F-16s trail Saudi prince's jet over state

www.insidedenver.com ^ | August 27, 2002 | Dick Foster, Rocky Mountain News

[It'salmosttolate]

F-16s trail Saudi prince's jet over state

By Dick Foster, Rocky Mountain News
August 27, 2002

A half-dozen military groups and federal agencies joined forces in the mysterious interception of a private airliner carrying a Saudi prince to Grand Junction Monday afternoon.

Two Colorado Air National Guard F-16 jet fighters were scrambled from Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora early Monday afternoon and shadowed the plane to Grand Junction, said NORAD spokesman Maj. Barry Venable.

When it was over, none of the agencies, which included the FBI, Federal Aviation Administration, NORAD, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Transportation Security Administration and the Colorado National Guard, would say why it happened.

The plane, a privately owned Airbus 310 airliner, reportedly chartered to a Saudi Arabian prince, had departed Bangor, Maine, for Grand Junction, where the prince and his entourage usually land for a motorcade to his residence in Aspen. The jet is too large to land at Aspen's Sardy Field.

The FAA notified NORAD after the plane left Bangor and asked that it be intercepted and escorted to its destination.

"Our air traffic control people specifically requested that two F-16s escort this plane down to Grand Junction," said FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer.

Asked why, Kenitzer said, "There's not a lot we can give you on that."

The two fighters ushered the Airbus to Walker Field, where it landed about 1:45 p.m., said airport spokesman Charlie Novinskie. Once on the ground, the plane was held at one end of the airport while agents from the INS, TSA and FBI boarded it.

"Whatever the problem was, it was over in a hurry. They were only out there about 45 minutes and then taxied to the terminal," Novinskie said. "It seems to me like it might have been just some kind of paperwork issue where somebody wanted to check the paperwork that was filed. If it were much more than that, they'd probably still be parked on our taxiway and wouldn't be allowed to go anywhere."

FBI Special Agent Ann Atanasio said the FBI had not requested the FAA to intercept the plane.

The INS and TSA could not be reached for comment.

[ravingnutter]

I heard it was merely a problem with the flight plan.

[Mohammed El-Shahawi]

I just hope one of the F16's pilots wasn't a woman!

[Woodkirk]

Hmmmmm -- interesting.

[billsux]

KA-BOOM!

oops...

[Ancesthntr]

Geez, the F-16 drivers are really falling down on the job. They're supposed to shoot down planes in which the terrorists are in control.

[nevergore]

If it were a flight plan issue serious enough to scramble two F-16's across half the US Air traffic Control would have first instructed the plane to divert to the nearest airfield.

The FAA's explanation doesn't ring true since ATC departure already would have the flight plan and wouldn't clear for take-off with an invalid plan. If the plane departed a small field and activated the plan en-route (which most likely would have been pre-filed) Center (ATC) would have refused the plan if it were not proper, proposed a new plan, or tell them to remain VFR until re-file.

More was up with this than is being explained.....

NeverGore

[w_over_w]

They're supposed to shoot down planes in which the terrorists are in control.

LOL!

[blackdog]

Can you explain how the pilot got a departure clearance before he even left the FBO Ramp and it merely be a flight plan error? It is not like an airbus can fly VFR. A departure clearance and enroute readback would be required. That read back would have to match the controllers assigned route. Sounds more like the pilot just flipped off the assigned route, and flew direct, saying "screw you, I am flying a Saudi Prince and you can foxtrot oscar".

Based on previous experience with Saudi pilots, they have an arrogant up-yours attitude. When they are pinned down to explain a violation in our airspace rules, they suddenly become humble and stupid.

[TLBSHOW]

lol

[Wright is right!]

"Two Colorado Air National Guard F-16 jet fighters were scrambled from Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora early Monday afternoon and shadowed the plane to Grand Junction"

So it appears that the Foxtrot-16's intercepted the Airboos pretty near the end of its flight. The rest of the time, the aircraft was unescorted, or so the story says. So the Airboos must have done something at the end to arouse suspicion. Why else would they let him fly all the way across the Midwest with no escort?

Michael

[Bill Davis FR]

and i hope one of the pilots was a woman...lol

[stumpy]

Were they "weapons hot"??????????????????

[Isle of sanity in CA]

Must have been some sort of weapons systems malfunction. Or maybe they were ordinance lite because of budget cuts..

[w_over_w]

That's 5 x 5. Maybe the pilot forgot to put on his "glass stomach".

[w_over_w]

Hey stumpy! Long time no see. How's my Viet-vet, ex-cop hero doing?

[dyed_in_the_wool]

Were they "weapons hot"??????????????????

Thank goodness I'm not a pilot. I don't know that I'd have the restraint.

[stumpy]

I'm doing well, and you?

[blackdog]

If I lived in Aspen, I would have formed a neighborhood watch who's sole purpose would be to make any Saudi living in town as miserable as possible. Shame on the people of Aspen for letting this POS soil their community.

[w_over_w]

Praise God we're all well - thank you. And with fine men like you this is a better world to live in. Hoo-ahh!