In Angola, A Jetliner's Vanishing Act

WP ^ | Wednesday, June 18, 2003 | By John Mintz

[RoughDobermann]

The Boeing 727 had not budged from its parking place at the airport in Angola's capital city for 14 months, so when the jetliner started taxiing down the runway, the men in the control tower radioed the pilot for an explanation. There was no reply from the cockpit, even after the plane rumbled to a takeoff into the African skies.

The plane has been missing since it took off from the Luanda airport around dinnertime on May 25, setting off a continent-wide search for its whereabouts that includes the CIA, the State Department and a number of African nations. Their fear is that terrorists could stage a replay of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, using the plane in a suicide attack somewhere in Africa.

[RoughDobermann]

He said a firm that had leased the plane from Aerospace Sales -- a company whose name he said he couldn't recall -- had removed the seats and replaced them with fuel tanks.

Great...

[Lazamataz]

CAP in America will prevent much mayhem.

[Frank_Discussion]

Dang! I hope so... Sidewinders on Cessnas?

(I know, they'll tell the Air Force, who'll shoot 'em down)

[Sgt Hulka 123]

HANDS UP - Anyone shocked by this?

[Frank_Discussion]

I seriously hope this is just someone yanking some chains. Fuel Tanks will do a lot more damage than a load of human beings.

[RoughDobermann]

Fuel Tanks will do a lot more damage than a load of human beings

Not to mention giving the bird some very long legs, if so desired.

[Frank_Discussion]

Ah. Quite true.

[RoughDobermann]

CAP in America will prevent much mayhem

Agreed. Plus, the 727 has an RCS that's, well, rather large.

[SevenDaysInMay]

This news has been flying around for weeks. Even the NYT will eventually pick it up.

"African Orphans Airlines" logo as the long range tanks allows one trans-Atlantic flight?

Israel, UK, oil shipping in or near Suez, Red Sea, or Persian Gulf, Atlantic, Indian, or Med. deployed USN?

Despite the Democrats' open 5th column sapping, we are at WAR because our mortal enemies of Pan-Islam are at war against us, since 1991.

[ChiefKujo]

RCS = Radar Cross Section

[Zavien Doombringer]

ALL YOUR JETLINERS ARE BELONG TO US!!

[Arkie2]

This could be as simple as the owner reclaiming his property. It's happened before. I know a pilot who flew a DC-8 out of South America solo because it had been seized as part of a financial dispute.

[RoughDobermann]

This could be as simple as the owner reclaiming his property.

Yes, that's entirely plausible.

[NYFriend]

"the men in the control tower radioed the pilot for an explanation. There was no reply from the cockpit, even after the plane rumbled to a takeoff into the African skies."

Simplest explaination, there was no pilot. After 14 months in Angola, the plane had enough and decided to try and find its own way home to the Boieng HQ in St. Louis, where it hatched many years ago. Doesn't happen often, but you see stuff like this once in a while. Move along, nothing to see here.

[Ranxerox]

Anybody know what effect, if any, a plane sitting on the tarmac for 14 months has on its mechanical condition? Can you merely "turn the key" and take-off?

[MizSterious]

Wonder if all that "chatter" they're talking about could be related to this?

[Paleo Conservative]

Despite the Democrats' open 5th column sapping, we are at WAR because our mortal enemies of Pan-Islam are at war against us, since 1991.

1991? I think it's been since 622.

[MizSterious]

FYI

[Maringa]

The concern that I have about this situation is that if was simply an owner wanting to gain repossession of his aircraft, there would have already been confirmation of this. Repossessions are easily verifiable. This is a stolen aircraft for nefarious purposes....

[Arkie2]

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=91494

If you want to read some good speculation about this incident check out the link above. Most think it's a repo. Also some detail about those fuel tanks.