American Airlines Flight 62: A Terrorist Probe?

The Aviation Nation ^ | March 5, 2007 | By Annie Jacobsen

[KsSunflower]

What would you suggest? I fly all the time and, especially on international flights...the lights are off half of the time, most people are sleeping, if you are in economy you have no idea what is going in the front section of the airplane, where most people are kicked back in recliners...it is scary easy to see how the cockpit could be breached in a flat second.

[Velveeta]

ping

[the_Watchman]

Something is obviously wrong here: "was instructed by a FA to go aft, but didn’t. As the cockpit door opened,. . ."

Why, in the blue blazes, would the flight crew allow the door to be opened with a passenger present who had already disobeyed the FA?!?

[PGalt]

Thenks for posting. BTTT!

[nwctwx]

While I would hesitate to say this is not a probe of some sort, I would not be surprised to hear that these folks were more or less pushing the limits to cause a disturbance. I know that several Muslim groups in the U.S. have more or less advocated such "civil disobedience". The fact that these guys are not Americans obviously raises more flags when thinking about probing for future attacks--but I think that the real probers are going to be a little more cautious and discrete.

[Leisler]

The whole thing, including the connected incident with the 5 Imams praying at the airport, could well be a diversion. Generally Muslims prefer targets that aren't ready to defend themselves. Aircraft have become hard targets. They only do this to keep the security bureaucrats thinking( ? ) about aircraft. Meanwhile the Muslims are planning something else. This is a feint in the war against Koranic tererny.

[mewzilla]

Why not use some portable potty for flight crew?

Or astronut diapers.

[Leisler]

tererny = tyranny

[saganite]

This crew violated their own procedures. If they had done as they were trained it wouldn't have happened.

[saganite]

Are you kidding me? The day they lock us up in the cockpit like monkeys at a zoo is the day I turn in my resignation.

[Red Badger]

I'm expecting a attack from a sea-borne source. A boat or small craft laden with explosives on a cruise ship, military vessel or oil/cargo ship or drilling rig. That would send the global economy for a loop..............

[mkjessup]

I think the best way to deal with perps like this is to have it pre-arranged with the cockpit crew that upon a certain code word, the 'fasten seat belts' light comes on, the plane drops down to about 2000 feet, and the FFDOs and the FAs grab the sumb!tches, open the emergency door, and just throw their damn asses out.

If it's over land, they won't survive the fall, if it's over water, the sharks have to suck it up and eat some unappetizing food.

Problem solved.

When boarding, all passengers are given multi-language instructions which read "Want to arrive at your destination alive? - Do NOT interfere with the operation of this aircraft, nor with the crew. Any deviation may result in your experiencing a unexpected and violent death."

[Red Badger]

...would the flight crew allow the door to be opened with a passenger present who had already disobeyed the FA?!?

Exactly. There should have been some signal for the FO's to know there were unauthorized persons in the vicinity of the doors. Are there cameras for them to use to see what's going on outside their door?..........

[Political Junkie Too]

I believe this, that the passengers, upon learning that ME men have taken a flight, will not allow it to continue, IMHO, viza viz Flight 93 type ction.

I might agree with you on US domestic flight, but this was an outbound from France. I'd assume that most passengers are French, not Americans returning home. I'm not so sure that the French passengers would react the same way.

-PJ

[Political Junkie Too]

I know that these are small spaces, but what about a double-door system, like an airlock. Have the FO exit the cockpit via the inner door, lock it, then open the outer door to the cabin? Put a camera and intercom in the between space.

-PJ

[Jeff Head]

I was just in France in December, picking up my son and touring northern France where he had served for the last two years with our church.

The politics in France is as split as it is here. I was impressed with how many solidly conservative people there were there and how many of them wished us, and America, God's speed, despite the antics of their own government. They hope to gain ground in their next elections...just as we hope to gain back lost ground ourselves.

So, I think there may well be enough who would act given what I experienced there in December.

[jack_napier]

I believe this, that the passengers, upon learning that ME men have taken a flight, will not allow it to continue, IMHO, viza viz Flight 93 type ction. I don't know about you guys, but if I saw these assholes trying to rush the cabin, I wouldn't think twice about killing them.

[Political Junkie Too]

Northern France, in the Normandy region, is much different than Paris, where the "youth" uprisings have occured near the airport. I hope you're right.

-PJ

[Jeff Head]

Agreed...nor should we. They are a ruthless enemy intent on killing as many of us, including women and children, as possible and then believing God rewards them with 72 virgins for doing so.

Perverted, twisted thinking on a societal scale amongst these fanatical Islamics. Every bit as dangerous and ruthless as the Nazis or IMperialist Japanese fanatics of World War II.

[teeman8r]

ahhh perhaps they could relieve themselves in the iced cups of the islamofascists hanging out in the forward galley...

teeman