Mark:
Yeah, I knew that (121.5 as against 243, I mean!), that wasn't specifically what I was referring to, but never mind, I see your point.
PN: Surely there must be dual channels, in this day and age? Hasnt every interceptor since the Phantom (if not earlier) been equipped with dual channels for air to air and air to ground comms? I appreciate, theres only one jockey in the thing, but... hang on, hang on, the reports refer to "fighters", plural not singular.... implying that (durrr) a pair were launched. Surely one of them could have... oh it doesnt matter. Its all after the event anyway, the distressed pax is no doubt examining the nice padded wallpaper, the Air To Air missile stocks remain undepleted and at least the decision chain never got as far as Jonah Brown. All's well that ends well.
Tarantonight: Intriguing. I suppose coming from an old cold warrior, launching for something like this seems a tad odd (ie so long as the cockpit is secure, what do they reasonably expect Q to be able to do? I can understand the twitchiness of any civair crew at someone trying to kick the cockpit door in and I'm not going to criticise them for calling it an Emergency. If the passenger was subsequently calmed by cabin crew, I wonder at what point that was acheived in the sequence of events - ie, were Q wheels up and ENR at this point or what and figured well, now we're airborne we may as well continue? Sledgehammers and walnuts?
Post 9/11, I guess, AD is a different world these days.
....It all seemed so much simpler when we were sending Phantoms all over the Iceland/Faeroes gap chasing retreating Bear D's at two o clock in the morning...
