Two Raf Typhoons Escort Ryanair Plane To Stansted.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4947352/Fighters-scrambled-escort-Ryanair-plane-Stansted.html

[Islay]

To reply to Chilldoubt, my nanny had a fit as my father and 2 of his brothers all joined the forces within a month of each other.
Dad's fav posting of all time was Bebecula

[Mamyalynne]

A smooth handling of the situation , glad all landed safely.

[Islay]

Jealous AOG that you are unable to share in such great memories?

[ChillDoubt]

Aye aye, Cap'n!
Thread's dying anyway, the News story of it is pretty much over.

[Bazile]

sqad
//As a matter if interest......IF...there was a bomb on board and it wasn't a hoax, then what would be the practical value of having two fighter jets escorting the civilian aircraft?//

aog
//It's frightening to contemplate but I presume they would shoot the aircraft down before it approached an area where it could inflict a greater loss of life. //

But they did not know that there was not a bomb on board , until it was searched after landing

[mikey4444]

Bazile....lots of common sense there, which isn't always popular here on AB !

[Sqad]

Bazile...that wasn't my point.
If there was or was not a bomb on board, then what could two fighter jets effect the outcome ?
I suppose they could by various means divert the civil plane to a safer spot BUT what about if the pilot was under terrorist command and ignore the Jet's instructions.
I am still not sure of the function of the fighter's role.

[Bazile]

Sqad
I agree with you
My point was in response to aog's reason for the fighters .

If you dont know whether or not a bomb is on board , how can the authorities make a decision to shoot it down or not

[Sqad]

Bazile......bomb or not, I am sure that no instruction would be given to shoot down a civil aircraft filled with UK holiday makers.

[anotheoldgit]

Bazile

That now seems obvious, but the typhoon crews would be considering the way that the plane's pilot acknowledged their commands, not knowing who was in charge of the other plane.

[vulcan42]

http://www.rense.com/general31/shootdown.htm

[bhg481]

Not convinced sqad - if the plane was being forced to head to an "important place", I think the RAF would take it out.

[Islay]

Yes your memory of being a conscript must be fascinating!! How long did you serve?

[ChillDoubt]

Jealous ????????? lol.
Why would I want to share in your memories, I have many great memories of my own and they go back much longer than your insignificant short memories.