Light Aircraft close to being shot down

[Raider1]

Ok hands up.... who was it????


RAAF admits light plane peril


The RAAF came close to sending a fully armed fighter jet to shoot down a light plane during a security scare at last year's Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

Senior air force officers for the first time revealed details of the incident which occurred amid fears that terrorists could attack the gathering of Commonwealth leaders at Coolum, Queensland, in March, 2002.

The unidentified light plane was detected flying towards restricted air space around the conference venue and RAAF commanders had full authority to order the Hornet to shoot it down.

Air Commodore Dave Pietsche said RAAF controllers had positioned a fully armed F/A-18 Hornet fighter to prepare to intercept the aircraft.

"Fortunately he (the light plane pilot) realised at the last minute where he shouldn't be and he changed his track so all of the things that were being put in place were put on hold," he said.

"It (a Hornet) wasn't already being pointed (at the intruding aircraft), but it was on its way, I can assure you.

"It all happened in about a 90-second period of very extreme excitement.

"We were positioning the intercept."

The CHOGM meeting was staged at a luxury resort at Coolum, on the Queensland Sunshine Coast from March 2 to 5, attracting some 50 national leaders.

Originally planned for October 2001 in Brisbane, it was rescheduled in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States.

It went ahead under unprecedented security precautions with the RAAF F/A-18 fighter aircraft enforcing a 25-nautical mile (46.25km) danger zone around the site.

Radar at the RAAF Base at Amberley, west of Brisbane, monitored the area around the clock.

The operation was called Guardian 2, with the RAAF providing air defence over Coolum for a period of 10 days.

Air Commodore Pietsch said a 9-11 style aircraft suicide attack was the key concern.

"At CHOGM we set the situation up precisely for a copycat event," he said.

"We used civil systems, we used military systems, we had stuff at Maroochydore, we had stuff at Amberley.

"We used our whole capability, continually in contact up the command chain all the way through to the Prime Minister (John Howard) because timing was going to be critical."

Air Commodore John Quaife said the security operation was unprecedented.

"That was the first time we had put armed aircraft in Australian air space with authority to shoot things down since the 1940s," he said.

"I was the commander for that operation with Air Commodore Pietsche the deputy.

"We actually had the delegated authority of the prime minister to order a shoot-down."

Air Commodore Quaife said the Hornets remained on three-minute alert throughout the operation.

"But there were periods when we were airborne and on higher alert than that," he said.

"No, we didn't come near shooting.

"But we certainly did some scrambles.

"Air Commodore Pietsche was actually getting the code word piece of paper out of his pocket (at one stage)."

And the unidentified light plane pilot?

"The person flying the lightie (light aircraft) still doesn't know," said Air Commodore Pietsch.

Air Commodores Pietsche and Quaife addressed journalists on a visit to the RAAF base at Williamtown, near Newcastle in NSW.



©AAP 2003

[Islander Jock]

Just a thought - would they have still shot down the aircraft if it was flying over a populated area?

[hadagutful]

All sounds a little bit dramatic to this flyer!

Whether over a populated area or not, I don't think we have reached the stage in this country where the air force shooots down first and asks questions later.

However, I guess if the aircraft did track direct for the CHOGM meeting location at low level and remained unidentified, situation could have been interesting!

Any pilot not aware of the Resticted Zone on this occasion probably deserved the consequences.

[Yakka]

Sounds more like someone almost PCA'd Maroochys airspace at the wrong time

- could have had a legit reason e.g. Radio failure or something

What a beat up - sounds like an over enthusastic RAAFy desk jocky over reacting to something that he probably shouldn't be in charge of any way

[Blue Sky Baron]

Pretty sure I know who it was, but I'm not telling!

Aircraft was enroute to a private strip nearby but had bad coordinates programmed into GPS.

Only needed to be a couple of miles off course to cause a little anxiety by those watching the radar screens.
BTW, there were 4 pilots on board!!!!

Regards,

BSB

(No, I was not there!)

[Captain Sand Dune]

The only beat up here is the breathless reporting of a journalist who seems to be astounded that we have an air force, and that intercepting aircraft might be one of its’ jobs!:ooh:
The “over- enthusiastic RAAFy desk jockey” was actually doing his job as demanded by our lords and masters, ie the government. And in fact Yakka the “over- enthusiastic RAAFy desk jockey” IS in charge of the RAAFs’ F/A-18 force.
BTW, what’s a radio “falier”?
FOUR pilots on board and none of them were aware of the restricted airspace – hard to believe.:eek:

[Blue Sky Baron]

They knew that the restricted airspace was there but expected that by following the GPS they would be taken direct to their destination. Navigation error was identified by the old tried and true method, (looking out the window and comparing to map), before they actually reached the restricted airspace. So I'm told!

BSB:p

[Runaway Gun]

Now there's a lesson for all those who don't check NOTAMS diligently, and follow GPS indications blindly. As always, there is always a human in the loop who is the cause of error. When really, the human pilot should be monitoring everything. Where am I, where am I going, what should I be doing next?

I certainly agree with Captain Sand Dune's comments on the validity of the RAAF's tasking and responsibility. It would have been very unfortunate if the bugsmasher had been downed, but it was very well publicised. I even knew about the airspace, and I was living overseas at the time.

If you can't navigate at a speed higher than 1 mile per minute, stay in an aircraft that flies at 60kts. :ok:

[Yakka]

There may be no excuse for being in the wrong place at the wrong time - but come on - how many terrorist incidences have occured involving bug smashes, doing his job or not it only had to be left to common sense to see there wasn't a threat. How bout they asses the risk before telling the media that they were about to shoot down some poor Bast**d. -

in a land that hasn't had a terrorist attack we are jumpy arn't we

I guess when there is no news anything will do

[Torres]

Not the first time!

http://www.news-mail.com.au/news/0703/170703_2.html

But if my memory serves me correctly, the RAAF kept missing and in the end the Fleet Air Arm brought the aircraft down.

:}

[Captain Sand Dune]

Right you are, Torres! I believe they launched a Sabre at it. Good story to throw at the knucks when they’re getting uppity – which is most of the time!:} :}
“in a land that hasn't had a terrorist attack we are jumpy arn't we”……maybe true Yakka, but maybe 9/11 happened to the Yanks because they weren’t jumpy enough. Be alert, but not jumpy…….er……..alarmed!
“I guess when there is no news anything will do”……..isn’t that the truth!!:yuk:

[Love Monkey]

This incident has been floating around the papers for some time now. All the airspace restrictions that are implemented during "high risk" events are always subject to the integrity and professionalism of pilots. Due warning is always given in AIP sup's and NOTAMS (and AIP's). That the military can and will react to an airspace incursion is not worth questioning. Every possible precaution is taken to identify the intentions of such an incursion before shots are fired. 'Thumb in bum' pilots obliviously wandering through airspace is nothing new. Can anyone remember the Sydney Olympics?

GPS. Put **** in, get **** out.

[flyby_kiwi]

Wouldn't have happened here! :ok:

[Runaway Gun]

I'm sure that the odd Demo A4K and Macchi that are still flying for advertising purposes, may be called up from active reserve at short notice if needed (of course it'd take awhile for the oil to be changed).

The Bell 47's could always be used as battering rams :p

[Dog One]

Re:the Auster

I seem to recall that they scrambled a Meteor from Willy, how-ever the Auster was flying almost on the stall and the Meteor couldn't get slow enough to ascertain that the aircraft had no one on board or shoot it down. Next a Wirraway was scrambled from Richmond with a LAC in the rear cockpit with a Bren gun. Unfortunately, the Bren's mechanism froze and the gun wouldn't fire. The crew did ascertain that the aircraft was empty, and the Navy then took over and shot it down.

Almost a similar incident happened at Darwin last year.

[splatgothebugs]

FLYBY,

When the RNZAF were still here they would have the odd friendly engagement with the ga lightie flying around OH, only you didn't know untill radar told you.

As far as A4's go, they still fly them around because of maintenence issues, it's nice to see one zipping (I use that term very loosley) down the coast occasionally. :D

[cjam]

I thought they had sold those A4's to a company that was going to put them back at Nowra for RAN training. I must have read the article wrong. They certainly were a good plane in their day, I was on exercises that they were on and in some roles they really gave the Hornets a run for their money, not bad seeing as they were up to 30 years old.

[flyby_kiwi]

splatgothebugs - I remember being told a couple of stories of these 'engagments' near NZWP all sounded very ammusing. (one including an Orion :uhoh: )

[Runaway Gun]

The sales of either the A4's to ATSI or the Macchi's to a foreign airforce have not yet gone through (as of 2 weeks ago anyway).
Lots of faffing, red tape and admin problems I believe.

I intercepted a couple of civvy lighties around Ohakea, but most of the time it was because they were flying in our airspace - no comms !! Which isn't a good idea when Raumai weapons range was active... We actually flew 3 fully armed Macchi's in formation, as slow as possible, safely past an unidentified Cessna 150, and the pilot never saw us.
We got his rego though...