I heard a report on CBS-affiliate KCBS in San Francisco yesterday in which a Thai airlines flight that had been over the Pacific when all the brou-haha occurred in New York and DC. Being over the Pacific, the nearest airport where they could land, given their flight path, was apparently San Francisco International. This flight was escorted in, according to the KCBS report, by a number of US. Air Force war jets. When asked later, why the escort, a spokesman for USAF stated that the escort was intended to make sure the jet stayed on course to SFO, and didn't stray into any tall buildings in downtown SF.
Another thought: it's SOOO easy -- I flew home from the midwest with my family in July to the Bay Area, and it was a beautiful flight into the region. Clear skies, hundred to 200 mile views. Truly splendid. We circled right over downtown San Francisco, looking down on Montgomery Street in the heart of SF's financial district, Transamerica Pyramid, etc., before swooping over the bay to the east, and banking back north to land. It would be sooo easy...
I wonder too, like Mr. Blackmore whether it will be safe at all for civilians to fly. I even wondered this morning, if this could become the death of commercial aviation. Is it possible that the skies may become permanently military space? I don't mean to go off the deep-end on this, but I wonder.
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2001 21:54 +0100 (BST) From: mblackmore at oxlug.org (M.Blackmore) Subject: Shoot down on sight... horrifying future air travel scenario
Shoot down on sight... horrifying future air travel scenario
Anyone discussing anywhere the implications of these hijackings for air travel?
Isn't a possible response of any national defence/government to destroy any future hijacked aircraft to prevent them becoming suicide weapons? We've now seen the casualties and damage that aircraft of moderate sizes can do in urban areas in worst case scenarios ...
So we have a wonderful prospect: any hijacking potentially becomes an immediate government death sentence.
One can have scenarios where execution might not be immediate - give instructions to land at military bases or remote airstrips where little damage can be done by crashing an aircraft, but if not obeyed and if the aircraft is in the vicinity of any major surface installations - boom.
Suddenly flying has become a lot more lethal. Whereas before a hijack was dangerous, but mostly leaving a good chance of survival, now any breach of security could mean summary execution of the passengers and crew.
Absolutely spiffing :-(
This is in the context that there are suspicions that the 4th aeroplane was shot down by the US military over Ohio... any more light on that?
This was an event affecting things worldwide. We are under the approaches to Heathrow and the transatlantic air routes here in central England. It was mid/later afternoon local time that it became clear what was happening in the USA. By evening and nightfall there were engine sounds above the clouds which were not the normal civilian traffic - a lot of tankers from nearby Brize Norton in evidence, and other engines which I suspect were interceptors. That is the sort of time that aircraft turned back over the Atlantic, before they reached the point of no return, would have got back into UK airspace.
Later on the long hauls from the various USA and Canada origins would have been arriving after their 6-12 hour flights, and one could hear on a few occassions what sounded like interceptor engines at lower altitudes.
Probably these US originating aircraft would have been of most concern.
Disturbing thoughts arise about aircraft on landing approach being tailed in by armed interceptors, just in case ...
It is quite reasonable to suppose that the RAF had standing patrols, probably ranging well into the Atlantic, just in case anything had started straying where it shouldn't as it entered European airspace. These are densely urbanised countries - the response time to prevent Canary Wharf becoming a second WTC is very short indeed. I wouldn't be surprised if there were shoot down orders if any aircraft flying in from the USA had made any untoward moves.
What did people in N.America observe of air defence mobilisation?
I bet that standing air patrols to cover civilian aircraft will now become a permanent feature of UK air defence, given how much shorter the time to respond is over densely populated areas compared to radar detection of intruders. I bet the same goes for other countries including the USA around major urban areas.
I wonder if we will ever be told about air defence policies?