Chesterfield Online Forum

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: therealjr on August 05, 2014, 11:45:57 PM

Title: Plane bomb threat... And the point was?
Post by: therealjr on August 05, 2014, 11:45:57 PM

Apparently a Qatar airways flight was subject to a bomb threat by a passenger. So they scrambled an RAF Typhoon fighter to intercept it. Which rather begs the question exactly what was it supposed to do? Shoot it down over somewhere quiet before it blew up over a big city?

Title: Re: Plane bomb threat... And the point was?
Post by: Big Dave on August 06, 2014, 09:42:36 AM

We were asking the same question whilst watching the TV report this morning. I suppose the answer is 'top secret'.

Title: Re: Plane bomb threat... And the point was?
Post by: Old Cruser on August 06, 2014, 10:21:05 AM

Same here Dave, we couldn't see what the point of this exercise was either.
I believe the person who made the threat has mental health problems

Title: Re: Plane bomb threat... And the point was?
Post by: Alsatian on August 06, 2014, 02:17:44 PM

Got us flummoxed too!  :-?

Title: Re: Plane bomb threat... And the point was?
Post by: Fly on August 06, 2014, 05:37:33 PM

Basically yes JR, I think that is the answer. If the people flying the liner don't answer or follow commands, it get's shot down.

Title: Re: Plane bomb threat... And the point was?
Post by: Old Cruser on August 06, 2014, 05:50:51 PM

Seems a strange response, never known it before has anyone else.
Must have been really scary for the passengers and crew - not much comfort knowing that either way you may be blown up if that was the intention!

Title: Re: Plane bomb threat... And the point was?
Post by: Fly on August 06, 2014, 06:00:50 PM

Plenty to read here. Apparently the fighter pilots are trained forn this event.

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?tab=ww&ei=lh2nU72zO8TBhAfKj4CwCg&ved=0CAgQqS4oBQ#q=why+send+a+typhoon+jet+to+a+hijacked+air+liner (https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?tab=ww&ei=lh2nU72zO8TBhAfKj4CwCg&ved=0CAgQqS4oBQ#q=why+send+a+typhoon+jet+to+a+hijacked+air+liner)

Title: Re: Plane bomb threat... And the point was?
Post by: Scimitar on August 06, 2014, 07:03:30 PM

Saw an interview with a commercial pilot - Quatar followed exactly the protocol in this situation. The typhoon was there to monitor the aircraft & ensure it held it's correct flight path, or any changes to it, for example if it was hijacked. I suppose however if it was being flown as a "weapon" to a target, I dread to think of the potential outcome, furthermore the potential instructions to the fighter pilot.Its a standard response from the RAF to flank aircraft with coded messages from flight crew.
A good job done all round from the flight crew, RAF, & Manchester airport. Shame about the nutter >:(