AC escorted into YVR

FL410 · Post by **FL410** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 6:39 pm

Fighter escort for Air Canada flight
Last Updated Tue, 27 Apr 2004 21:37:10
RICHMOND, B.C. - An Air Canada aircraft was given a fighter escort into Vancouver on Tuesday. Although no one will say why, two government sources have confirmed to CBC News that a threat was made against the plane, but it appears to have been a false alarm.

INDEPTH: Canadian security

The plane had flown from Halifax to Vancouver with a stop in Toronto. RCMP officers interviewed passengers and crew, but would only say that they were "investigating" the flight.

The Federal Aviation Administration in Washington told CBC News there was "something onboard that had to be checked out."

A spokesperson for Norad also refused to give any details about what triggered the action. "Two Canadian air force CF-18 Hornet fighter jets assigned to the Canadian Norad region did conduct a routine air sovereignty operation today," said Capt. Dave Muralt.

"In order to preserve operational security, I can't give you any more information than that. What I can tell you is that since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Norad – that's Norad as a whole – has conducted more than 35,000 internal air defence sorties."

Flight 109, a Boeing 767 aircraft, landed safely. Police say their investigation is continuing.

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/04/27/ca ... cort040427

DA900 · Post by **DA900** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 1:37 am

I find that very hard to believe. I mean really we had 2 CF-18 to intercept this plane I have to say BS

roundenginesmakemyday · Wed Apr 28, 2004 4:29 am

twinprop · Post by **twinprop** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 9:41 am

thatd be insane , your just flying looking out the window and there are two fighter jets. i wonder what the passengers were thinking.

N8 · Post by N8 » Wed Apr 28, 2004 12:49 pm

When fighters follow airliners they follow behind the aircraft out of sight from the passengers. That’s the point. They don’t want to scare anyone that might be on board.

I bet fighters follow airliners more often than the general public would think. Many times the airline pilots don’t even know because the fighter’s transponders are turned off. (No Transponder = No TCAS).

Someone let the cat out of the bag on this one and let the media get a hold of it.

Pratt · Post by **Pratt** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 5:22 pm

N8,

That is probably true, but it isn't very often that the fighters follow/escort the aircraft right to touch down, then come back and do another pass over the runway after the plane is on the ground, that is what happened in this case.

Ralliart · Post by **Ralliart** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 5:37 pm

No wonder they did another pass, they were Canadian fighters, probably don't get up very much! j/k

MurtsAir · Post by **MurtsAir** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 6:54 pm

I heared two rumors about this it might have been a scramble excersise to test the system. Or an actual missle threat wich would be why they escorted it right to the deck to deploy counter measures if necasary.

thats just what I heard from this guy who knows a guy who nailed one of the flight attendants sister who went to school with one of the Ramp guys who saw it.

RB211 · Post by **RB211** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 7:48 pm

MurtsAir wrote:...thats just what I heard from this guy who knows a guy who nailed one of the flight attendants sister who went to school with one of the Ramp guys who saw it.

In this industry that's virtually a certified fact then!!!

At least they were Canadian fighters, if they were south a bit the trigger fingers might be more twitchy!

FamilyGuy · Post by **FamilyGuy** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 12:51 am

N8 - me thinks BINGO!!! Not much point if TCAS is blaring away.

Longhauler · Post by **Longhauler** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 11:59 am

OK..latest story is that they were being escorted in order to make sure the drivers landed at their dest airport rather then YYJ or ?. Remmeber what happened last year to the AC bus that was on approach to the wrong airport (but what the drivers thought was the right one) in BC's interior and nearly came nose to nose with a private plane?

Don't think that incident became public did it ??

TTJJ · Post by **TTJJ** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 11:02 pm

The lads DO leave their transponders on sometimes.

Every time we were going into Soeul South Korea we would see two targets on TCAS moseying around 1000 feet below us. They would stay there for about 15 seconds then head off.

We were told that they always checked civilian airliners inbound to make sure that there wasn`t a bomber tucked in under the airliner, using it as cover from radar.

We got the odd hit on the TCAS from F-16`s blasting almost straight up in front of the plane.

They had interesting flow control measures in place. We used to bet pitchers of beer with each other on how many S-turns they would give us on approach.

chiefpilot · Post by **chiefpilot** » Fri Apr 30, 2004 5:09 pm

We were sitting at the hold line on 26R in YVR when the F-18's followed the A/C right down to the touchdown and then shot off into the blue, and yes......the A/C was on the business end of those F-18's, they were loaded for bear pretty good.

CP.

DC6driver · Post by **DC6driver** » Sun May 02, 2004 4:33 pm

in regards to the AirCanada flight to Vernon/kelowna...

Can anyone confirm that Prime Minister Cretin was on board the Vernon flight, and then later on, that same aircraft with him on board going into Kamloops had a hot high approach and took up most of the runway on landing?

rumour i heard