NYC-bound Virgin Air Flight 45 squawking Hijack code; being diverted to New Brunswick, Canada

ABC News | 6-3-5 | ABC News

[Petronski]

The pilot says the hijack code is an error and the plane is secure, but naturally the authorities are not trusting him.

[A.A. Cunningham]

I'm sorry to dissapoint you, but a lot of the F18's f15's etc. parts are made in various places in Canada. The Canadian CF18 hornet is built to Canadian Airforce requirements, they have features not found on USAF models.

Sorry to disappoint you but the USAF doesn't operate the F/A-18.

CF-188

[Hunble]

LOL, shit does happen even to the best of pilots.

Because of this problem, I was taught to always select a one as the last digit, prior to switching my transponder code.

Oh well, this demonstrated that some people actually pay attention to the transponder codes which are displayed on the radar screens.

This ATC should be given a cash award for a job well done.

[Tallguy]

Incorrect. Air Force F-4Gs started out as Navy F-4Es. The Navy also flew a small number of F-4Gs. The Luftwaffe flew F-4Fs and RF-4Es. The variant designator is not country specific.

I thought that I might have erred. Thanks for the correction. I think this system (F-15I for Israel...F-15K for Korea) holds, but it is more recent than the Phantom days. No?

[Nathan Zachary]

The Canadian F/A-18 is essentially identical to the US Navy version.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

If the passengers were taken off the plane and then reboarded, it would be interesting to count heads and see if anyone's not making the final leg of the trip.

[Ender Wiggin]

This is not a uniquely Canadian paint job. Some US planes have decoy canopies painted on the bottom too. The concept is that an enemy will be momentarily confused- the attitude of the decoyed fighter will not be immediately apparent, and that makes it hard to predict which way it's going to go.

As for the Dash-8 and Dash-80, I have droned many miles in these boxy wingovers, they do what they are supposed to do (which is a good thing for an aircraft).

[Xbvalk]

I doubt that pilot is going to have a job with Virgin (VS) anymore… Just the cost of rerouting will be expensive itself…. And add to that the US apparently refused VS entry into US airspace… Pretty serious stuff even if it was accidental…

[Hunble]

Yup!

The pilot is toast. However, the ATC who was paying attention to his radar scope, should be rewarded for a job well done.

[Jackson57]

I have a quick question ... why are these planes diverted to Canada? Not being dense, I've just never understood that. (And I'm an Air Force vet, non-flyer).

Thanks ...

[Nathan Zachary]

I would hazzard a guess and say they divert them there because it isn't a high population area.

[Xbvalk]

As is the Norm When the 7500 went out, It was apparently picked up by the Canadians, and the US then Blocked Entry… Since the CF-F18’s intercepted the plane it is usually lands in Country’s first Port of Entry---Hence is Halifax, if it was entry US Airspace it would land in Bangor Main…

[Heatseeker]

The engineers were even considering using it for a high altitude satalite launching plateform. It really is sad it was not developed. But we do know the same engineers took their idea's with them and went to work for NASA and such, so who knows just how much of their brainwork is in actual use today.

I'ver seen the specs for the Mark III Arrow and it would have been a heck of an aircraft. The US produced practically nothing to compare until the F14/Phoenix systems.

[Hunble]

For those that do not know the transponder codes, and how easy it is to select the wrong one:

7777 Military, Interceptor

7700 Emergency

7600 Lost communications

7500 Hijack

1200 Visual flight rules

Now, if your radar controller told you to switch to something like 1523, it is rather easy to hit 7500 during the switching process. The pilot can only switch one digit at time on most transponders.

[GVnana]

Sorry. Didn't mean to create any heart attacks. :(

[Dr. Eckleburg]

The digits of the transponder only go up to 7. Therefore, 7777 would be the highest number the transponder can go.

Thanks for that information. It would be interesting to learn if the same number of passengers who started the flight complete it after the plane's Canadian sojourn.

[angcat]

There are probably moths stuck on them as well!

[Utilizer]

TERR: "You arr h'ijak," waving pistol about cabin.
PILOT: "OK." (Sets XPONDR to "Hijack")
TOWER: "Virgin 45 Heavy; confirm "Hijack" code?"
TERR: "What heh min?" pointing pistol at Pilot
PILOT (prespiring like Barney Frank at a Bikers For America Run): "Uhhh... I've no idea." To tower; "No, a mistake, just trying to find Dr. Don Rose on the AM is all. Having a frightfully gay time here, how about you lot?"

I would not acknowledge a query sent in the clear about such a situation either; too much possibility that someone might become even more unhinged than already so.

[Hunble]

Yup, and that is why those codes were created.

Also, keeping your flaps extended after landing, is a secondary code.

As one of the local airport managers, I rather enjoy messing with student pilots who forget this signal. It is funny to watch, as we deploying our emergency hijack response.

[Jackson57]

Ah ok, that makes sense. Thanks. So, they're not ALWAYS diverted to Halifax.

Sorry, made the mistake of reading the whining over in the DUmp and they were yammering about us sending our problems to Canada, etc.

[Modernman]

You're thinking about Gander, Newfoundland, where the locals basically showed up at the airport with offers of food and lodging.

If you ever feel like you're losing your faith in humanity, read The Day The World Came To Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland

There's a touching section about the CEO of Hugo Boss (stuck in Gander) refusing to take gourmet food brought to him by a Hugo Boss associate because he felt that doing so would be an insult to the people of Gander who had been so kind to him and his fellow passengers.