Flight tracking app UK security alert

Front page of the UK Mail on Sunday has raised the possibility of terrorists tracking Prince William’s Air Ambulance helicopter with FR24.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3174593/Spy-sky-terror-threat-William-Security-alert-app-lets-track-pilot-Prince-s-air-ambulance-helicopter.html

obj to be taken to the Tower of London :open_mouth:

Hi tech solution to a simple issue - you know where the helicopter is based and could probably find the shift rota for the pilots, being bright yellow it’s easy to spot that helicopter visually if you wanted to.

There probably more chance of being shot down by Grand-papa flying over Sandringham in deer season.

Heh, yeah, I saw that article, it’s about what I’d expect from the Wail :slight_smile:

Obviously they should just turn off their transponder then start flying around near Lakenheath. What could possibly go wrong?

They’d be mistaken for a Bear…

…maybe a bear cub?

Openly available information that has been accessible for a long time discovered by the Mail and they lead to this suggestion…

A terrorist armed with a rocket-propelled grenade, ground-to-air missile or even less sophisticated weaponry would have had little difficulty targeting William’s aircraft as it regularly flies below 1,500ft with a cruising speed of just 150mph.

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At least a few of the comments actually make sense by stating the Mail have now shown anyone interested how to find out where he is, full instructions!

Article regarding this by Plane Finder.

planefinder.net/about/news/spy-i … nd-or-foe/

Marty

Problem solved on Air Force One by not installing an ASD-B transmitter.

But still trackable with its Mode S transponder and MLAT.

Marty

You want aircraft to be visible to things around them. It’s so they don’t run into each other. That’s the whole point of having transponders, ACAS, etc.

Sticking a big flashing “I’m important!” light on the aircraft is perhaps not the way to avoid attention. But that’s not really a technological problem. Paint AF1 orange and pretend it’s an Easyjet flight? :wink:

Or maybe Southwest livery and hide it among the 737s?

A few days ago I saw a military tanker on my screen making a circle. I went out to take a photo and there was a second machine beside it. An Awacs machine without sending any signal… they also can switch off their Mode S tansponder.
Same happens often with some eurofighter. You seen only one with sending signals from far away and when they come close to their target region there is a second machine and sometimes more.