727 stolen from Angola
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Had to laugh:
Quote:
"A witness to the plane's departure on Sunday, airport employee Luis Lopes, said he saw a white man start the empty plane and then take off after a few dangerous land manoeuvres."
Can picture him laying a few straps, cutting corners and getting the back end out while ripping her onto the active!
Must have had a fair idea on what he was doing but - can't say it'd be the same as hotwiring a Hyundai Excel.
Cheers,
Souls.
Quote:
"A witness to the plane's departure on Sunday, airport employee Luis Lopes, said he saw a white man start the empty plane and then take off after a few dangerous land manoeuvres."
Can picture him laying a few straps, cutting corners and getting the back end out while ripping her onto the active!
Must have had a fair idea on what he was doing but - can't say it'd be the same as hotwiring a Hyundai Excel.
Cheers,
Souls.

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Been waiting for this.....
It happened on Sunday night, and we were waiting for the international press to get hold of this one.
The 727 is an ex AA one that has been here for a year now.
Story from the guys on the ram is that it fired up and taxied, no lights, no calls (not that that tower answers you on a good day anyway) and made for 23 in the dark.
As it happens a ruski of some type was finals for 05 so they did a quick turn in the run up bay and back tracked 25 as what was described as very quick and then departed 25 dissapearing into the dark
We laughed well after that, I wonder if there flight had been dispatched.
So if anyone else in West Africa sees a Sliver 727 with Blue and White stripes. Take cash for gas and wave as they depart.
Think of the "poor" officals who missed their cut of this departure
The 727 is an ex AA one that has been here for a year now.
Story from the guys on the ram is that it fired up and taxied, no lights, no calls (not that that tower answers you on a good day anyway) and made for 23 in the dark.
As it happens a ruski of some type was finals for 05 so they did a quick turn in the run up bay and back tracked 25 as what was described as very quick and then departed 25 dissapearing into the dark
We laughed well after that, I wonder if there flight had been dispatched.
So if anyone else in West Africa sees a Sliver 727 with Blue and White stripes. Take cash for gas and wave as they depart.

Think of the "poor" officals who missed their cut of this departure




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Great news.
The buzz in the States is that the terrorists will aquire (buy, rent, steal) an aircraft or two and load them with explosives for another building attack. There is even a story that they might start up a legitimate part 121 freight operation and field it with anglos for awhile to avoid scrutiny. Then one day, they load the explosives and....
I hope to hell they find this aircraft and disable it --and all others just sitting around. Otherwise, Europe will suffer what we in the States have gone through the past two years.
PT
The buzz in the States is that the terrorists will aquire (buy, rent, steal) an aircraft or two and load them with explosives for another building attack. There is even a story that they might start up a legitimate part 121 freight operation and field it with anglos for awhile to avoid scrutiny. Then one day, they load the explosives and....
I hope to hell they find this aircraft and disable it --and all others just sitting around. Otherwise, Europe will suffer what we in the States have gone through the past two years.
PT


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I dont think they would get too far before being intercepted and there arnt too many places within a B727's duration that you could base this sort of "start up" operation without being investigated......well i hope not anyway.
rt
rt

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N844AA
If I'm not mistaken, that is the aircraft that we ferried from MIA to Luanda for a man known as Keith Irwin out of Jo- Burg. It was an Ex AA pax B-727. That aircraft is a full blown fuel hauler and if in the wrong hands could be a serious threat however, I would guess at this point it was just the repo man claiming his property. Keith Irwin brought a crew of six over from the states to operate this aircraft and after two months on the project, the crew left without collecting a single pay check. He also owed several other people lots of money and may have got in trouble for buying a HOT HF radio, stolen from the Angolan military and they may have had something to do with seizing the aircraft originally. Who knows.


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Now there's a bad name to remember, Keith Irwin. I worked for him out of Lanseria flying his Baron 58 (ZS-IB#) for a company called Select Air back in 1989, and never really got paid. My salary cheque bounced a few times, even a few times on the same day after being assured that all is OK.
I am surprised that the Angolans didn't send up a Mig or two, mind you their B737's could do a good job of taking planes out of the sky, they almost took out Cessna 402 in Namibia.
I am surprised that the Angolans didn't send up a Mig or two, mind you their B737's could do a good job of taking planes out of the sky, they almost took out Cessna 402 in Namibia.

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Keith Irwin
Yup, The Bastard got me for about $14,000 USD and the rest of the guys for as much and more!!!!!! I only wish that it was him that stole the airplane from Luanda and got blown out of the sky. It would be a shame though, it was a nice airplane. Come to think of it he wouldn't know the first thing about flying a 72.

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Someone stole a 727?
Am I missing something - but did someone leave the keys in the ignition or something? Or was he adept enough to hotwire it?
Am I missing something - but did someone leave the keys in the ignition or something? Or was he adept enough to hotwire it?


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Hey, it’s easy to fly a 72 solo. Just put a Coke machine in the right seat and give me a long stick with some bubble gum on the end to run the engineer’s panel and tell me where ya want to go.
No problems!
No problems!


