Sonic Boom over Suffolk / Norfolk? 0830BST

[Mr Wuli]

Assume this was a QRA from Scampton?

[Los Endos]

Yes, as I sit here on my lovely airport sby, Typhoons have been orbiting STN. As usual STN ops come grinding to a halt to facilitate some news.

[slip and turn]

FR2145 Kaunas to Luton escorted into Stansted by Coningsby Typhoons

[Super VC-10]

Suspect package on board.

Ryanair flight 'escorted to Stansted Airport by RAF fighter jets' | Metro News (http://metro.co.uk/2017/10/04/ryanair-flight-escorted-to-stansted-airport-by-raf-fighter-jets-6975758/)

[dixi188]

Good practice for the QRA people, but what exactly are two Typhoons going to do about a suspect package?

[G0ULI]

They are there to ensure the aircraft follows instructions to land where directed and to shoot it down if it looks likely to threaten to overfly London or some other metropolitan area or stratetic target.

A huge over reaction 99.9% of the time, but since 9/11 no one can be complacent.

[Jamie-Southend]

oh yes ....


'Sonic boom' heard across Suffolk caused by military aircraft - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-41496812)

[Mr Wuli]

The RAF said Typhoon aircraft were authorised to travel at supersonic speed for "operational reasons". It said it "regretted" any inconvenience caused. :E

[Harry Wayfarers]

Suspect package on board.

Ryanair flight 'escorted to Stansted Airport by RAF fighter jets' | Metro News (http://metro.co.uk/2017/10/04/ryanair-flight-escorted-to-stansted-airport-by-raf-fighter-jets-6975758/)

They knew something was wrong when they heard that a Ryanair flight was still operating!

[Vertico]

Assume this was a QRA from Scampton?

Mr Wuli, the shrunken RAF operates its Typhoons out of only two UK bases. These are Coningsby and Lossiemouth. Today's launch would almost certainly have been from Coningsby.

[MATELO]

Anymore shrunken.... and we may be launching the BBMF out of Scampton.:bored:

[Mike-Bracknell]

Highly unlikely, I grant you, but this report alleges that the flight was allowed to take off from Kaunas AFTER the bomb threat was called in: RAF jets intercept flight after security 'hoax' - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41495677)

[Herod]

I suppose it's possible that the Lithuanians wanted it out of their country, but if so, what was the captain thinking?

[F-16GUY]

He was thinking that his beloved company could not afford more delays or cancelations;)

[roving]

The story as posted today in the Lithuanian press is that a young man born in 1993, who was subsequently arrested, and who lives in a village near Kaunas, telephoned the police to 'warn' that a passenger aeroplane about to land in Kaunas had a bomb on it.

There were no aeroplanes due to land within the timescale suggested in the phone call. There was however the Ryanair flight to Luton about to take off.

A full check was made of that aeroplane. No bomb was discovered. The aeroplane was permitted to take off.

Clearly the UK must have been informed of the hoax call and it seems that the UK was not taking any chances.

[DaveReidUK]

FR24 playback shows the aircraft orbiting for about 15 minutes at the FIR boundary, presumably awaiting the rendezvous with the Typhoons.

Aircraft had nightstopped at KUN, so that would explain why the threat was taken seriously, at least initially.

[roving]

The account in the Lithuanian press I posted above is confirmed in the London Evening Standard


A spokesman for Ryanair said: "This flight from Kaunas to London Luton (4 Oct) was delayed ahead of take-off after Lithuanian authorities received a suspected hoax security alert.

"Police carried out a security search and cleared the aircraft to return to service, customers boarded and the flight departed to Luton.

While on approach to Luton, upon the request of UK authorities, the aircraft diverted to London Stansted in line with security procedures, and landed normally at Stansted, where customers disembarked and were transferred to Luton by coach."

[Herod]

It seems I need to withdraw my query about the captain's thought process. A non-event really, but the UK being very cautious, as they should be in the present circumstances.

[Farrell]

Didn't take long:

http://southendnewsnetwork.com/news/ryanair-pilots/

[7AC]

I think we'll just let the people on the inside make the decisions on this one. :ugh:

[mmcp42]

I struggle with the idea that the alleged threat occurred on the ground before take-off
why on earth even start the flight, then declare an emergency so close to home?

or (cynic mode) it got everyone back and saved hotels, rerouting pax etc etc

[2Planks]

Ah. The always infallible powers that be. Never to be questioned on objective risk assessment and a proper measured response. :oh:
Absolutely, but only when you have all the facts which no one outside a small circle will ever have.

[Musician]

A managed diversion, fully coordinated between flight-deck and ATC, albeit for a security reason. No suspected interference with the actual progress of the flight. Why the need for a costly RAF escort? Indeed, if we are talking about balancing risks, then a fifteen minute hold, keeping the aircraft in the air for longer than necessary was exposing those on board to unnecessary additional risk.
The escort might be there to witness a possible explosion, if the bomb was activated by an increase in pressure on landing. If the outcome would be a hole in the cargo hold, a fighter pilot would be able to tell the commercial pilot the extent of the damage, with the hopes that the plane was still under control. Sure, this scenario might be unlikely, but why not prepare for it anyway, and be safe rather than sorry?

[Mikehotel152]

I struggle with the idea that the alleged threat occurred on the ground before take-off
why on earth even start the flight, then declare an emergency so close to home?

or (cynic mode) it got everyone back and saved hotels, rerouting pax etc etc

:ugh: Are you a pilot?

[Groundloop]

then declare an emergency so close to home?

Is there any evidence the Ryanair flight declared an emergency? Or did the MoD (or whovever looks at these things) decide to launch the QRA as a precaution?

[G-CPTN]

Bearing in mind the time taken to travel from Kaunas, then the FR aircraft had to 'wait' 15 minutes for the RAF escort to meet up - despite travelling supersonically - would better planning have avoided both (the supersonic traverse and the 15 minutes wait)?

[Fortissimo]

the FR aircraft had to 'wait' 15 minutes for the RAF escort to meet up


It's more likely the hold was needed to get the ground reception in place. As for planning, it all depends on when the information was received (UK end) about the threat and the nature of that threat - you would normally launch QRA to intercept much earlier, and ground reception would have been fixed well ahead of time because the mandatory diversion would have been called as soon as the situation became clear. That said, terrorist actions or hoaxes don't tend to come with 30 mins notice.

[Dominator2]

If the hoax call was only made to Kaunas 2 hours after take off you can work out the time available. It may have crossed the FIR before anything was known of the potential problem. Always a difficult balancing act, with decisions being made at the highest level.

[homonculus]

Whatever we dont know we dont know, it appears the infallible powers may need some more fallibility training....

[MATELO]

If the hoax call was only made to Kaunas 2 hours after take off you can work out the time available. It may have crossed the FIR before anything was known of the potential problem. Always a difficult balancing act, with decisions being made at the highest level.

It was made whilst on the ground, delaying the aircraft by 2 hours.

This flight from Kaunas to London Luton was delayed ahead of takeoff after Lithuanian authorities received a suspected hoax security alert. Police carried out a security search and cleared the aircraft to return to service; customers boarded and the flight departed to Luton.

“While on approach to Luton, upon the request of UK authorities, the aircraft diverted to London Stansted in line with security procedures, and landed normally at Stansted, where customers disembarked and were transferred to Luton by coach. Local police carried out a further search and cleared the aircraft to resume service once more.

[DaveReidUK]

The flight was airborne at 05:06Z. STD was 04:30.

[Heathrow Harry]

Sounds like an over-reaction in the Uk - but the pilot got some practise in and was able to go supersonic. The Great British Public were audibly reminded that the RAF was around to defend them, Ryanair got to practise their intercepted check list.... no real cost to anyone as they'll just scrub a future training flight

Nothing to worry about TBH

[joojoo]

I have to agree that this was more about training for the RAF.

Given that the bomb hoax all happened before departure, presumably hours before the interception, there was clearly no need for a supersonic reaction even if escort was required for some reason.

I'm sure the practice was useful and the jet-jockeys had fun, but I'm not buying the excuse.

[EEngr]

Any idea of the altitude the Typhoons were at when they reached Mach 1?

[BEagle]

Those involved in QRA flights operate under strict SOPs.

Q scrambles are not called without reason; a Typhoon flying at supersonic speed over land does not do so at the pilot's whim.

QRA SOPs are classified. So sorry, spotters, you'll just have to keep guessing, because no-one is going to tell you height/speed/mission details on an open website such as this....:rolleyes:

[waggie]

Maybe they hit the re-heat button as a training scenario...