Alliance's F100 sabotaged at Auckland Intl

[lilflyboy262...2]

Just heard a rumour from a friend of a friend who's the refueller at NZAA.

Apparently a few days ago, one of the cockpit windows on the F100 that was parked down at Air Center One on C1 in NZAA has been sabotaged with a ball pein hammer (an engineers hammer).
The whole window was smashed out which then resulted in a full check of the aircraft in case any other damage was done.
None of it was on camera as it was in a blind spot and aviation security is keeping it under wraps after getting a big rev up about it.

Shows that no matter how "secure" we make airports, that where there is a will, there is a way.

[Led Zep]

F50, maybe?

[Fris B. Fairing]

Ball Pein, maybe?

[AerocatS2A]

No it was a ball point pen.

Seriously, how do they know it was a ball pein hammer as opposed to some other similar tool, and why is that termed an "engineer's hammer"? I'm pretty sure they can be found at Bunnings.

[lilflyboy262...2]

Thanks for pointing out that I missed an "i" Fris.

Lead, I got told it was the jet that was in town for a bit. Could be mistaken on that.
Either way, F50 or F100, it's still a bit ridiculous that an aircraft can be sabotaged on the ramp at a "secure" international airport.

@Aero Cat. Because it is a hammer that is traditionally used for engineering rather than building. It's been renamed by the great unwashed public for ease of distinction between a "builders hammer" and an "Engineers hammer."
As for how do they know? Maybe found it or maybe took an educated guess due to it needing to be something with a point so it can break through strengthened window? Who knows....

Either way, doesn't change that it happened...

[DeltaT]

Maybe it was the throws of passion (literally) with a couple in the cockpit? :}

[Stuart Sutcliffe]

... the throws of passion ...
Did you mean 'throes'?

[AerocatS2A]

@Aero Cat. Because it is a hammer that is traditionally used for engineering rather than building. It's been renamed by the great unwashed public for ease of distinction between a "builders hammer" and an "Engineers hammer."
As for how do they know? Maybe found it or maybe took an educated guess due to it needing to be something with a point so it can break through strengthened window? Who knows....
Ah, I hadn't heard of it being called an engineers hammer, I thought you were implying that it was literally an aircraft engineer's hammer.

[Eastwest Loco]

My father was LAME and had several ball pein hammers in his tool kit.

Wasn't him as he has passed away.

Can't be the QF offshore heavy maintenance guys either.

They use craw hammers:E

Best all

EWL

[sms777]

How come no one seem to take this serious? :{
So much for all the push for airport security...especially at an INTL.
If it was done from the outside .....how did they get up that high unnoticed?, or from the inside....how did they get in unnoticed? :(

[mainwheel]

Bullet? Sniper......

[aaandrogerthat]

It's not unknown for a laminated glass window to fracture of it's own accord. How about a rock thrown from a mower?

Someone would have to be pretty ballsy to intentionally damage an aircraft at a security controlled aerodrome!!

[IsDon]

How come no one seem to take this serious? :{
So much for all the push for airport security...especially at an INTL.
If it was done from the outside .....how did they get up that high unnoticed?, or from the inside....how did they get in unnoticed? :(

Well airport security is a joke. Might as well have a laugh.

You're right though. Security should have stopped this. The problem is the security industry is one of those enviable industries that can use their own failure to justify more money.

[framer]

Did this find its way into the newspapers?
If someone can get to an airliner and do damage like that then they can get to an airliner and sabotage it in a less obvious way with rather serious consequences.

[YPJT]

Why not tell the airports you want armed security 24/7 watching all unattended aircraft. They will gladly accommodate.
Just hope your ticket sales can absorb the extra costs.

It is no secret that there are flaws in aviation security, its just that many of those flaws have not been exploited. A few more events similar to this and it will be a game changer for all. Then there will really be some bitching and moaning.

[Stanwell]

This 'report' just doesn't sit right with me.

How was it determined that a ball-pein hammer had been used?
How was the window accessed?
Cockpit window - which one?
"Smashed out" or smashed in?
Mower-caused damage is most unlikely.
Windscreen glass (laminated) can crack overnight due to significant temperature variations after a previously undetected impact.
Toughened glass windows (unlikely to be used on aircraft cockpits) will shatter if impacted in the right place.
There are much easier and quieter ways to sabotage an aircraft.

I'm afraid, lilflyboy, that this 'report', on the basis of the information you've provided, doesn't have much credibility.

[lilflyboy262...2]

I didn't get that deep into the conversation with the person. But it came from someone who sits in the action end of the aircraft.
I would imagine that your conversations would get pretty boring if you went into the level of detail of "the second window on the left in the cockpit."

I'm guessing the hammer was found inside the cockpit.
Rumour being that it was someone that has lost out on a lot of work with Alliance coming into Auckland and doing the work that they are doing.
Mower damage would be unlikely with the way they park the aircraft at Air Center One, usually its with the tail hanging out over the grass so the nose is pointing inwards onto the ramp.
Would take an ACME style ricochet off a lamppost for it to hit the window.

[Pinky the pilot]

want armed security 24/7

Given just how proficient most 'armed security' personnel are with their Firearms, the mere thought of such a thing terrifies me!:eek:

[Stanwell]

Thanks for your response, lilflyboy.

While this site does include 'Rumour' in its title, this 'report', as I said, doesn't sit right with me.
It would take a particularly dedicated (and not very bright) saboteur to completely smash out a laminated screen with a ball-pein hammer.
I find it interesting that Alliance say that they know nothing of any such occurrence and that nothing at all has been reported in the normally nosey media.

'Guessing' and 'Rumour being that ...'. Hmmm.
Let's see, shall we?


p.s. Mind you, stranger things have happened in the past - e.g. The bombing and sinking of a Catalina flying boat at its mooring on Rose Bay some years back.
(VH-EAW, 27th August 1949.)
.

[Engineer_aus]

F50 doing charter ops over there.