Quote:
Originally Posted by ShyTorque:
Fact is, the "rogue" aircraft had already been visually idented by another civilian aircraft, before the fighter/s arrived.
Identified maybe, but identified as friendly? If its status was still in doubt then the Typhoon could still be required to terminate the flight.
Pontius, Just think about what you wrote there.....
A pilot squawking that he has a problem and therefore requires assistance (or even not, as we know, yesterday's incident was an innocent mistake) is to be "terminated" by the RAF air defence forces?
So, would you, as aircrew, in an emergency, ever be willing to use your own transponder to notify supposedly your "friendly" ATC unit who will in fact now alert the UK military to home in on you to "terminate" you?
I can't see many pilots over UK squawking any one of the distress codes from now on. I certainly won't be doing so; I'd rather take my chances without RAF "assistance".