9 thoughts on “The Missing Libyan Aircraft”

1. None of the aircraft have the range to get from Tripoli to the US without refueling. The BAE Avros don’t have nearly the range, but if they refueled an Airbus A320 in west Africa they could get to New York.

   Nifty interactive A320 range mapper

   1. Pretty sure both the Ruslans and the 747 have the range.

      1. The spreadsheet says the 747-200 hasn’t flown since 2009. I doubt it’s at all airworthy. As for the An-124s, who knows.

         Most of the planes on the list are rather range limited for a strike at the US. They’d also be picked up a few hundred miles out when they entered the Air Defense Identification Zone. There are quite a few F-15s, F-16s, and even F-22s in the area that would scramble to intercept any large plane coming in without proper clearance.

   2. Well, maybe they’ll fly their airliners over here for more training. From the Free Beacon, Aug 12, 2014.

      The Obama administration has lifted longtime restrictions on Libyans attending flight schools in the United States and training here in nuclear science, according to a final amendment of the ban recently approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

      Less than two years after the deadly terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya that killed four Americans, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is poised to sign off on an amendment reversing the ban, which was enacted following a wave or terrorist attacks in 1980s and prevents Libyans from studying these sensitive trades in the United States.

      Nobody could make this stuff up.

   3. That’s not quite true in practice; the range figures are for a loaded aircraft, not a mostly empty one. That range also includes a safety divert margin. Fully fueled and flying without significant cargo or passengers, and the A320’s would make it to New York or Boston, and probably DC.

      What gets me is the warning specifies just north Africa. Europe is as close, and they sure as heck have the range to cross the Med.

      1. But they would be intercepted if they flew to Europe!!! Well, if they came in during business hours…

         1. You’re forgetting Rotherham and similar politically-correct areas; it’s culturally insensitive to interfere with cultural or religious-based practices (such as raping children or flying airliners into buildings) so anyone who even suggested interfering would be carted off to a reeducation cente…. uh, “diversity training”.

2. Out of curiosity, how many large planes were present? If there were more than 11 such planes present and in functional condition, yet someone took exactly 11, that could be an indication of intent. OTOH, they could already be selling them on the black market. We’ll just have to see.

3. “This is not to mention that the world’s eyes, whether it be spy satellites, human intelligence on the ground, surveillance aircraft or drone, or planespotters, are surely keeping an eye on any aircraft that would be moving in or out of that airfield.”

   Yup, this is why we found that Malaysian airliner so fast.

   Forgive me if I do not have the faith in random people and systems that the author does. What would make me feel better, is if those planes mysteriously had catastrophic incidents with some convenient war pornesque footage leaked on youtube.

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