Air Force One Surprise Visit to Baghdad
Hi Westie,
Yes - I do give credit where it is due. And GDubya's trip was a very positive and personal sign of his support to your troops. They were away at Thanksgiving - so was he. Good man.
.....and as for that idiot ba pratt - sorry, we do seem to have security-unaware dickheads flying for that bunch. Loose lips sink ships!!
Yes - I do give credit where it is due. And GDubya's trip was a very positive and personal sign of his support to your troops. They were away at Thanksgiving - so was he. Good man.
.....and as for that idiot ba pratt - sorry, we do seem to have security-unaware dickheads flying for that bunch. Loose lips sink ships!!
...the thin end thereof
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I think you are being a bit unfair on the BA pilot BEagle. He would have been surprised to see AF1 operating under another callsign and probably didn't think very long before calling them on the RT.
According to BBC they very nearly turned around to go home after their cover was blown, but I think that would have been an unnecessary overeaction.
btw I thought that the site owner's position had been made clear on political discussion........
According to BBC they very nearly turned around to go home after their cover was blown, but I think that would have been an unnecessary overeaction.
btw I thought that the site owner's position had been made clear on political discussion........
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Why do i get the feeling
that supporting Bush is a lose-lose.
He invaded Iraq ad was called a war-monger. If he hadn't invaded Iraq he would have been called a coward.
He flies to Iraq to support the troops on Thanksgiving and it was a PR stunt. If he hadn't flown there, people would have wondered whether he gives a damn.
I personally believe some of Bush's policies, especially the economic ones leave a lot to be desired. But I will give the man credit for not only standing behind his convictions but following up on them.
NewarkSmells
He invaded Iraq ad was called a war-monger. If he hadn't invaded Iraq he would have been called a coward.
He flies to Iraq to support the troops on Thanksgiving and it was a PR stunt. If he hadn't flown there, people would have wondered whether he gives a damn.
I personally believe some of Bush's policies, especially the economic ones leave a lot to be desired. But I will give the man credit for not only standing behind his convictions but following up on them.
NewarkSmells
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AF1 or not
I agree with Wedge about the BA bloke.Imagine you're waiting to climb and told that the restricting traffic is a Gulf V and a 747 flashes overhead, wouldn't you question it or would you keep looking for the Gulf V ??
Union Goon
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Ummm Bento.
Airforce one is not actually an airplane. Its a PASSENGER. There are several 747s painted up identically, as well as many smaller aircraft in the Air Mobility Command that serve as VIP transports. Anyone of them becomes Airforce 1 with the president on board. Otherwise its just another 747. It becomes Airforce 2 if the Vice President is on board. If the president is in a Marine aircraft (usually a helicopter) then the callsign is Marine One.
Furthermore, they weren't told to look for a 747. They just noticed it flying around up there and then enquired on an open frequency, is that "Air force 1"... The Gulfstream comeback came in reply and is just as likely to be a valid callsign as airforce often makes up their own callsigns. (I like the mafia ones myself)
Cheers
Wino
Airforce one is not actually an airplane. Its a PASSENGER. There are several 747s painted up identically, as well as many smaller aircraft in the Air Mobility Command that serve as VIP transports. Anyone of them becomes Airforce 1 with the president on board. Otherwise its just another 747. It becomes Airforce 2 if the Vice President is on board. If the president is in a Marine aircraft (usually a helicopter) then the callsign is Marine One.
Furthermore, they weren't told to look for a 747. They just noticed it flying around up there and then enquired on an open frequency, is that "Air force 1"... The Gulfstream comeback came in reply and is just as likely to be a valid callsign as airforce often makes up their own callsigns. (I like the mafia ones myself)
Cheers
Wino
Nope - sorry, that nigel was a ********. Why would he ever need to say "Did I just see AirForce One?"
On the way home form GW1 we heard some Spam chum trying (with not much success) to negotiate a clearance from the Keepers of the Great Sandpit. Eventually he said "Sir, we have the Joint Chief on board and would really appreciate a direct clearance". Shortly followed by a Brit voice saying "Hi Norm, howya doin'?"......Then another.......and another....!!
On the way home form GW1 we heard some Spam chum trying (with not much success) to negotiate a clearance from the Keepers of the Great Sandpit. Eventually he said "Sir, we have the Joint Chief on board and would really appreciate a direct clearance". Shortly followed by a Brit voice saying "Hi Norm, howya doin'?"......Then another.......and another....!!
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i actually think Bush is a great President, dont get me wrong!
Wino, good post, and i do like how you counter attacked my statements!
but your comment on
"The NUMBER 1 TERRORIST TARGET IN THE WORLD, flew right into the heart of the beast and served dinner to the troops, (and met with local Iraqi's btw) Good on him"
Well what can i say? He flew in yes! but he entered like a parasite! he was in and out before no one even knew.
Dont get me wrong, i wish we had Bush as the Uk's priminister, i think Tonys a weak character, and i dont think you would ever see him step a foot on Iraq soil until all enemy threat has been abolished.
Anyway, im new to this forum, so next time i shall try keep to the aviation side of things! Sorry to the people i disturbed by my post!
Wino, good post, and i do like how you counter attacked my statements!
but your comment on
"The NUMBER 1 TERRORIST TARGET IN THE WORLD, flew right into the heart of the beast and served dinner to the troops, (and met with local Iraqi's btw) Good on him"
Well what can i say? He flew in yes! but he entered like a parasite! he was in and out before no one even knew.
Dont get me wrong, i wish we had Bush as the Uk's priminister, i think Tonys a weak character, and i dont think you would ever see him step a foot on Iraq soil until all enemy threat has been abolished.
Anyway, im new to this forum, so next time i shall try keep to the aviation side of things! Sorry to the people i disturbed by my post!
Still behind the curtain
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How did it get there?
All politics aside, because as so many of you have pointed out in this thread that it is an aviation forum and then just five minutes later you either sing Bush's praises or damn him.
The question is: The trans-U.S. and the trans-Atlantic call sign on the B747 could not have been AF1. That would have given away the secret that Bush was coming. Neither would N2800 or N2900, which is closely associated with AF1.
It would be interesting if someone could get exactly what call sign they used to cross the American continent, the Atlantic and then to the Middle East mess to eventually land at Baghdad, and if the American pilots used accented English so any listeners wouldn't think they were AF, and also whether AF1 was protected by a net of F16s from the point of hitting the Mediterranean.
The Washington Post reporter's notes posted here earlier through the Drudge Report answers some of the secrecy questions, but not all off them. On the other hand, will we ever know if there was no voice communication with AF1, except for that two-line message with the BA aircraft.
The question is: The trans-U.S. and the trans-Atlantic call sign on the B747 could not have been AF1. That would have given away the secret that Bush was coming. Neither would N2800 or N2900, which is closely associated with AF1.
It would be interesting if someone could get exactly what call sign they used to cross the American continent, the Atlantic and then to the Middle East mess to eventually land at Baghdad, and if the American pilots used accented English so any listeners wouldn't think they were AF, and also whether AF1 was protected by a net of F16s from the point of hitting the Mediterranean.
The Washington Post reporter's notes posted here earlier through the Drudge Report answers some of the secrecy questions, but not all off them. On the other hand, will we ever know if there was no voice communication with AF1, except for that two-line message with the BA aircraft.
Last edited by LatviaCalling; 29th Nov 2003 at 04:05.
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There was an "S2800" GLF5 flighplanned for a flight back to KADW that evening from somewhere in that area, though I can't honestly confirm it was Baghdad Intl.
My guess is that was it - there was a C17 in close flight planned formation.
This was all in the public domain it should be noted...!
My guess is that was it - there was a C17 in close flight planned formation.
This was all in the public domain it should be noted...!
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Sorry, but there are too many posters who think they can use this thread to post their political viewpoints. I have been away for two days in the sim and I return to read this thread which has several posts by dipsticks which have not one iota of content relating to professional aviation.
Understand this, if anyone tries to use this or any other thread to post issues that have nothing whatsoever to do with aviation they can just bog off and find a website that does cater to their frustrations. You all know who has posted aviation related contnet and who hasn't. I'm locking this thread because too many muppets have abused it without any consideration for the fact that is has to be moderated and their selfish, non-aviation related viewpoints are just a waste of my and my moderators time.
Thanks for nothing!
Understand this, if anyone tries to use this or any other thread to post issues that have nothing whatsoever to do with aviation they can just bog off and find a website that does cater to their frustrations. You all know who has posted aviation related contnet and who hasn't. I'm locking this thread because too many muppets have abused it without any consideration for the fact that is has to be moderated and their selfish, non-aviation related viewpoints are just a waste of my and my moderators time.
Thanks for nothing!
