View Full Version : Intruder arrested in the cockpit of a BA 747 at LHR!
Phoenix1969
6th Mar 2016, 19:55
Intruder arrested at Heathrow after major security breach sees him break through security fence and lock himself in the cockpit of parked 747 | Daily Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3479377/Intruder-arrested-Heathrow-major-security-breach-sees-break-security-fence-lock-cockpit-parked-747.html)
Hotel Tango
6th Mar 2016, 22:36
MailonLine slow news day alert!
captplaystation
7th Mar 2016, 00:21
" A source said that it was impossible for security staff to get to him because the bomb and bullet proof cockpit doors are designed to protect the pilot and co-pilot should a terrorist try to take over the plane in mid-flight."
Disconnect the Ground Power ? APU external fire handle ? (737 has one, don't know about a 747 ) or am I (or more likely the Daily Mail ) missing sumfin ?
eckhard
7th Mar 2016, 07:53
Just use a cherry picker to get high enough to open the escape hatch in the cockpit roof.
Crew meal under the door ? Always had the desired effect on me!
West Coast
7th Mar 2016, 12:43
Crew meal under the door ? Always had the desired effect on me!
That's funny right there, I don't care who you are.
captplaystation
7th Mar 2016, 13:49
If this "intruder" had enough awareness/knowlege of the security devices to lock himself in (would have to flick the arming switch down & yes qld330 operate the deadbolt ) it makes you wonder what he was up to indeed. Easy enough access on a 737 (FO DV ) but a 747 would need a slightly more purpose built set up,being that high up.
The Ancient Geek
7th Mar 2016, 15:06
Why bother, he will run out of food and water soon enough.
Airbubba
7th Mar 2016, 15:41
Crew meal under the door ? Always had the desired effect on me!
Yep, they feed you pancakes and flounder because that's all that will fit under the door. :ok:
A colleague at a western U.S. airport found a stranger with no visible ID waiting for him in the cockpit when he arrived first on the aircraft to do a morning preflight for departure a few years ago.
Apparently the visitor was a member of one of the Homeland Security 'tiger teams'. These folks had ID to get onto the ramp and then would see if they could somehow get into the plane unchallenged. Unfortunately, they weren't very knowledgeable about aircraft and in some cases did things like use an AOA probe as a step to get into the overhead hatch of an RJ.
My coworker told the intruder to wait and he got off the plane, had the jetway pulled away and called the airport police to report a possible attempted hijacking. The cops brought the resident U.S. Marshal and the Homeland Security guy was hauled off in the back seat of a police car for 'questioning'.
I operated through the station a couple of days later. The on duty manager said the Homeland Security guy was still mad and wanted to go after the captain but was told that his 'test' showed the flight crew was proactive in a security situation. After this and other incidents I believe the tiger team approach was toned down.
West Coast
7th Mar 2016, 15:45
I recall then American Eagle had to down a few aircraft for inspection after the probes were used as a ladder.
Piltdown Man
7th Mar 2016, 15:56
Firstly, I am not really surprised that someone has made it onto an aircraft. Miles of unguarded fence is not exactly the most difficult barrier. But quite why it should trigger a 'security alert' is beyond me. They should have been alert beforehand to stop these things from happening in the first place. The LHR Stasi should have been as pro-active with guarding this fence as they are with hassling and being unpleasant to innocent members of the public. But there again, maybe he was wearing camouflage? He would have been virtually invisible if he wore a grubby HiViZ jacket (only management muppets and other scum, like visiting politicians, wear new ones).
Then there is the matter of extraction. I can only presume the fire brigade used cutting equipment to get him out ("a long and very protracted operation to get into the cockpit from outside"). So what damage was caused and was much broken when the cockpit was "stormed" by plod? You can not help but wonder if it might have been cheaper to kill the power, black out the windows and wait or there again maybe someone could have talked the guy out? This would have been good practice for a negotiator. Or he could have been tortured out by showing him videos of Donald Trump speeches or playing rap music.
But at least this incident has not shocked me. Again, our ridiculous security provisions have proved ineffective, Plod and the authorities can still be counted on to over-react in an (in)appropriate fashion and the Daily Wail can (miss)report on a non-story.
My Britain!
PM
The LHR Stasi should have been as pro-active with guarding this fence as they are with hassling and being unpleasant to innocent members of the public.
Judging by the reports the fence involved was at east base, not on the airport proper..
I can only presume the fire brigade used cutting equipment to get him out
I rather suspect your assumption is incorrect. There have been few hints in previous posts as to how access could have been obtained without cutting anything.
G-CPTN
7th Mar 2016, 19:11
'Eventuallly they managed to gain access to the cockpit and police were able to storm in and arrested the intruder,'
I have this image of several PCs fighting to enter the cockpit simultaneously . . .
Why would they need to 'storm in'? the guy wasn't likely to escape, was he?
I hope the police were suitably armed - it wouldn't look good if the guy had a gun . . .
if he had been a terrorist with the ability to handle the controls of a 747. Although it was away from the main runway, the plane could have caused a major incident and even worse, if it had taxied and taken off.
Now that is silly!
oldoberon
7th Mar 2016, 19:26
DM carried out a long and very protracted operation to get into the cockpit from outside
that alone sets the standard of the article.
Why would they need to 'storm in'? the guy wasn't likely to escape, was he?
He could have jumped out of the (previously mentioned) top hatch ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y5lNVbBeiU
G-CPTN
8th Mar 2016, 22:53
No court report yet?
ex-EGLL
8th Mar 2016, 23:20
Seems he's gone missing after been posted bail! Police looking for him, concerned about his mental condition.
Longtimer
9th Mar 2016, 00:50
MailonLine slow news day alert!
but if he got into the cockpit, what if instead he had placed an explosive device on the aircraft?
I rather suspect your assumption is incorrect. There have been few hints in previous posts as to how access could have been obtained without cutting anything.
Wiggy, don't you think the engineers on duty would have tried the easy (non-cutting) stuff first? ;)
Given the amount of gear police officers walk around with (which pretty much doubles their many, already ample, waist sizes) I doubt 'stormed' is quite the right word.
Besides this is not the first time intruders have been found on a/c in East base.