Watching Aircraft At Suvarnabhumi

[Soju]

Why it is suddenly a different and more dangerous world after the 9/11 attacks - assuming that's what you mean? The danger had been present all along, it just didn't happen on such a large scale before. The only recorded attack with missiles on a civil airliner carrying passengers was, as far as I know, on an Arkia Airlines Boeing 757 taking off from Mombasa, where both missiles fired missed. There might have been more incidents like this, but in any case they are very, very rare.

There was an attempt to bring down an El-Al passenger jet in Kenya several years ago by missiles. As a result, El-Al has installed anti-missile systems on all their planes.

[cdnvic]

The VC-10 sure is a beautiful aircraft... Never got the chance to see one myself though.

IMO, one of the most elegant aircraft ever to take to the skies. A pity that the British aerospace industry has been euroized.

[Levent]

The only recorded attack with missiles on a civil airliner carrying passengers was, as far as I know, on an Arkia Airlines Boeing 757 taking off from Mombasa, where both missiles fired missed.

There was an attempt to bring down an El-Al passenger jet in Kenya several years ago by missiles. As a result, El-Al has installed anti-missile systems on all their planes.

I think you are referring to the same incident, Soju. The aircraft was a Boeing 757-300 of Arkia Airlines. The missiles missed, the flight continued safely and the aircraft was escorted on the last bit by Israeli F-15's. El Al definitely is one of the safest airlines to fly with, security-wise.

The VC-10 sure is a beautiful aircraft... Never got the chance to see one myself though.

IMO, one of the most elegant aircraft ever to take to the skies. A pity that the British aerospace industry has been euroized.

Well, not all British-built aircraft were that elegant... like the BAe 146 Very effective design though...

[Who, me ?]

The only recorded attack with missiles on a civil airliner carrying passengers was, as far as I know, on an Arkia Airlines Boeing 757 taking off from Mombasa, where both missiles fired missed.

There was an attempt to bring down an El-Al passenger jet in Kenya several years ago by missiles. As a result, El-Al has installed anti-missile systems on all their planes.

I think you are referring to the same incident, Soju. The aircraft was a Boeing 757-300 of Arkia Airlines. The missiles missed, the flight continued safely and the aircraft was escorted on the last bit by Israeli F-15's. El Al definitely is one of the safest airlines to fly with, security-wise.

The VC-10 sure is a beautiful aircraft... Never got the chance to see one myself though.

IMO, one of the most elegant aircraft ever to take to the skies. A pity that the British aerospace industry has been euroized.

Well, not all British-built aircraft were that elegant... like the BAe 146 Very effective design though...

and we still have the good looking Comet in mind !!! But really not the best aircraft ever built huh !!

[cdnvic]

and we still have the good looking Comet in mind !!! But really not the best aircraft ever built huh !!

The improved Comet IV still flies in service to this date, with some modifications.

[Who, me ?]

and we still have the good looking Comet in mind !!! But really not the best aircraft ever built huh !!

The improved Comet IV still flies in service to this date, with some modifications.

Wow, I did not know that

Still good looking. Seems to be for military use, is that right ?

[cdnvic]

and we still have the good looking Comet in mind !!! But really not the best aircraft ever built huh !!

The improved Comet IV still flies in service to this date, with some modifications.

Wow, I did not know that

Still good looking. Seems to be for military use, is that right ?

Yep, British Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft.

[PhilHarries]

The only recorded attack with missiles on a civil airliner carrying passengers was, as far as I know, on an Arkia Airlines Boeing 757 taking off from Mombasa, where both missiles fired missed.

There was an attempt to bring down an El-Al passenger jet in Kenya several years ago by missiles. As a result, El-Al has installed anti-missile systems on all their planes.

I think you are referring to the same incident, Soju. The aircraft was a Boeing 757-300 of Arkia Airlines. The missiles missed, the flight continued safely and the aircraft was escorted on the last bit by Israeli F-15's. El Al definitely is one of the safest airlines to fly with, security-wise.

The VC-10 sure is a beautiful aircraft... Never got the chance to see one myself though.

IMO, one of the most elegant aircraft ever to take to the skies. A pity that the British aerospace industry has been euroized.

Well, not all British-built aircraft were that elegant... like the BAe 146 Very effective design though...

and we still have the good looking Comet in mind !!! But really not the best aircraft ever built huh !!

And Concorde, OK it was half French and not the quietest bird in the sky but you can't fly supersonic without cracking a few eggs.

All this nostalgia is taking me back to my time at RAE Farnborough. We had quite a fleet of old military and civilian aircraft as flying testbeds. A few Comets (some for spares to keep the flying ones flying), Gloster Meteor, Shackleton Mk1 (I think), Canberra, Beverley transport to name but a few.

[PhilHarries]

Just to get in before we get a "Thailand related?" post. I happened to see Concorde at Don Muang a few years back when it was en route to Singapore for an airshow. I did a double take, looked out the window "Oh look there's Concorde, <deleted>? I have got on the wrong plane?".

Did anyone see the TV footage of it's last commercial flight into LHR? Can't imagine such a turnout for the last 747.

[Crossy]

East meets West.

Concorde and a TU144 on stands at a German museum (from airliners.net). Concorde is far prettier, but there is still at least one TU144 flying (belongs to NASA believe it or not).

BTW I've got footage of the last flight as well as the first (UK) flight complete with comentary from Raymond Baxter, I remember watching it live at my grans house then rushing outside to see the real thing go over, noisy beast but still THE most beautiful airliner ever.

Edited May 4, 2007 by Crossy

[ballbreaker]

What do you mean? Do people watching aircraft or food vendors providing for these people annoy you for any particular reason? What should be done then, in your opinion?

If you have spent time in Thailand then you know the Thai's have a way turning a flowing roadway into a parking lot with addition of food carts and vendors. I think they are doing the right thing for public safety concerns.

[cdnvic]

I think they are doing the right thing for public safety concerns.

First time for everything I guess.

[Who, me ?]

What do you mean? Do people watching aircraft or food vendors providing for these people annoy you for any particular reason? What should be done then, in your opinion?

If you have spent time in Thailand then you know the Thai's have a way turning a flowing roadway into a parking lot with addition of food carts and vendors. I think they are doing the right thing for public safety concerns.

If for public safety concerns, they have plenty of other places to start with......

[Levent]

Can't imagine such a turnout for the last 747.

Oh, I am sure that some sort of happening would be organised for the last 747 to be retired, but obviously this aircraft is much less rare than the Concorde was. Besides, with the new 747-8 coming up, it will take some time before the Queen of the Skies stops flying...

Concorde is far prettier, but there is still at least one TU144 flying (belongs to NASA believe it or not).

I agree, Concorde is much nicer, but the Tu-144 has better specifications: higher speed, more passengers, longer range...

I once had the chance to fly on Concorde on a special trip from and to Amsterdam, and feel quite sorry now I didn't do it at that time... The retirement of Concorde truly was a step back in the development of modern aviation.

[mosquitoman]

Is the Tu-144 the plane that was nick named concorski and crashed at the Paris airshow?

MM

[cdnvic]

Is the Tu-144 the plane that was nick named concorski and crashed at the Paris airshow?

MM

Yes, but the concordski nickname was erroneously meant to imply that the TU-144 was a knock-off of the Concord. In fact the TU-144 flew first, and was quite different in design.

[bendix]

relax guys ,

bendix has just got withdrawal symptons from the elevators thread ....................

Oh God. That was probably the most bizarre and entertaining TV thread of the last twelve months. Everytime I'm at the airport, I can't help but remember that thread's OP's touching concerns for people's safety.

[taxexile]

watching big jets land and take off from close up is an exhilarating experience , and i would recommend it to anybody.

you used to be able to drive into heathrow airport , and use the service road that passes the end of one of the runways , you could park up your car and get out and watch as jumbos screamed in not more than 20 or 30 feet overhead , there was another spot near one of the tube stations that service heathrow , with similar attributes , the sensation was not unlike standing close up to the main speakers at a who concert back in the eighties.

these days of course you risk imprisonment without trial if you try and get onto that road , and the who seemed to have turned their sound systems down a bit too.

i dont know about watching planes from behind glass , but sitting at the end of the runway with some good herb to smoke and dreaming of far away places was a great way to pass a couple of hours on a dreary sunday afternoon in london.

Edited May 5, 2007 by taxexile

[cdnvic]

Anyone tried standing on the beach at the end of Phuket Airport's runway? If you can get away with it you would have a viewing spot that rivals St Martaan.

Edited May 5, 2007 by cdnvic

[frankthetank]

You don't have to worry about any terrorists launching missiles at Suv, what you do have to worry about is if there are any U.S. cruisers floating in near waters!