The Amazing Greek Air Force

[spooked911]

http://www.rednova.com/news/display/?id=207169&source=r_general

ATHENS (Reuters) - A Cypriot airliner carrying 121 people crashed north of Athens on Sunday after losing contact with air traffic control minutes before it went down.

A Greek police spokeswoman said there were no immediate reports of survivors.

Two Greek F-16 fighter jets were scrambled after the Helios Airways jet, en route from Larnaca in Cyprus to Prague via Athens, lost contact with the control tower at Athens international airport.

One of the F-16 pilots reported that he could not see the captain in the cockpit and his co-pilot appeared to be slumped in his seat, a Defense Ministry official told Reuters.


So, the story clearly says the jets caught up to the doomed jet WITHIN MINUTES of loss of contact!

Amnazing! I'm sure it was pure luck! Becuase we know from 9/11, that interceptors can never catch up to a commercial jet after losing contact with air traffic control that quickly. Right?

[Ezlivin]

1. We could have scrambled jets, too

If we'd only known the altitude, heading and tail number of the aircraft.

Oh, and if we'd had leadership. That's pretty important, I guess.

[spooked911]

2. Is the first part of your reply sarcastic?

Because I don't see how altitude or tail number is critical. Heading could be gotten from the primary radar, even without the transponder.

[Ezlivin]

3. Yes, the first part is pure sarcasm (N/T)

[Old and In the Way]

4. Not even a look-see on 9/11 of any planes.

How many jets (not fighters) would have been at the AF disposal to intercept that morning? Hundreds?


I recall reading about some base commander in Ohio asking if he should scramble jets and he was told to load up with everything he had. Hmmmm. Wouldn't 1st response be to get some planes to intercept visually and see what was going on? If the transponders were out, I'd think having an aircraft on the scene to vector other intercepts would make sense.

And why use ATA missles when a few cannon rounds could accomplish the same task? It's not like the AF was facing terrorists in MIG-25's.

[spooked911]

5. Great point. Actually they didn't even need weapons--

as you say, first you would want to see in the cockpit to see what is going on. Second, interceptors could have flown in front of the jet to try and alter its course. Shooting it down would be a last resort.