[FoRK] Hijacking? Training? Dead radio?

[Stephen D. Williams]

In downtown Mountain View CA today, about 12:30pm, there was a large, 
nearly all white airliner making a fairly tight, low round pattern 
heading 180, turning East toward San Jose.  With a fighter jet on his 
tail less than 500 ft. behind and just slightly above.  Closer than I 
would fly just above jet wash.  They made two passes that I saw, one at 
maybe 2000 ft. and the other below 1500 and very loud, just above me.  
(I was near 85 on Grant at the time.)

Nothing on the news...  I can't imagine they were doing an exercise.  
The airliner was clearly not military or Air Force One.  It had to be a 
suspected hijacking.  Maybe their radio was out, although I can't 
imagine that an airliner pilot doesn't carry a handheld.  I do in 
Cessnas.  (I lost all electrical, and therefore radios, just after 
leaving ADIZ on my last solo cross country.  My future plan to buy a 
radio was accelerated.  ;-) )

sdw

-- 
swilliams at hpti.com http://www.hpti.com Per: sdw at lig.net http://sdw.st
Stephen D. Williams 703-371-9362C 703-995-0407Fax 94043 AIM: sdw