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Why would you need a 777 when you can probably pick up old Russian cargo planes much easier and for a fraction of the cost and without needing super skilled pil
by stef25 13y ago
Why would you need a 777 when you can probably pick up old Russian cargo planes much easier and for a fraction of the cost and without needing super skilled pilots?
- arethuza 13y agoExtreme long range? It was a 777-200ER (Enhanced Range) - that model holds records for distance flying: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_777#777-200ER http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_777#777-200ER
- mattgibson 13y agoIf we assume that there is some level of outside planning here, with maybe a state actor involved, then getting the plane secretly fuelled up beyond the assumed 7.5 hour range would perhaps not be too difficult.
- bluedino 13y agoWhat are the odds that if you had that plane, you could 'sneak in' to US airspace and pull another 9/11?
- arethuza 13y agoThat's why I find it difficult to believe that anyone would steal that plane with the goal of attacking the US (or any country with a well developed air defense system). Until that plane is found I suspect people will be keeping a very close eye on wide body jets approaching and within their airspaces.
- gambiting 13y agoIt could also be used to attack countries without a well developed air defense system. It might not even be a country in the west.
- Zigurd 13y agoDepends. If it had been done in the "Huh, that's strange" stage of this mystery, then I'd say the odds are pretty good. But with no communication for this many days, the odds are that whatever the plan was, it didn't work, and the plane is crashed or unable to fly, wherever it is, and that the US, especially, is looking out for an attack.
- notahacker 13y agoTrust me, you can get an aircraft with enough range to get anywhere in the world in a couple of hops for much less than the cost of organizing a highly sophisticated hijacking operation. And your range is much longer when your aircraft is operated by an apparently legitimate charter service that has permission to fly into most countries and don't have to worry about hiding from radar. By contrast, the effective range of a suspicious phantom plane against fighter jets on high alert is zero.
- EA 13y agoIt's one thing to have a big airplane. It's another thing to have a big invisible airplane.