UK Flights banned due US terrorist attacks
 

Tony Blair just announced all GA flights and commercial flights "not meeting the highest security standards" will not be permitted in UK and all flights over London are banned.

My condolences to the hundreds of thousands of those directly affected by this barbaric act. I think I could change my views on the death penalty for these basterds.

Seems something of an over-reaction to me...

This from the CAA:

"CAA Issues Restriction of Flying Order
11 September 2001
----
Following the terrorist attacks in the USA, an order prohibiting the flight
of non-essential aircraft within UK airspace was issued by the Civil
Aviation Authority at 1830 hours today. The restriction has been issued at
the request of the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions
(DTLR).

The Statutory Instrument, made under the UK Air Navigation Order, prohibits
the flight of all aircraft not operating for public transport or for the
emergency services within UK Airspace for 24 hours, starting at 1900 hours
today.

The order was issued by way of a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) by the Directorate
of Airspace Policy, CAA, today.

For operational enquiries about this order owners and aircraft operators
should refer to the detailed contact information in the NOTAM."

dde0apb, sorry but yours must be one of the most stupid comments I have read on Pprune.

Sorry you thought it was stupid. I did think before saying that. Of course the government has to react to these atrocious apalling abhorrent actions in the US. And I can understand the need to re-route flight paths over London and other major cities.

I suppose in the heat of the (terrible) moment the easiest thing is to ground everything except AOC / Police flights, but I can't really see that a Cessna 152 flying from, say, Inverness, creates a security risk. Especially since it was flights operating under the US equivalent of an AOC which were impressed into this terrible tragedy.

I think that if this were REALLY a national security decision, then we should hav either banned all flights in the UK FIRs, or none. I can't see how banning some of them enhances national security in the current context

[ 11 September 2001: Message edited by: dde0apb ]

Under the circumstances totally understandable and I know all professional and private pilots alike will support the move unanimously.

Let's support all those that have to administer the security aspect to our profession. Quite clearly our aviation lives will NEVER be the same again.


Heartfelt sympathies to all those touched by this insane demented and cowardly act of terrorism.

Abbeville

It's all bad news today, no argument there.

Those of us who work in commercial aviation know the need to keep security tight, but I have to agree with the previous posting, knee-jerk reactions are always bad news. If there is a need for really tight security, let's all stay on the ground.

But if LHR traffic is being vectored to 4-5 mile finals for westerlies to avoid overflying the city of London, then what sense to allow the continued use of LCY, with traffic from some of our smaller less security-conscious airfields?

All or nothing seems the best way forward to me.

SuckSqweezBangBlaw

I agree to the previous comment. Why force commercial traffic onto a 5 - 6 mile final at LL just to avoid the city of London when presumably a suicide pilot would fly wherever he wanted to and ignore ATC instructions? I agree whole heartedly with any effective security measures, but grounding some portions of air traffic and re-routing others seems to be a case of the government having to be seen to be doing something, however inadequate

Something makes me think that terrorists don't read NOTAMS. Do you really think that Tornados would shoot down a 747 over the centre of London? Where do you think the bits would land?

[ 12 September 2001: Message edited by: Pontius P ]

Regarding having fighter jets patroling over cities, whether in the US or elsewhere: what if a plane here in the US were hijacked to Cuba, or Minnesota? If the crew had the normal **** in the trans*** and were enroute at altitude, we can't just allow a plane to shoot it down when it turns away from its cleared route.

There was a rumour today that an "Army missile" or whatever, had shot down the B-757 which crashed in western Pennsylvania, apparently after some sort of struggle. Thank s maybe to the crew and the Almighty, it did not reach its target.

How would the Army(?) in Pennsylvania, or the Navy/Air Force jets over New York City today have visually identified a hostile approach, until a pilot saw a jet in a steep dive? Any downed large plane over a city would kill numerous people on the ground, would it not?

It still seems like I woke up to a terrible new movie on television with realistic special effects, and it never stops. No matter how many times, even one kamikazi airliner seems unreal. My thoughts to so many thousands of families.

If we are ever sure who the cowardly criminals are, a suitable swift response is critical-the heck with world opinion. The terrorists never consulted the UN for a vote. I can name one country which always takes action, and its neighbors never forget this fact. The only thing which unifies the neighbors is common hatred (and respect for the decisiveness) of this small country.

[ 12 September 2001: Message edited by: Ignition Override ]

This black horror was an aviation related/ used/abused act. I only hope that the worlds aviation community gets together to collectively search for any clues however small as to the possible identities or links to any of the perpetrators of this obscenity and pass them on to the relevant authorities to enable them to bring to justice these evil creatures.

USA foks ......sorry for your troubles which are obviusly ours too. But hang in tough...you prod with a hard stick and you yake the consequences.
RIP all the victims