EgyptAir Flight MS804 disappears from radar during Paris-Cairo flight

BNONews ^ | 5/18/16

[Sleeping Freeper]

EgyptAir Flight MS804 has disappeared from radar during a flight from Paris to the Egyptian capital of Cairo, the airline says. At least 69 people were on board. (more)

EgyptAir said in a brief statement that Flight 804, a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, left Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport on late Wednesday evening and was due to arrive at Cairo International Airport on early Thursday morning. Its fate is unknown.

[barmag25]

That looks to be after takeoff. On flight aware it updated at 2:29 am at 37000 ft. Then nothing after that

[Talisker]

I read it backwards then. But the other side of the list ended at zero, and that didn’t make any sense either.

[blueplum]

former BRAF pilot Michael Kay on phone with MSNBC, saying blip ‘faded’ off primary radar. Sudden descent ? But that would leave a trace. A midair explosion causing parts to ‘fade’ away into the ocean ? Ten miles out would be radar rich from several adjoining countries.

[barmag25]

It looked like the log was updated every few minutes to. Had to be a bomb, missle, or the plane came apart in midair because there is no descent recorded.

[ameribbean expat]

Weird stuff going on over Mideast tonight.
https://twitter.com/JulianRoepcke/status/733047637834797056

[Sleeping Freeper]

Search and rescue now focusing on search over land (Egypt)... per FoxNews.

[Mr. M.J.B.]

And the riddle of the day: How many pilots does it take to fly a Northwest jet? Two and one fifth.

[equaviator]

Obama’s fault.

[ObozoMustGo2012]

Trump tweeted this morning that it looks possible it is a terrorist attack and the media is going nuts.

[Texas Fossil]

All the previous reports I read said it was an Airbus not a Boeing aircraft.

Do you have info that contradicts that?

[Vermont Lt]

Have you considered applying for a pilot job with Northwest Airlines? /sarc>

---

Probably more at home with Malaysia Air. /sarc

[Orbiter]

Well I can squawk 1200 or any other assigned transponder code and still get painted by any in-range radar sweep. It's the interrogation reply that determines what information appears on the senders radar screen. Given the realities of commercial aviation these days I think revisiting squawk protocols are in order.

A terrorist need not beat open the cockpit door--he/she/it need only (1) buy a first class ticket, (2) sit close to the flight deck, and (3) wait for one of the pilots to emerge for or return from a potty break. A flight attendant standing guard with galley cart won't stop a fast acting terrorist. Neither would air marshalls--even assuming they're seated nearby.

So let's move beyond the reactive protocol of squawking 7500 (hijack) post facto and employ a new squawk code (7501?) to indicate an authorized yet unsecured flight deck (a flight attendant in the cockpit temporarily is not a secure flight deck). Communicate and confirm with ATC before and afterward of the planned event.

Two things result: (1) ATC will be alerted and can pay special attention to the target on their radar screens and (2) an unauthorized flight deck incursion and/or jeopardy of a crew member can be quickly communicated by having to change only one squawk code digit.

Finally, once the flight deck is re-secured, it's another comm/confirm with ATC before switching back to the originally assigned IFR squawk code.