Airbus A320 Crashes in Alps

How long was ATC tyring to contact the plane? I'm surprised it didn't get an escort very very quickly once it became clear to ATC that something was amiss
 
8 minutes isn't a long time to get a fighter crewed, launched and to the location. Especially as ATC will take time to try and contact the flight/troubleshoot radio issues first.
 
Minstadave said:
8 minutes isn't a long time to get a fighter crewed, launched and to the location. Especially as ATC will take time to try and contact the flight/troubleshoot radio issues first.
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I would expect it would take 2-3 minutes to get a plane scrambled in and in the air, depending on the location of their base I wouldnt have thought it would be that close, but alas what good would it have done?

ATC were the ones that called in mayday. They would not have got there in time, and wouldnt be able to do anything anyway. It was too late.
 
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Apart from when the Russians bombers fly over Bournemouth and two escort jets from RAF Lossiemouth (Scotland) were alongside it within 6 minutes...

Thing is though, in this instance, what would they have done? If it wasn't a threat to targets on the ground, it would have been engaged, resulting in the same outcome.
 
Different scenario though isn't it. We wouldn't scramble jets immediately for a commercial flight misbehaving.

The benefit of having a fighter sent up is they will visually inspect the cockpit and see whats going on.
 
Django x2 said:
Apart from when the Russians bombers fly over Bournemouth and two escort jets from RAF Lossiemouth (Scotland) were alongside it within 6 minutes...
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That's misleading, those Russian aircraft were escorted by other countries fighters well before it arrived near the UK so they had a lot of prep time.
 
What could a fighter pilot do? They could see if the pilots had lost conciousness (one of the theories for MH370 I believe) and then what? They either shoot it down or let it continue. If someone is hell bent on crashing it then they can't intercept the plane or gain entry to the cockpit. The outcome would be exactly the same.
 
Adam said:
What could a fighter pilot do? They could see if the pilots had lost conciousness (one of the theories for MH370 I believe) and then what? They either shoot it down or let it continue. If someone is hell bent on crashing it then they can't intercept the plane or gain entry to the cockpit. The outcome would be exactly the same.
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Not a lot for a commercial airline with civvys onboard


I very much doubt they would have reached the location in time anyway
 
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I do think the cabin crew should have access to at least change the squawk number without pilot intervention.
 
I just can't imagine being a passenger on the plane.. watching the pilot trying to break the door down and then the 38000ft fast decent.. sod that.
 
Django x2 said:
Apart from when the Russians bombers fly over Bournemouth and two escort jets from RAF Lossiemouth (Scotland) were alongside it within 6 minutes...
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They obviously didn't scramble and engage directly...check my maths, but to cover that distance (about 480 miles) in 6 minutes would mean travelling at 4800mph :p

Anyway, an absolutely terrible tragedy. Truly harrowing if the pilot did indeed to take his own life by crashing a plane full of innocent bystanders too :(
 
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Django x2 said:
How long was ATC tyring to contact the plane? I'm surprised it didn't get an escort very very quickly once it became clear to ATC that something was amiss
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They did. A Mirage was apparently scrambled to find the aircraft.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...struction-took-18-minutes-not-8-10131891.html

the French military scrambled a Mirage jet fighter to investigate. This aircraft was seen by eye-witnesses following the doomed airliner as it skimmed the Alpine ridges before crashing into a sheer mountain-side. The pilot of the Mirage could, therefore, also possess crucial information on the Germanwings aircraft's behaviour.
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News sites labeling the co-pilot as a mass murderer now. Evidence seems compelling but it's a bit early to be taking that stance, no?
 
MooMoo444 said:
News sites labeling the co-pilot as a mass murderer now. Evidence seems compelling but it's a bit early to be taking that stance, no?
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If, emphasis on if, he was depressed I think it would be very unfair to call him a murderer.

It is terrible tragedy for me until there is compelling evidence of it being something else.
 
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