This story has the FBI,CIA, and US State Department looking for an aircraft that flat out disappeared. A Voice of America report filed on the web states " the plane was last heard requesting permission to land in the Seychelles" The Boeing 727-223 did not land after the request and no one seems to know where it is. Considering the WTC attacks on 911 and the current whereabouts unknown status of Osama Bin Laden and various other persons of interest this story may become all too important in the days ahead. Fully fueled and perhaps retrofitted with portable fuel bladders and a cloned radar transponder this aircraft has the range to reach any area in the continental US.along with a significant payload.
PERFORMANCE
Max Level Speed : 549 ktas (1,017 km/h, 632 mph)
Service Ceiling : -100: 11,400 m (37,400 ft)
-200: 10,730 m (35,200 ft)
FAR T-O distance : 2,938 m (9,640 ft)
FAR Landing Field Length : 1,430 m (4,690 ft)
Range (12,474 kg/27,500 lb payload, 36,831 l/9,730 US Gal fuel)
: 2,600 nm (4,818 km, 2,994 sm)
FUEL CAPACITY
Standard: 30,623 l (8,090 US Gal)
2 Optional fuselage fuel tanks can be installed, displacing forward
and/or aft cargo compartment volume. These designer bladder fuel
cells can contain up to 9,387 l (2,480 US Gal)each
(source Boeing727.com)
If further range is required removal of passenger seats and installation of military type portable rubber fuel bladders could be achieved with a minimal technical effort. Provided aircraft C/G requirements and weight limitations are observed a conservative doubling of published endurance figures (5hours) seems likely.With a conservative radius of action of 9636km/5200nm/5998sm
http://www.atlinc.com/flextank.htm
WEIGHTS
Empty Operating Weight : 45,360 kg (100,000 lb)
MTOW (dry engines) : 83,820-95,027 kg (184,800-209,500 lb)
Max Ramp Weight : 84,275-95,254 kg (185,800-210,000 lb)
Max Zero-Fuel Weight : 62,595-65,315 kg (138,000-144,000 lb)
Max Landing Weight : 70,080-73,028 kg (154,500-161,000 lb) (source Boeing727.com) (USAF.com) (FAA.gov) (Boeing.com)
The 727-200, introduced in December 1967, had increased gross weight and a 20-foot longer fuselage that could accommodate as many as 189 passengers . In all variations, 1,245 of the -200s were sold.(Boeing.com)
As DB Cooper noted the rear access stairs make a convenient exit possible from altitude. With the 4th of July so close at hand one hopes that NORAD and US Air Defense will watch the skies. One hopes better than they did on Sept 11th.
Stan Bernard
: IATA ICAO FAA Q City Airport Country[.State] Latitude Longitude Elevation Notes
FSSS Mahé Seychelles International SC: SEYCHELLES 4° 41' S 55° 32' E 13 ft
SEYCHELLES Republic of Seychelles Repiblik Sesel SC SYC SE Equatorial Africa
Name Full name Official name ISO FIPS Region Notes
ANGOLA Republic of Angola Republica de Angola AO AGO AO Southern Africa
Luanda
LAD FNLU Luanda Aeroporto 4 de Fevereiro/Belas AO 8° 50' S 13° 14' E 230 ft
A BOEING 727 passenger jet, grounded at Luanda airport a year ago, has disappeared after a mysterious unauthorised take-off, Angola state radio reported today.
The plane, chartered by the Angolan airline Airangol, was grounded after being banned from overflying Angolan territory on account of a series of irregularities, said Angola civil aviation director Helder Preza.
A witness to the plane's departure on Sunday, airport employee Luis Lopes, said he saw a white man start the empty plane and then take off after a few dangerous land manoeuvres.
Airport chief Celso Rosa said there was some evidence to believe the Boeing had been fuelled up at Luanda airport, and said he would provide this information to the transportation ministry's investigation into the incident.
from news @ au may 28th2003
Angolan government recommended on Friday the "Urgent Conclusion" of the inquiry on the illegal taking off, on Sunday May 25, of an airplane from the "4 de Fevereiro" international airport. The government also recommended the setting up of a multisectorial commission to study, evaluate and propose the adoption of measures aimed at reinforcing security in the airports of the country. The Angolan minister for transports, André Luís Brandão, assured that the inquiry is being done and that in his department "The results of inquiries are always published", adding that it was a very unusual case.
André Luís Brandão stressed that this situation will call for urgent and efficient measures to be taken to keep order and security in the "4 de Fevereiro" International Airport.
The airplane, which had a USA number plate (N844AA), was in the country working for a company called "Air Angola"
>>http://allafrica.com/stories/200305300474.html
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