Greek airliner

[cameron]

WTF?

Does anyone remember in September 2005 when an airliner in Greece dep[ressurized and was lost by air traffic control? I have recreated that flight using Microsoft Flight Simulator, in the same way I did Payne Stewart’s, and I’ve discovered something astounding!

I took off from Larnaca airport on Cyprus bound for Athens at the same time of day: 9AM, on the same plane: a Boeing 737. Again I guessed that the incident must have occurred at 20,000 feet+ for it to have had the effect that it did on the passengers and crew; this was around 18 minutes after takeoff. According to reports the airliner was intercepted by Greek F16’s over the Aegean Sea. I reached this position 55 to 1 hr 10 minutes into the flight. By this time I’d entered a new time zone and the time was still around 9 AM (when I took off Cyprus time). This means that the Greek air force responded quicker than NORAD did on 9/11! (And more than twice as fast as they (apparently) did During the Payne Stewart incident. They claim it took them 1 hr 22 minutes to locate Payne’s Learjet.) I doubt if Greece has any defense system remotely as effective as NORAD, yet they beat NORAD to their target! Makes you wonder if NORAD’s 16 billion-odd budget is worth it!...

…Unless of course NORAD was especially sluggish on September 11th 2001 for some reason. Could this be it?: standdown.net/


darkconspiracy.trhonline.com/viewtopic.php?t=2419

[frenat]

I don't know the specific details of the Greek incident but they do have a much smaller area to protect and the flight may have been intercepted by jets already airborne and nearby. Greece could also train for intercepts in that area more. Before 9/11, the intercepts trained for in the US were done over international waters for an incoming threat. Also, has Greece in the recent past had any conflicts with other nations that may contribute to a higher level of military awareness?

Regarding Payne Stewart, not only did it take well over an hour for jets to intercept the jet, but it was done by jets already airborne for another purpose (a training mission) and not ones dedicated or armed for air defense.

[Al Johnston]

The Greeks have had a simmering dispute with the Turks for at least the past century, which has led to diplomatic problems for NATO: not least when they almost went to war over Cyprus in the 70s...

[LunarOrbit]

Don't forget that since that crash happened after September 11th everyone was more alert to the possibility of terrorism so the response would have been quicker, whereas before it wasn't considered very likely so the response was slow and disorganized.

Also, if I remember correctly there were passengers aboard the plane who reported there was problem with their cellphones. In the case of Payne Stewart there was no communication from the plane so it took a while for people on the ground to realize there was a problem.

[scooter]

If NORAD had had more than a "token" air defense system that day, and if NORAD had been geared towards internal threats, and if NORAD had a better channel of communications and coordination...things would have been different.
NORAD did what they could with the information and assets they had at the moment.
It's easy to second guess things, well after they happen.

[Al Johnston]

Most flights handled by Greek airports come from outside the country, whereas US air traffic is predominantly internal. An air defence system set up to intercept intruding aircraft from abroad will clearly deal with one case better than the other.

[PhantomWolf]

Also, if I remember correctly there were passengers aboard the plane who reported there was problem with their cellphones.

There was a claim made that someone had received a phone call just before the inpact, but it turned out to be hoax, and I believe there were charges laid.

[LunarOrbit]

Ah, yes, I remember that now.