NORAD intercepting Air France 68 now (plane has landed without incident)

me

[BurbankKarl]

if you have a good scanner in So Cal, tune to 271.0, set it in AM mode and listen to Norad intercept Air France flight 68, due at LAX 515pm

two F16s from AZ current refueling off Pacific

[McGruff]

Air France flight number 68  (AF68)

	Departure	Arrival
Airport:	Paris (Charles DeGaulle), France	Los Angeles, CA
Scheduled Time:	1:35 PM, Dec 30	4:05 PM, Dec 30
Actual Time:	3:29 PM, Dec 30	5:47 PM, Dec 30 (Estimated)
Status:	In air at an altitude of 37000 feet and ground speed of 477 KTS
Equipment:	B744

All times listed above are local times unless otherwise stated.

Probably just a coincidence that the image doesn't display right now but I'm going to take a shower just in case.

[dawn53]

I thought after 9/11 that there was some "arrangement" made concerning shooting down of civilian planes if they are deemed to be a threat. Don't really remember the details, but remember hearing it discussed.

[Yaelle]

It would be better in the long run to have Al Quaeda blow up the plane than to have our guys do it, unless there is a target to save on the ground. If it's a simple explosion over an unpopulated area, why should we do the evil job?

[Skywarner]

None of the "retail" news outlets will have the info for a while if at all. Scoops like this one - one from an alert scanner listener of aviation and milair frequencies (perhaps an amateur radio operator?) - often learn of a story longggggg before it becomes public.

Here's hoping that we DON'T hear about this one on the news if you know what I mean...

[gitmo]

Is this common practice for our Air Force to tail incoming French?

It's not a sanctioned practice. The boys just like seeing them surrender.

[rwfromkansas]

Any news info yet?

All major broadcast stations would have a scanner on....though I doubt they would be getting NORAD, so maybe they are not aware of this.

It sounds like it may be a new SOP though for some flights. Who knows.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

It sounds like a practice exercise, to me.

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks. Great song to listen to while watching this flight come in! LOL!!

[demlosers]

NORAD, SOP, SOB, LAX, LFPG, LOL, ENVO, AWACS, NBA, CDG...

NORAD - North American Air Defence

SOP - Standard Operating Porcedure

AWACS - Airborne Warning and Control System (E3A)

[DryFly]

Looks like the flight path goes straight over the Free Republic HQ in Fresno. Jim had better duck and cover.

[baltodog]

I agree....what's the frequency you are recv'g on your scanner?

[Prime Choice]

Do we know that this isn't just one of those "exercises" that the Air Force practices on commercial airliners?

Dunno. Do we normally scramble our fighters to intercept commercial airliners flying over other nations (Canada)?

[TomGuy]

Current flights destined to LAX.

[July 4th]

Yup, I'm showing the same thing on my tracking software. They must be making the AF flights take different routes way out of the way of Las Vegas.

[rotstan]

We got a fighter squadron stationed here in Fresno. I'll let you all know if I hear any jets scramble in the next hour or so. Their take-off path goes right over my house.

[cmsgop]

[JHENN22499]

Flightracker.com shows the plane just over the border of Oregon. Definitely taking the long route.

[cajun-jack]

you are going to hate my saying this...but don't send it to crash on any military base...especially an air force base..how many planes and pilots would potentially be destroyed...don't kill the ones we are depending on to protect the rest of us...tragic as it would be for any citizen to be attacked and killed...we need the military...a really good new year's eve party will replace the civilians (just kiddin)

[john in orinda]

Nice map, Tomguy - I'd bet on one of the four planes over Oregon and NE California.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I've heard he has his own air defense system on the server. It's a high altitude moose catapult, and as everyone knows, moose smacking into airliners can be pretty nasty.