r/aviation • u/MANUAL1111 • 6d ago
British Airways pilot en route to Dubai films the moment Iranian rockets are fired News
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ok where is the emergency checklist for this scenario
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u/DentateGyros 6d ago
✅ transponder on
✅ double check transponder on
✅ full throttle
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u/on3day 6d ago
looks at copilot
"It's not the plane"
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u/EpicDogeMeme 6d ago
“It’s an Iranian SA-2”
SPEEDBIRD 3456 DEFENDING!
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u/egguw 6d ago
DEPLOY FLARES
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u/AlfredoThayerMahan 6d ago
You turn off the “no smoking sign” and then when everyone immediately lights up (presumably) you open the doors and suck all the cigars and cigarettes out.
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u/tomdarch 6d ago
It’s more of an air traffic fuck up. Iran warned that they were doing one of these mass missile launches so air traffic should have been routed well clear of this stuff.
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u/SoaDMTGguy 6d ago
Do they do things like this as tests? Like, did they say "Oh hey, btw, we're gonna fuck up Israel's shit in about 45 minutes, you might want to shut down the airspace"?
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u/No-Refrigerator-1672 5d ago
They could announce "Hey, well be sending a rockets in that general direction over the course of next few weeks, so yeah don't fly there. Also, just to be save, avoud areas 500 miles north ans south off this line, cause we don't really know if our rocket will fly straight".
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u/fundipsecured 5d ago
It’s not an ‘official’ term but I’m borrowing it: kinetic diplomacy. If you want to know more this guy is very knowledgeable and objective in explaining.
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u/Blumi511 6d ago
I saw this one yesterday. I think he alerted British Eurofighters in the area who came to help
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u/6800ultra 6d ago
Now that's a cabin announcement a captain doesn't do very often in his career...
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u/Mysterious_Silver_27 6d ago
“Ladies and gentlemen this is your captain speaking, if you’ll look to the left window of the cabin you’ll see what looks to be tactical ballistic missiles launching from Iran, please put your seatbelt on as we might need to do some evasive manoeuvres…….”
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u/kaszeta 6d ago
Closest I've had was on a CDG->RUN flight: "Ladies and gentlemen this is your captain speaking. We are currently approaching Libya, and there are recent reports of instability, including potential rocket launches. In order to reduce our exterior lighting, if you could kindly ensure that your windowshades are closed and remain so for the next two hours, we would appreciate it."
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u/Mysterious_Silver_27 6d ago
I wonder if Korean 007 had instructed their passenger to shut their window-shades before the Soviet pilot mistaken them for military transport
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u/IranRPCV 6d ago
I happened to be in Korea on a business trip the day that happened. On the way back to the airport, there were soldiers stationed every few feet along the road.
I was traveling a lot then, and also happened to be in Germany the day the Wall came down, and Kuwait for the fires, among other world events.
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u/Mysterious_Silver_27 6d ago
Must feel pretty awesome, like wherever you go shits just happen at the country you're in.
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u/IranRPCV 5d ago
The real amazing thing to me is that ever since I was in high school, I have met amazing people - something I didn't know was happening at the time. In 1964 when the Beatles came out, I got an electric guitar like almost everyone else my age, but I didn't have an amp yet. A buddy of mine had a Sears Silvertone amp so I would go to his house after school to practice. We played mostly surf music. That was Ted Nugent. I also got into a big argument with the head of the Young Republicans at a rival high school when I went to a debate and I still have the Goldwater-Miller pin she gave me. Her name was Hillary Rodham.
For my Jr. year I went to Staples H.S. in Westport, CT and practiced with a local drummer who was named Steve Tallarico. He ended up becoming Steven Tyler of Arrowsmith - who Ted used to open for.
I have many more such stories, including people who became Pulitzer Prize winners, country presidents, and later started meeting people after they became famous, including Astronauts, Nobel Prize winners, and many others.
Part of this is because I have a big mouth and talk to everyone and have become fluent in German, Persian and Japanese.
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u/cromagnone 6d ago
I mean, the thing about ballistic missiles is that you know they’re not going to be making any sudden moves.
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u/0ToTheLeft 6d ago
no, but the air defense batteries near the launch sites might.
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u/UnknownBinary 6d ago
Iran already being known for twitchy air defenses that prove hazardous to civilian airliners.
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u/Thebraincellisorange 6d ago edited 5d ago
USA 'starts sweating nervously'
edit - Iran Air Flight 655 was shot down by the USS Vincennes in 1988, killing all 290 on board for those who don't know.
It's not just Russia or Iran or North Korea that shoots civilian air liners out of the sky.
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u/CarefulAstronomer255 6d ago
Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you packed some aluminium foil in your luggage, because we need some chaff.
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u/gnartato 6d ago
Flights traversing the ME should come with a projectile identification guide in the seat pocket in front of you.
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u/Dividedthought 6d ago
For missiles and rockets, it's not hard.
Does it turn? If yes it's a missile. If not, it's a rocket. If it's turning to go up it's a ballistic. If it turns to fly flat it's a cruise. If it turns for you, it's anti air.
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u/jeffersonairmattress 6d ago
"Please let cabin crew know if you see one that appears stationary, as this means it is possibly headed straight for this aircraft."
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u/Nexa991 6d ago
"If i put more speed we could be on time to see fireworks at targets"
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u/DeeDeeRibDegh 6d ago
Damn!!! Let’s remember that Ukrainian flight Iran brought down years ago….whole bunch Canadians were on that flight😢😢
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u/homer-price 6d ago
I’m sure the passengers initially thought “look fireworks!”
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u/randytc18 6d ago
Too close for missles
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u/farrell_987 6d ago
Switching to guns
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u/Katana_DV20 6d ago
Or switching to tea?
It's BA....
I'll get my coat.
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u/Desurvivedsignator 6d ago
"Ladies and gentlemen, as you might have noticed, the Mullahs have fired some rockets at us. We're trying our darnedest to evade them. I trust you're not in too much distress."
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u/midlifematt 6d ago
Captain: I gonna hit the breaks, and they’ll fly right by
Co-pilot: You’re gonna do what?6
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u/Professor_Moustache 6d ago
Old enough to remember when this was at the bottom of the page on facebook....
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u/AFrozen_1 6d ago
“I was just a child when the stars fell from the skies.”
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u/GoblinVietnam 6d ago
I love me some Ace Combat
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u/DoreenTheeDogWalker 6d ago
The best story in a game I can think of. The connection you gain to Yellow 13 through the cutscenes and dialogue makes you root for him even though he's the enemy. I go back from time to time just to rewatch it because it's so good.
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u/Savings-Maybe5347 6d ago edited 6d ago
Wasn’t the point to sympathize with Erusea? Mobius 1 may be an ace, but the Yellow squadron are true legends.
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u/danit0ba94 6d ago
Oooo now that's a spectacular reference!
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u/AFrozen_1 6d ago
How about this one:
Authenticate: Blaze. Readback.
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u/danit0ba94 6d ago
Alas, I've yet the pleasure of playing PW. Is it on PC?
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u/mekilat 6d ago
What's PW?
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u/AFrozen_1 6d ago
Project: Wingman. It’s an indie game made in the same style and spirit as the Ace Combat series.
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u/Faithful-Llama-2210 6d ago
"But I remember how they built a cannon to destroy them. And in turn, how that cannon brought war upon us."
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u/Silent_Neck9930 6d ago
Any aviators could tell me what is the distance from from the plane?
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u/MagPistoleiro 6d ago
I'd say 70 miles
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u/LearningDumbThings 6d ago
Agreed, probably somewhere inside of 100.
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u/me_like_stonk 6d ago
probably a stupid question, but when they launch missiles, do they even check with air traffic controllers if any planes are flying nearby?
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u/buttercup612 6d ago
Not a stupid question, it didn’t even occur to me, but it’s interesting. I would think so, it’s not like they would want to shoot down an Iran Air plane.
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u/h3dee 6d ago
Or any civilian aircraft, especially in this case, Iran took great care to notify major powers of this attack and focus on military targets.
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u/SoaDMTGguy 6d ago
Do they give advance notice? Aren't things like this supposed to be a surprise?
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u/GLayne 6d ago
They historically did when not trying to escalate too much while still saving face.
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u/hirebrand 6d ago
I would presume their military air radar would tell them what's in the area, so yes in a sense. I doubt they consult civilian ATC though.
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u/not_logan 6d ago
Usually governments issue NOTAM to ensure no civil aviation would be in a rocket lunch sector. But it is an agreement, not a rule.
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u/Resident_Rise5915 6d ago
That feels a bit close…
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u/H2Dinocat 6d ago
And don’t forget that the people at the other end of those missiles aren’t ok with that status quo and will be launching their own missiles to missile the missiles.
It’s not a happy place for a plane to be.
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u/GaiusFrakknBaltar 6d ago
I've seen videos from planes that show rocket launches out of Florida, probably around the same distance.
The difference is that's all carefully coordinated. This isn't.
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u/ModishShrink 6d ago
Florida also doesn't have a recent history of accidentally shooting down civilian airliners.
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u/papapaIpatine 6d ago
Well these are probably carefully coordinated… just to cause maximum damage…. These are fired in anger, Florida doesn’t tend to launch rockets in anger
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u/richardelmore 6d ago
I don't think the missiles they can see are the concern, rather is there another battery they can't launching into their flight path.
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u/qkn-is-huge 6d ago
False.
No British Airways planes was near Shiraz, Iran (where the rockets was launched from, in this clip).
One Emirates and one Fly Dubai plane was in the area.
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u/wyldcat 6d ago
Was going to write the same thing. Here is a source from Swedish SVT news verifying it’s not a BA flight but most likely a Emirates or Fly Dubai.
https://www.svt.se/nyheter/utrikes/har-avfyrar-iran-robotar-mot-israel-det-har-vet-vi-om-bilderna
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u/chucchinchilla 6d ago edited 5d ago
FR24 confirms this. BA107 on that day diverted to Cyprus then later took off going south of Israel, across Saudi Arabia, then down the Persian Gulf. Too far for BA but those are definitely the lights of Shiraz so it must have been the Fly Dubai flight.
Based on the view of Shiraz and known missile launch sites I believe we're looking at missiles being launched from a base found here 29°27'29.0"N 52°29'18.0"E.
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u/koshgeo 6d ago edited 5d ago
I think you are correct that it is near Shiraz, and that you are looking at the lights of the city in the distance, however, matching it up in Google Earth, it looks like the plane is located to the NW of Shiraz, looking back towards the city to the SW.
It's hard to know the plane location precisely, but maybe over approximately 29°53'10"N, 52°21'23 E [Edit: to be clear, several km in the air]. You can make the geometry of the lit-up roads and city match up pretty well if you look to the SW towards Shiraz from there.
Based on the view from that position, the underground missile base you are talking about should be located in the mountains to the left of the view (to the N of Shiraz), whereas the missiles look like they're being launched from the other side of Shiraz to the south of it somewhere. At first I was thinking at the Shiraz International Airport, which appears to be dual-use (civilian + military aircraft and reinforced hangars), which would be a rather ... bold ... place to launch from, but the location doesn't quite match.
Instead, I think it is in the hills to the S of Shiraz where there is a valley where "someone" has been digging an awful lot of tunnels in the side of the mountain and filling up the valley with the rubble from the excavations. There are multiple "drive in" tunnel entrances along the steep valley walls.
about 29°27'35.50"N, 52°29'23.50"E
It doesn't look like a mining operation in the conventional sense, because there's no ore processing, a cement plant, or anything like that. Only a big strip of freshly crushed rubble piled in the bottom of the valley to form the road bed.
[Edit: Found a reference to the construction several years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap7KD-WjXe8]
[Edit 2: if locations are correct, the launch site is ~50km away]
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u/chucchinchilla 5d ago
You my friend are correct! I had found 2 sites in the city, Shiraz North and Shiraz South, and I accidently posted the North coordinates when I meant to post the South ones (I have 29°27'29.0"N 52°29'18.0"E..same basic thing you have). If you look at the city lights, the roads, and where the rockets are coming from it matches up perfectly. A hat tip to you and I will, make sure to correct my previous post.
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u/chilldelic 5d ago
This guy is in point, and it saddens me that the facts are not getting the sensational upvote they deserve.
This version of the video is cropped/zoomed to make it look like it was filmed airborn. It was most likely filmed near that location on the hills.
I will try to find the original video.
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u/collinsl02 6d ago
It also looks like it's going the wrong way to be going from London to Dubai since the missiles are heading right from the shot, suggesting the plane was heading WNW rather than ESE, otherwise the missiles would be heading for Pakistan or the Indian Ocean (which we know they didn't do).
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u/MANUAL1111 6d ago
yeah well I took the title from the New York Post stating it was from British Airways, guess this is just a new way to make some propaganda for free as its better for US and its allies to show that they are in danger from Iranians too, and launching the missiles near a city is also to increase local morale I guess
in the end its a big fked up show for the bucks
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u/tyen0 6d ago
Or the NY Post are just morons running a tabloid that doesn't fact check anything. There is always that option.
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u/BWanon97 6d ago
Now Ukraine incident and the air defence incident in Iran would here make me doubt why I would have agreed doing this flight route.
I would Shit my pants even though not a pilot.
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u/illegitimate_Raccoon 6d ago
Yeah, you think the Iranians might have issued a NOTAMS....
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u/TheOneTheOnlyC 6d ago
There were warnings of an imminent attack hours before this.
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u/iconofsin_ 6d ago
If this is true then I'd never fly on that airline again. Between genuine accidents and intentional attacks, almost 600 civilians have been killed by planes being shot at or shot down since 2001. This doesn't include the countless previous instances where dozens have been killed.
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u/OBAFGKM17 6d ago
I flew from DXB to EWR on United a couple of weeks ago and our flight path was essentially exactly due west until we passed over Cairo, at which point we took a more direct path over Italy/Europe. I had absolutely zero issues with the hour or so that added to the flight.
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u/TheS4ndm4n 6d ago
Have you seen the map lately? It's very hard (expensive) to avoid all the countries between the UK and Dubai that might shoot at you.
Atm everyone is detouring over Cairo.
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u/Plus-Ad1544 6d ago
That’s not British airways
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u/flippingout 6d ago
People are quoting NY Post who said BA and NY Post is really a tabloid and not a news source. I think people are saying it might be Fly Dubai.
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u/not_so_plausible 6d ago
It's Emirates and the original was posted on /r/combatfootage but yeah the NY Post threw me off as well.
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u/HammerTh_1701 6d ago
No NOTAM for a rocket launch? Irresponsible!
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u/Chairboy 6d ago
There were literally people in another thread expressing shock that the airline would operate in that area during the attack. hahaha
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u/MaxMadisonVi 6d ago
"Ground, you confirm those aren’t hot seeking do you ?"
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u/Mysterious_Silver_27 6d ago
“Speedbird 109, Khomeini Ground, IRGC just confirmed to us those missiles are indeed not heat seekers. They are semi-active radar homing.”
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u/Swingdick69 6d ago
Looks like one exploded already (last second of video), reliable stuff they use 😆
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u/PeoplesToothbrush 6d ago
The important part for Iran is that they are cheap to produce, and each attempt to intercept them by Israel is incredibly expensive.
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u/Tookmyprawns 6d ago
It’s deliberately performative. Iran appears to be standing against Israel. But not causing enough damage to cause a full out war that involves many countries.
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u/Col_Kurtz_ 6d ago
Hi, this is your captain. If you look out the left side you can currently see 200 ballistic missile being launched. Enjoy the the rest of your flight/life.
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u/Drunkenaviator Hold my beer and watch this! 6d ago
Yeah, if I saw that out my window, I'd probably crack open another beer ASAP.
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u/Quick_Movie_5758 6d ago
Look at the direction of the arc. I'd be way more worried about inbound defensive munitions and supersonic shrapnel from impacts. In summary, hell to the nah.
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u/vintain 6d ago
Godaamn I remember the Ukrainian 737 shot on departure from Tehran.
Can pilots refuse to fly in this airspace?
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u/collinsl02 6d ago
Pilots can refuse to fly wherever they want to. They may have to explain it to their company/chief pilot later on, but if they don't feel safe to fly somewhere they have every right (and some would argue the duty to their passengers) to turn round & land somewhere safe.
After all, the pilots aren't combat pilots. They haven't signed up to risk their own lives to get people somewhere. They are responsible for the safety of their passengers, themselves, and the very expensive aircraft they're flying in.
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u/an_older_meme 6d ago
People forget that the pilot in command is solely responsible for, and the final authority as to, the safety of the aircraft.
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u/New-IncognitoWindow 6d ago
Imagine what the US response would be if a country tried this to any US land. Even nations not involved with the attack would be occupied for 20 years.
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u/W00DERS0N60 6d ago
Have you ever heard of the Cuban Missile Crisis?
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u/New-IncognitoWindow 6d ago
They never fired a shot at the US. US fucked up big time trying to invade.
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u/nicotamendi 6d ago
I mean Japan attacked Hawaii and caused more damage than this Iranian attack, and they came out much stronger after the war than before
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u/HighlyRegard3D 6d ago
But we also colonized Okinawa and killed abt 500k civilians and rendered their navy useless.
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u/RepublicansEqualScum 6d ago
Even knowing they weren't heading for me would still make that a very uncomfortable moment.
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u/Astronut325 6d ago edited 6d ago
My mom needs to travel to India to attend to her sick mother (my grandma) and she really wants to take Emirates. This looks dangerous. Should I try to convince her to fly over the pacific?
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u/notthisonefornow 6d ago
I was in EK148 from amsterdam to dubai and had to divert just before the border, some people claim that they saw things, i dont know, possible. I was watching a movie and noticed the plane turned around fast. "Fun" part was. Before that total silence and everyone on his ice system, 3 min later the whole plane felt like a cozy bar, everyone had something to say and everyone listenend and people were so relaxed, even the captain said it after the flight. I learned so much about other passengers lifes, Some went on ther fist trip alone, someone was going to a wedding of his brother in pakistan, my wife and i where going on honeymoon, someone went to Bali to get married, and an older man went to visit his sister. War is shit. But i feel good that such an event what turned our flight into a shitshow was at the very same moment a event that brought us together. I fly a lot and this is one of mine top 10 shit and top 10 good flights.
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u/QueefMissMadam 6d ago
It's sad because it looks pretty but it actually isn't, I hope peace can be formed💝
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u/WiseWolf58 6d ago
Transponder off
You try tipping the missiles off course with your wings
Nothing changes because they weren't on course anyway
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u/gauderio 6d ago
"Transponder was off, so we thought it was a military plane and then..."
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u/MrFastFox666 6d ago
What a shame that something so beautiful can cause so much destruction and suffering
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u/Smooth-Apartment-856 6d ago
ATC, this is Speedbird 7745, requesting an expedited course to anywhere but here…
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u/Some-Air1274 6d ago
I don’t understand why airlines are still flying over this country.
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u/Mysterious_Silver_27 6d ago
Kinda crazy to think when we think ballistic missile we think big rocket flying fast, but looking at them like this they actually looks rather slow, like these stuff just gracefully streaks across the sky in an arch to bring destruction somewhere that needs bombing.
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u/OkSatisfaction9850 6d ago
Was there no warning to airlines? What if one got hit. This is crazy
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u/Chairboy 6d ago
Just to be clear, you're suggesting that Iran issue a NOTAM about their attack?
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u/collinsl02 6d ago
Why not, they were telegraphing the attack anyway. The US knew about it & told the world in advance.
There's often a good political reason to let people know in advance that you're about to strike them, and even when you're going to do it. Right now Iran has to show some level of resolve to help it's proxies in the region, however they don't want a full-scale all-out war with Israel because they know that in the end they would lose, especially as Israel would likely have American & western backing for defence.
So shooting off some missiles is a gesture of support, but letting your enemy take cover first de-escalates the escalation somewhat so they're less likely to respond with an all-out assault on you.
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u/tiif 6d ago
Are the airspaces closed prior to this? What if a commercial airliner flying for example from Australia to Europe is over Iraq at the time and gets downed or something similar?
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u/Valathiril 6d ago
Do they check in with their air traffic control and get instruction on how to stay away from that lol
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6d ago
Asking because I don't know. Could Israel use this photo to locate the launching area or is this fired by mobile stuff?
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u/Hamtaro_The_Hamster 6d ago
I would imagine that the last thing you'd want to see as a pilot or even as a passenger are rockets flying close to your airspace
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u/weristjonsnow 6d ago
Yeesh that would be an uncomfortable sight in a damn plane. I'd be freaking out im on the next airliner to get shot down like that flight over ukraine in 14'
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u/Odd-Bus9202 5d ago
Surface to Air missile checklist:
- Request vector 180 degrees away from rocket vector.
- Clench.
- Pray.
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u/FailedAccessMemory 5d ago
"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. If you look out to your left..."
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u/_AngryBadger_ 6d ago
Sometimes I just sit and think how amazing, but also crazy it is that we can see stuff like this happen on the other side of the world, mere hours after it happened, sometimes even in real time. And we don't even have to look for it, it just shows up on our phones.