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2005-06-03 Home Front: WoT

Hijack Signal From Virgin Atlantic Flight 45 London to NY

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Posted by Laurence of the Rats 2005-06-03 10:49|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Looks like mine's a duplicate posting of this story. Sorry.

Posted by Laurence of the Rats">Laurence of the Rats 2005-06-03 10:52|| http://www.punictreachery.com/]">[http://www.punictreachery.com/] 2005-06-03 10:52|| Front Page Top

#2 BBC reports signal was error.

Posted by liberalhawk 2005-06-03 10:56|| 2005-06-03 10:56|| Front Page Top

#3 Matt Drudge reports it was an error too, but his article says the plane is still broadcasting the highjack signal. Hmm...

Posted by bigjim-ky 2005-06-03 11:02|| 2005-06-03 11:02|| Front Page Top

#4 "Error, error......faul-ty...."

-- Nomad (The Changeling)

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2005-06-03 11:28|| 2005-06-03 11:28|| Front Page Top

#5 Canada has an air force? Allahu Akbar (or something like that).

Posted by Zhang Fei">Zhang Fei 2005-06-03 11:50|| http://timurileng.blogspot.com]">[http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2005-06-03 11:50|| Front Page Top

#6 How do you MISTAKENLY dial in a hyjack transponder code??? Back in the day you needed 4 individual thumbwheel switches. Code 7777 or sumthin. Not easy to do accidently.

Posted by Dave 2005-06-03 12:20|| 2005-06-03 12:20|| Front Page Top

#7 Could be a programming or electronic error in the Airbus transponder.

Or not. Isn't there also a hidden emergency switch/button for this similar to the ones on buses etc?

Posted by too true 2005-06-03 12:25|| 2005-06-03 12:25|| Front Page Top

#8 Having just looked it up, the hijack code is 7500. Like all (IFF) transponder codes it is set using 4 octal switches, with each having positions 0-7. The first switch must be set to 7, the second to 5, and the third and forth each to 0.

I'm generally in favor of arming pilots, but if this one can't properly set an IFF code there's no way he should be trusted with a gun, (or for that matter an airplane). Could this have been a test (as in a probe) of how we would react?

Posted by Dave 2005-06-03 12:42|| 2005-06-03 12:42|| Front Page Top

#9 Dave, I'm familiar with the older transponder rotary settings, but I also thought at least some commercial planes were now equipped with an instant button that triggered the transponder code electronically.

Posted by rkb 2005-06-03 12:44|| 2005-06-03 12:44|| Front Page Top

#10 CNN reports that Virgin says it was a mechanical error with the transponder.

Posted by rkb 2005-06-03 12:54|| 2005-06-03 12:54|| Front Page Top

#11 "but I also thought at least some commercial planes were now equipped with an instant button that triggered the transponder code electronically."

I've heard of several proposals for such "panic buttons" including one to auto land the aircraft in "safe" mode, but unlike (say) cockpit door proposals, I've yet to hear of any real world implementation of the panic button idea.

Posted by Dave 2005-06-03 13:16|| 2005-06-03 13:16|| Front Page Top

#12 I'm generally in favor of arming pilots, but if this one can't properly set an IFF code there's no way he should be trusted with a gun, (or for that matter an airplane). Could this have been a test (as in a probe) of how we would react?

Dave, I dunno. I imagine (if this had been real and the pilot was under stress) it would've taken a LOT longer to dial in the right code (4 different number wheels) than it would be to cap a jihadi. I'd still rather have the pilot armed.

Posted by BA">BA 2005-06-03 14:19|| 2005-06-03 14:19|| Front Page Top

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