An authorized pilot detection system and method for controlling a variety of potentially dangerous instrumentalities such as aircraft, land vehicles, amphibious vehicles and other hand-controllable equipment, is disclosed. The system with respect to aircraft includes an interlock for enabling/disabling one of a control wheel and a joystick for controlling movement of an aircraft; a biometric grip detector arranged on said one of a control and joy stick, said biometric grip detector comprising a plurality of pressure sensors for sensing a handgrip of a user on said one of a control wheel and joystick; a comparator for comparing a pressure signature profile compiled from an output from the plurality of pressure sensors with at least one pressure signature profile including: (a) hand position of the user's handgrip on said one of a control wheel and joystick as indicated by a change in pressure on at least one of the plurality of pressure sensors; (b) pressure as a function of position on the control wheel and joystick; and (c) pressure as a function of time. A control unit may disable the interlock to permit at least partial manual control of movement of the aircraft by the control wheel/joy stick when the comparator indicates that the signature profile matches at least one pressure signature profile in storage. Authorized access to other hand operated equipment such as power tools and heavy equipment are prevented according to the present invention.