Family of Possible 727 Pilot: He Is Not A Terrorist

ABC News Exclusive ^ | June 19, 2003 | Invesigative Team staff report

[xrp]

.5 tons? 1000 pounds?

Are you sure you don't mean .5 KILOtons?

[fivecatsandadog]

A 727, especially one that is being sought, could not get close to the US without attracting all kinds of unwanted attention. An aircraft at that altitude (20,000+ feet) without a transponder, or one without a filed flight plan, or one that is not following proper flight procedures, or vectoring in from an unusual direction, or one that does not respond to communication.... You get the picture.

Exactly what someone might have in mind. Then it goes KABOOM when failure to respond to communication draws fire from a fighter jet.

[Domestic Church]

"What is it with terrorists and the last name "Padilla"? "

And from Florida too.

[ewing]

Correct .5 Kilotons. The structural damage in the area is consistent with such as blast.

[Lady Heron]

I, personnally am looking forward to the entertainmant value as well as the monumental waste of mental energy and time you'll spend in 'dreaming up' motive, etc.

I have not been a member as long as you, though I lurked for 2 years before joing. One of the many things that impressed me about the freerepublic members was their ability to track down information whether for or against a theory. How many times has information been known here before the media outlets. It harms nobody and is usually very intresting to watch. One thing it isn't is a waste of time, some people would consider it a mental exersise.

[cmsgop]

You are correct IMHO.

[newgeezer]

Is there a point you're trying to make by stretching the images out of proportion?

[ko_kyi]

Who says they have to hold diesel fuel?

If this is for a terrorist attack they could hold lots worse stuff than fuel.

[not-an-ostrich]

The plane is probably sitting in Sudan waiting to be loaded with something nasty.

[razorback-bert]

could not get close to the US without attracting all kinds of unwanted attention

Plenty of targets outside the CONUS.

[razorback-bert]

Most intelligence officials believe the plane was stolen to run drugs or guns, or as part of an insurance scam.

I will go with reason 3.

[mombonn]

I have not been a member as long as you, though I lurked for 2 years before joing.

You have tremendous will power. I lurked for about a month before joining! LOL - I'm a FRaddict, and proud of it.

[eno_]

Might make any reasonable person nervous, but you see all kinds of random ex-Soviet planes painted in UN colors. They sit ofr a long time in all kinds of godforesaken places.

[eno_]

The cropduster that dissapeared long ago was also configurable for long distance ferrying. Seems like a run of bad luck that planes with unusual capabilities get "lost."

[eno_]

Exactly what someone might have in mind. Then it goes KABOOM when failure to respond to communication draws fire from a fighter jet.

Only if there is a fighter within range fueled and ready with pilots on hot standby.

[DannyTN]

"Range with maximum fuel: 2,400 nautical miles."

Range with extra fuel tanks in seat area???

[Terridan]

"Family of Possible 727 Pilot: He Is Not A Terrorist"

SO WHERE THE HELL IS HE???

I am not worried though... the military knows where this 727 is... let us not get crazy.

[Terridan]

The government knows where this plane is... its the MEDIA who hasn't been made privy to it... it will all come out in the wash, or in pieces! Have faith.

[gdc61]

just the fact that it got airborn tells me it has been maintained. fuel,(ten year old fuel is called shellac);) hydraulics, tire pressure, everything would have to be maintained for this bird to even taxi out to runway.

[gdc61]

limited range? not if half of those new tanks are filled with jetfuel and what if the others are filled with .....anything? it would be nice to find this plane.