Ready and Waiting
Enzo Matrix
In addition to communicating with the local Air Traffic Control facility,
all aircraft in the Persian Gulf AOR are required to give the Iranian Air
Defense Radar (military) a ten minute 'heads up' if they will be transiting
Iranian airspace. This is a common procedure for commercial aircraft and
involves giving them your call sign, transponder code, type aircraft, and
points of origin and destination.
I just flew with a guy who overheard this conversation on the VHF Guard
(emergency) frequency 121.5 MHz while flying from Europe to Dubai. It's too
good not to pass along. The conversation went something like this:
Air Defense Radar: 'Unknown aircraft at (location unknown), you are in
Iranian airspace. Identify yourself.'
Aircraft: 'This is a United States aircraft. I am in Iraqi airspace.'
Air Defense Radar: 'You are in Iranian airspace. If you do not depart our
airspace we will launch interceptor aircraft!'
Aircraft: 'This is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 fighter. Send 'em up,
I'll wait!'
Air Defense Radar: (no response ... total silence)
--
Enzo
I wear the cheese. It does not wear me.
Kent Wills
wrote:
[...]
>Aircraft: 'This is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 fighter. Send 'em up,
>I'll wait!'
>
>Air Defense Radar: (no response ... total silence)
<giggle>
--
"Excuse me. Have you seen a blowfish driving a sports car?"
"Bloody Torchwood!"
