1. TWA Flight 800 departed JFK Airport more than an hour late, so anyone off the south shore of Long Island who targeted that specific aircraft wouldn't have been able to predict the time and place where it would fly overhead.
2. From what I've read, Flight 800 was actually flying lower than usual that night through the area, having maintained a lower altitude to make way for a northbound aircraft flying into Providence, Rhode Island. Nobody would have been able to predict that. If anything, this supports a scenario of an accidental downing by a naval vessel conducting exercises off the south shore of Long Island that night.
3. Shooting a missile at an aircraft flying 15,000 feet overhead from a point that far east makes no sense if you're doing it from there to avoid getting caught. At that altitude there's a serious risk that the missile won't hit its target -- which means you're running the risk of getting caught without any certainty that your plan will even work.
I do not know if that aircraft was specifically targeted or if it was just a target of opportunity. If that aircraft was the specific target, an hour's wait is nothing.
2. From what I've read, Flight 800 was actually flying lower than usual that night through the area, having maintained a lower altitude to make way for a northbound aircraft flying into Providence, Rhode Island. Nobody would have been able to predict that.
I wouldn't presume to know the missile's upper threshold of reach. It may have been good up to 40,000 feet for all we know. Jack Cashill has done some investigation as to the type of missile he believes is involved. I will have to suggest you look up his research on the subject.
3. Shooting a missile at an aircraft flying 15,000 feet overhead from a point that far east makes no sense if you're doing it from there to avoid getting caught. At that altitude there's a serious risk that the missile won't hit its target -- which means you're running the risk of getting caught without any certainty that your plan will even work.
The transponder was pinging from the aircraft. I don't think tracking it was that difficult of a problem.
The last recorded radar transponder return from the airplane was recorded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) radar site at Trevose, Pennsylvania at 8:31:12pm
who says they cared what airplane they shot down????/.....they wanted to shoot down ANY airplane...