Archie
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Typhoon makes first Olympic security scare flight
26 July 2012
Eurofighter Typhoon, Olympics
A Typhoon jet was scrambled to intercept an airliner which lost communications as it left French airspace yesterday, the MoD has confirmed.
The passenger jet, a Boeing 757 operated by Thomas Cook, was returning from Tunisia to Glasgow shortly before 11.30 am on 25 July when communications failed as it flew over the French coastline.
A Typhoon jet, one of four based at RAF Northolt to secure airspace for the Olympic games, was said to have taken off and circled above the base several times before contact was restored with the passenger jet. A second jet was also kept on standby throughout the incident.
Flight TCX3125, which was said to be carrying 235 passengers and eight crew, went on to land at Glasgow airport later that afternoon.
A Thomas Cook spokesman confirmed that the flight was out of communication for "a very short time" whilst it was in French airspace.
"This was quickly restored and contact made with UK Air Traffic Control before entering UK airspace," the spokesman said.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed that one Typhoon was launched.
"This was in response to a commercial aircraft that was out of communication with air traffic control services," the spokesman said. "Communications were quickly restored; no further action was required.
Typhoon makes first Olympic security flight - Defence Management
I pity the poor pilot who is ordered to shoot down airliner because comms have gone down, however with backups, digital and other systems no airliner should really be losing contact with the ground.
In light of past experiences however i'm surprised that the industry hasn't seen fit to try and develope a way of letting the ground controllers know if there is a problem within the aircraft that doesn't entail the use of the radio.
Very tricky subject indeed
26 July 2012
Eurofighter Typhoon, Olympics
A Typhoon jet was scrambled to intercept an airliner which lost communications as it left French airspace yesterday, the MoD has confirmed.
The passenger jet, a Boeing 757 operated by Thomas Cook, was returning from Tunisia to Glasgow shortly before 11.30 am on 25 July when communications failed as it flew over the French coastline.
A Typhoon jet, one of four based at RAF Northolt to secure airspace for the Olympic games, was said to have taken off and circled above the base several times before contact was restored with the passenger jet. A second jet was also kept on standby throughout the incident.
Flight TCX3125, which was said to be carrying 235 passengers and eight crew, went on to land at Glasgow airport later that afternoon.
A Thomas Cook spokesman confirmed that the flight was out of communication for "a very short time" whilst it was in French airspace.
"This was quickly restored and contact made with UK Air Traffic Control before entering UK airspace," the spokesman said.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed that one Typhoon was launched.
"This was in response to a commercial aircraft that was out of communication with air traffic control services," the spokesman said. "Communications were quickly restored; no further action was required.
Typhoon makes first Olympic security flight - Defence Management
I pity the poor pilot who is ordered to shoot down airliner because comms have gone down, however with backups, digital and other systems no airliner should really be losing contact with the ground.
In light of past experiences however i'm surprised that the industry hasn't seen fit to try and develope a way of letting the ground controllers know if there is a problem within the aircraft that doesn't entail the use of the radio.
Very tricky subject indeed
