F-15/16 Escort

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    Vueling F16 escort in Holland

    What: Vueling Airbus A320-200 en route from Malaga to Amsterdam
    Where: Amsterdam
    When: Aug 29 2012
    Who: 183 passengers
    Why: While en route, the pilots of the Vueling Airbus lost contact with Dutch ATC.

    The lack of communication led the Airbus to be escorted by F16s to “establish visual contact with the crew.”

    On landing at Schiphol, the plane was isolated more than a mile from the terminal, with medical and security teams on hand, and a bus to transport passengers to the airport. Schiphol had already been evacuated after a World War II bomb which had been uncovered was scheduled for removal.

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    Unstable Passenger Claims Bomb Implant


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Giovanni Verbeeck

    What: US Airways B767 from Paris to Charlotte
    Where: Bangor Maine
    When: May 22, 2012
    Who: 179 passengers, 9 crew
    Why: Around noon, Two F-15 fighter jets scrambled to intercept a US Airways plane where a French woman from Cameroon had handed a note to a flight attendant claiming that she had a surgically implanted bomb. She was traveling alone and had no baggage.

    The flight which made a safe landing in Maine.

    The flight was interrupted for three hours when passengers were evacuated, and federal customs agents escorted the woman off the plane in handcuffs. The plane was examined and reboarded.

    A passenger said the crew initially blamed the unexpected landing on fuel and weather issues.

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    On Board Fisticuffs over Washington DC


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Gerry Stegmeier

    What: United Airlines Boeing 767 en route from Chantilly Virginia to Ghana
    Where: en route
    When: May 29 , 2011
    Who: 144 passengers
    Why: After passenger one reclined his seat into passenger two’s lap, passenger two objected
    and slapped passenger one in the head. Apparently passenger one retaliated. This escalated into a fight, which had to be broken up by passenger 3 and a flight attendant.

    The fight that erupted between passengers resulted in a fighter escort from Andrews Air Force Base being sent in to shadow the flight on its return/diversion to Washington.

    No one was arrested and no charges were filed, but police did meet the UA flight on its arrival. The flight was delayed for eighteen hours.

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    Belgium: Spanair Airbus Lost Communication


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Matthias Mai

    What: Spanair Airbus A320-200 en route from Barcelona to Stockholm
    Where: Belgium
    When: May 20th 2011
    Why: While over Belgium, radio communication was disrupted. (This occurred during the handover to Dutch ATC.)

    A Dutch escort was sent (2 F-16s) to intercept.

    The Spanair pilots re-established contact, and were escorted into German airspace. The plane landed on schedule in Stockholm.

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    Brazil: F-5M Falling Parts


    Pictured: two FAB’s F-5M simulating an IFR operation during the Brazilian Independence Day Parade
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Ricardo de Farias Santos

    What: Brazilian F-5M fighter
    Where: military base in southern Brazil
    When: September 6, 2010 8:45 a.m.
    Why: During routine operations, a metal panel from the F-5M fell from the fighter on to a street in downtown Cachoeirinha. It struck the pavement at a high rate of speed, bounced and sent shards of metal flying. No one was injured.

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    Carelessness Begats F-15 Escort

    What: single-engine Piper en route from Florida to Louisiana
    Where: Galliano Airport
    When: Thursday morning
    Who: Ricky Navarro, 62, of Riverview, Fla.
    Why: Ricky Navarro was flying near the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) facility offshore and ventured into restricted airspace at which point Harbor Police were unable to reach him on the radio. He was “given” an escort of F-15’s to the Galliano airport. All because Navarro had forgotten to turn on his radio.

    Navarro was released.

    George’s Point of View

    Let’s look at the predecessors to this event.

    -911
    -Banker Marcus Schrenker faking his death in a plane
    -semi-suicidal Turkish Canadian Adam Dylan Leon flying from Canada to the US
    -Brazilian father who abducted his 5 year old daughter and flew his stolen plane into a mall

    I’m not saying these events are directly linked. I’m just saying that the rate of air events of this nature is disturbingly frequent. Our brave, free-minded and patient fighter pilots who pursue flying fools can only keep their finger off the button for so long. Kamakaze-minded idiots keep testing the waters, doing stupid things and putting themselves and others in danger

    On the day we ever inch closer to war, there will not be a US resident who will blame the soldier for pushing the button the next time someone forgets to turn on their radio.

    Ricky Navarro, if you’re going to be that negligent–rookie mistake or not–you don’t need to be flying. The cockpit is no place for carelessness.