Posted on 06/03/2005 7:25:05 AM PDT by Petronski
The pilot says the hijack code is an error and the plane is secure, but naturally the authorities are not trusting him.
FOX is reporting it's a continuous squawk at 7500 frequency. Pilot was contacted once to verify (per protocols) and said everything was OK, but still sending signal. Canadian fighter jets scrambled.
"Canadian fighter jets looked at the plane and it looks normal."
Well, I feel much better knowing the Canadians are on the case! Guy on MSNBC says they are diverting plane because if they are truly being hijacked, the pilot may not be able to say that for obvious reasons. Canadians say nothing unusual seems to be going on in the plane.
Canadian fighter jets can see inside the cockpit and don't see anyone in their with the pilots. Nothing seemed unusual. The passangers could see the fighter jets and NO ONE SEEMED UPSET. HELLO! Fighter jets and they aren't a bit upset?!
Probably a drunk assh*le refusing to return to his seat.
Are you seeing this, dear?
Virgin Atlantic said it had contacted the pilot, who said the aircraft was not being hijacked, but as a precaution the plane was being sent an airport in Halifax, Canada.
Canadian fighter jets were to escort the jet, which is carrying 271 passengers and 17 crew.
Everyone knows that what Canadians think is unusual is not the same as what Americans see as unusual!
Anyone know where Howard Dean might be?
NO HIJACKING! As reported on MSNBC!
You're right, that sounds strange to say the least.
If it is some kind of accident, the pilot, who should be a professional, will completely understand the need for a diversion. If he is insistent on it being an accident and not needing to divert, I would be all the more suspicious and make sure he lands where he is told and is under constant inflight security (fighters right there) and follows a flight plan that approaches NOTHING of significance.
Flight controllers instruct pilots to dial a certain code in the transponder to identify them from other traffic. The code varies from plane to plane and controller to controller. At least in private planes, pilots are trained to dial the last two numbers first then the first two numbers in order to avoid accidentally dialing one of the emergency codes. So, in your example, a controller could give the pilot a 7501 transponder code. The pilot would dial the 01 first to avoid the possibility of accidentally dialing 7500.
They probably think Richard Branson's putting on an airshow to welcome them to New York. Imagine the fun when they land, and they realize they're in Nova Scotia with a bunch of Very Serious Heavily-Armed Men going all over the plane.
}:-)4
Programming xpondr gear in London's Heathrow?
LOL
MSNBC reporting its source for that info?
Upset? If the pilot's told them what's going on and there's really no problem, then I think it'd prolly be pretty danged cool to see fighters moving in close. Hell, I'd be thrilled!
To the aviation community. It pi$$&$ me off that this stuff is reported to the public; being married to a pilot.
Reading it on FR... getting ready for work. Brushing my teeth with one hand and clicking with the other :-)
Hijacker could be kneeling behind the pilot so he wouldn't be visible to the jets....why doesn't the pilot turn off the squawk box if everything is ok?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.