computer system? Yeah, but it's also on the internet.

Terrific. So anyone with a modem and a little patience could have sent this.

Oh.

I'll have to arrange to get the money.

Government guidelines stipulate non -payment of ransoms. What choice do we

Get the professionals in.

Let me call Carter's mob at NAST and eject these amateurs.

For all we know, it's their microwave gadgets causing all the problem. Don't

listen to him, Mrs Langford.

For all he knows, it's the battery in his watch.

I don't like it, Mrs Langford.

As head of security, I want them off the airport.

Very well, if you insist, Nigel.

I'm sorry, Beckett.

I'll be in my office if you need me.

Mrs Langford, you've got to trust us on this one.

We can sort this out without you having to pay the rent.

These security passes are time -coded, aren't they?

Valid till midnight.

Yeah.

Just let us keep our passes.

We've still got eight hours' security clearance.

We don't have the answer by then.

You can turf us out.

Remember, we never had this conversation.

What conversation?

Come on, guys, let's do it.

Todd must have avoided our passing.

He's not the fool we look.

How long to fix this locket?

It's got to be one or two weeks worth.

One or two weeks?

Don't go away.

Cameras? Sorted. Look in the other way.

Where's Ed?

Well, he... It was a quick couple of weeks. I was happy to impress you.

Come on in.

I'll start with that software of everything, then.

We'll sweep the exterior.

Seen so far, only joy for you, crap.

No.

Nothing so far.

Ed?

Nothing.

Uh -oh.

Looks like we've got some.

I hoped we'd seen the last of you.

Feelings mutual.

Where's the girl?

She's never been big on breaking and entering.

So we left her at home. She's got the dinner on. In fact, Ed, we really better

be going.

I wasn't hungry anyway.

I don't know why you're so suspicious of us, Todd.

We weren't even here when the MD's plane went haywire.

I suppose you think we're Icarus. You were told to leave the airport.

You didn't. Instead, you broke into airport property.

Ed, Beckett.

Guys.

We're trying to help you.

Really? Yeah, and we're close to finding the answer. Beckett. Where the hell are

you?

It's Rose.

Ed, Beckett.

Where are you? Can you hear me?

Where the hell's the autopilot, Ed?

It's below the aileron trim, I think.

Look, it's to the left of the throttle, just above the... Even this one marks

autopilot master switch.

Nothing's happening, Ed. Any other bright ideas?

Hangar 10.

Unauthorised aircraft movement.

I want full alert.

All emergency services on condition red.

Open

one of the doors

and jump out.

Hotel Lima 647, you are not clear for take -off. Repeat, not clear for take

-off.

I know.

Okay, right.

We're going to try and open the emergency door from the outside.

New York, mate.

What are we going to do?

I don't know.

This is the first time I've been asked to deliver 5 million quid at 3 o 'clock

in the morning.

Can we get in a bit closer?

Sure.

That's it.

Certainly 12 ,000 feet.

Yeah.

They've assumed it's that flight pattern. They're circling in about a 10

radius, which means... It's centered...

We're out here.

A little village called Hunstead. Now, somehow, don't ask me how, somehow

someone's flying this plane from the ground.

That's impossible.

That's the only explanation.

So there's something on board receiving a control signal. It's a boat.

I thought Mr. Beckett was leaving.

It's one of Beckett's people in that plane, Nigel. They should stay.

Oh, please. You're overruled, Nigel. What can they do?

We can bring her down.

We can also trace the blackmailer.

My precious little program so far.

Don't push me.

Right. Good.

The money's arrived.

You're not paying.

How do you explain that to the board?

Paying the ransom might be Ros's best hope.

Ros might be in just the right place to help the bill.

Ros, listen, there's got to be a receiver on that plane somewhere.

Yeah, I figured that. And I'm looking for one.

And?

I can't find it.

Ros, it's got to be there.

Ros, look, imagine it was you. If you were trying to override the navigation

system, where would you place the bug?

I don't know, Beckett.

As far as I'm concerned, a plane's just a flying pub.

A place you relax with a drink or two on your way to the beach. Yeah, funny,

Ros. You know, you've only got so much fuel. Oh, cheers, Beckett. Don't ever

out for the Samaritans, will you?

Don't these damn things have ejector seats?

Because nothing can go wrong.

Yeah, right.

That's what they said about the Titanic.

At least it had lifeboats.

Watch out for that last bit.

Hello?

What? Hang on, Ed.

This autopilot's just a computer, yeah?

And you access a computer... Via the input port.

Mr. Icarus.

Gotcha.

I found the bug game.

Now what?

If we disable the bug... Can Roz fly?

We'd have to talk her down.

What's the verdict, guys? Do I take it out?

Yeah.

When you do, hang on to that steering column. Just keep it steady.

Okay.

Here we go.

Put the butt back in.

Look at this. She's losing far too much height.

It's okay.

The plane's leveling out.

Whoever had control before has it again.

Square one.

Okay, okay. We're going to go this way on the other end.

We can find the transmitter, then we can find the control device and we can

bring it down safely that way. Assuming you can find the transmitter. We've had

another message from the blackmailers. More details concerning the drop. Where

do they want it? The Mould Trap. The Mould Trap?

It's a local pub.

Probably it's the first place they thought of.

They also insist that someone from the airport takes the money.

I'll do it.

No. It might be dangerous.

I'll go.

All right, but I'm coming with you. No, I don't think so, Mr Beckett. I think it

would be better if I went with Mr Wyman.

All right, all right, okay.

But let me prepare a bag, okay, for the money. One that we can trace. Ed, you go

find a transmitter.

Ross, can you hear me?

Loud and clear.

Good. Listen, this control device, any idea of what frequency band it uses?

140, 150 megahertz.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, I think, hang on, I think, yeah, I think I've got something.

It's a data stream at about 149 megahertz.

It's really faint.

We'll get you down.

Microphone in one of the catchers, the transmitter and power sorted in the

handle, and the aerials wired into the frame.

Now, it's almost impossible to detect, but if that failed... I'll do that.

Sure you want to go through with this?

It's safer with two of us.

Wouldn't want you to get lost with all the airport's money.

Ed?

Don't want to hassle you, but if this fuel gauge works the same as the one in

car, it could really do with a service station.

Doing my best, Roz.

Reminds me of the army.

Dawn Attack.

Really?

I suppose the nearest you go to, because I'd come to that flying club of yours.

I enjoyed it.

Busman's holiday, I'd have thought.

This is it.

No one about.

Where are you going?

Just for a look -see.

Shouldn't we stick together?

Pride into something?

No one here.

Stretch your legs, why don't you?

We're all alone, Richard.

Ed?

I haven't got much more time.

Just hang in there, Oz.

Sure, I'm not going anywhere special.

I thought something must have gone wrong. Where have you been?

I had a few loose ends to deal with.

Any longer and the plane will come down on the village.

So?

Come on.

No.

I've got to get it down.

I want the world to realise what my navcom is really capable of.

Why?

We've got the money.

If there's some poor girl in that plane, I must bring her down.

We haven't the time. We've got to get away.

No!

I'm sorry, Wyman. I don't want any more deaths on my conscience.

I had to kill Kirkby.

Why?

He was just meant to be a convenient scapegoat.

Kirkby was a fool.

It was just a game to him. A chance to play with bigger toys.

Once I realized they could trace that fax, he had to die.

Two and a half million quid. That should ease your conscience.

Roz, signal's getting stronger.

Well, could you get a move on, Ed? Because I'm almost completely out of

now.

Don't you understand?

It's not just the money.

I want those idiots to realize the full potential of NAVCOM.

Planes without pilots.

Error -free flying.

You're as big a fool as can be.

I'll just give you five minutes to get this girl down.

Suit yourself.

I can't believe it.

He's our man.

He's killed Todd and he's got the money.

He ditched the bug suitcase, but I arranged a backup.

And that's what I'm following now.

Ros, it looks like I've got it.

Good.

He seems to be heading for a flying club.

A stable.

Yes. He's a member there.

Right.

Ross, can you hear me?

Listen, I've found it.

What?

I've found the transmitter and the controls.

You took your time.

There's just one little problem.

The one person who knows how to operate this stuff is dead.

Okay, Ed, you're the pilot. Get me down.

Excuse me.

Ros, listen.

I fly planes, not computers.

I know.

Computers are my department.

I should be up there. You should be down here. We're in the wrong place.

Someone is.

The thing is, I fly things a good deal smaller than this ordinarily, and call

strange, but when I do, I like to be in the cockpit.

It's just a computer, Ed, like a simulator.

Oh, yeah.

How did you control a plane with this thing?

I can't fly with this.

Ed!

You are!

You are.

I didn't touch a thing.

Ed, don't do this to me!

All right.

As far as I can tell, the plane's instruments are duplicated down here.

controls are graphic.

Right. Now, use the mouse to operate...

The thing with the tail.

All right, I'm going to try something. Stand by.

Okay, you should start to descend.

It's working.

Yes.

Yeah, I can tell.

That was the easy part.

Landing's going to be something else.

OK, Roz, you're about six miles from the airport.

You should be able to see the runway lights quite fair.

Hotel Lima, 647.

Roz, isn't it? Come in, please.

Hello?

We have you on radar.

Your approach looks good.

Full emergency teams are standing by.

Team, thanks.

I can see it, Ed. I can see the runway lights.

Good.

All right.

Here we go Good

Still too far.

I need to reverse thrust. Where the hell's the reverse thrust?

Well, is there anything on the screen you haven't tried?

Yeah.

Yeah, there are two boxes at the bottom of the screen.

One says inside, one says ground.

We did it, Ed.

Yes! Oh, I love mine!

Good flight?

Yeah.

In -flight movie wasn't up to much.

Beckett's busy, is he?

I'm afraid Mr. Wyman rather lost control of things.

Captain Ross Henderson.

I just can't believe it. All of these years, Wyman's been such a loyal

and all the time he was plotting this.

Greed can be a terrible thing.

Which reminds me, we found this when we recovered the money.

Yours, I believe.

Well, any idiot can bug a suitcase, right?

A miniaturised tracker using the metallic thread of the note as an

Cool bananas, Beckett.

Thanks again, all of you.

And remember, any time you want to flight anywhere, I'm sure I can get you

good deal. No, thanks.

No offence, but I fancy keeping my feet on terra firma for a while.

That's a damn shame.

I've invested in a terrific gift for you.

Flying lessons.