In Angola, A Jetliner's Vanishing Act

WP ^ | Wednesday, June 18, 2003 | By John Mintz

[RoughDobermann]

The Boeing 727 had not budged from its parking place at the airport in Angola's capital city for 14 months, so when the jetliner started taxiing down the runway, the men in the control tower radioed the pilot for an explanation. There was no reply from the cockpit, even after the plane rumbled to a takeoff into the African skies.

The plane has been missing since it took off from the Luanda airport around dinnertime on May 25, setting off a continent-wide search for its whereabouts that includes the CIA, the State Department and a number of African nations. Their fear is that terrorists could stage a replay of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, using the plane in a suicide attack somewhere in Africa.

[RoughDobermann]

After 14 months in Angola, the plane had enough and decided to try and find its own way home to the Boieng HQ in St. Louis, where it hatched many years ago

LOL!

[RoughDobermann]

Anybody know what effect, if any, a plane sitting on the tarmac for 14 months has on its mechanical condition? Can you merely "turn the key" and take-off?

I honestly don't know. Surely any sane pilot would do a pre-flight but who knows...? Perhaps a Freeper with commercial aviation experience will chime in. The article does state that the bird took on 14,000 gallons of fuel before takeoff, however.

[RoughDobermann]

Good link!

[commandante_zero]

Sidewinders on Cessnas?

Be darn fun to watch 'em launch (from the ground, not from the Cessna)!

[gridlock]

How much fuel to get a 727 from Angola to NYC at V_max?

[Frank_Discussion]

Ah, the little jems are pretty spin stable. Just hard mount the ordnance outboard of the wing struts, it should be OK.

:->

[RoughDobermann]

I'm not entirely sure. A standard 727's max fuel is 9,806 gallons, with a range of 2,500 miles. So, figure 3,569 miles with 14,000 gallons. How far is Angola from NYC?

[gridlock]

Figure it's about 6500 miles, give or take.

That means they would need a fuel capacity of 25,500 gallons to make the trip non-stop. That's an extra 15,000 gallons, or about 100,000 pounds of fuel. Figure the normal carrying capacity of a 727 is about 200 pax (40,000 pounds) plus cargo (20,000 pounds). Empty weight is 100,000 pounds and max takeoff is 209,500 pounds, so he would be overloaded by about 30%. The volume of the passenger compartment is certainly big enough to handle 15,000 gallons in tanks.

So, you figure if the pilot is willing to bust every safety rule and fit out the passenger compartment with tanks, he has just enought lifting capacity to allow a one-way to NYC.

[ewing]

How far could this guy fly without getting noticed?

[Jhoffa_]

..a company whose name he said he couldn't recall -- had removed the seats and replaced them with fuel tanks.

LOL!

And they think it might be terrorism related?

Gee, imagine..

[RoughDobermann]

Well, the article states, "It flew the 727 to Luanda with a plan to deliver fuel to remote African airfields, he said." So, perhaps it's not terrorist related. Still, I'd rather we err on the side of caution.

[RoughDobermann]

How far could this guy fly without getting noticed?

In Africa? Probably anywhere he wanted.

[Jhoffa_]

Me too.. It still sounds fishy though.

And, if it was a repo, wouldn't that have been confirmed by now.. ?

Wouldn't it be as simple as paying the owner a visit?

[Jhoffa_]

PS: Wouldn't there normally be a transponder signal coming from this plane?

[RoughDobermann]

Wouldn't there normally be a transponder signal coming from this plane?

Yes, unless the transponder has been removed or disabled. IIRC, the 9/11 hijackers disabled the transponders on some of the aircraft.

[ewing]

Pucker factor high on post #28..

[_Jim]

Yes, unless the transponder has been removed or disabled.

How do you think they 'power down' those units once on the ground or out of controlled airspace?

An "ON/OFF SWITCH"?

[ewing]

From your pilots message board forum in post #20 -'The buzz in the States is that the terrorists will acquire (buy, rent, steal and aircaft or two) and load them with fuel for another attack.

There is even a story that they might start up a legit 121 frieght operation, and staff it with Anglos for a while to avoid scrutiny

[_Jim]

And, if it was a repo, wouldn't that have been confirmed by now.. ?

Not necessarily ... they guy who presumed he had 'bought it' might be inclined to 'retrieve' it ..

[wtc911]

Pan-islam....better known a Global Caliphate. You are on target.