Stolen plane

[TGRR]

Originally Posted by classicman

WASHINGTON (CNN) --

It was only a Cessna, but still this guy took it for a seven hour ride with F-16's following him most of the time. Couldn't they have just forced him down? Was this perhaps a test to see what our response was to this type of aircraft? Should I get another ?

They should have shot him down.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

But the plane isn't likely to be on 121.5, more likely to be on the next tower he has to contact and the last tower he got instructions from?

They tried those frequencies also. Nobody could contact him. This seems to occur often when pilots are flying VFR. These planes need not talk to controllers when outside controlled airspace.

He may have been monitoring other frequencies because he did not know how far off course he was. But that speculation is irrelevant. Relevant: despite repeated calls on all frequencies, an incoming aircraft would not respond. So he must have been a terrorist or another threat? Of course not. Just another of the so many Cessnas that stray even over MN. Such events are so routine as to hardly be worth mentioning.

I have no idea what classicman is saying. Nobody said anything about ELTs - obviously. Apparently classicman found some 121.5 reference, did not understand what he read, and assumed satellites are used for radio communication. Amazing how some people know without first learning facts. ELT is not relevant. He actually thinks a pilot could have been contacted via satellite ELT?

Discussion: the Cessna pilot violated restricted Washington DC airspace. Nobody could contact him until Coast Guard helicopters camped out on his wingtips. Why is this not a significant event? Because errant Cessnas are routine and are hardly worth mentioning. Even ELT is irrelevant.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by tw

I have no idea what classicman is saying.

[Undertoad]

No C-man he got you that time.

[classicman]

You are correct UT - I was posting while medicated. my bad.

I was wrong on that ONE THING, but just that one.