An SAS Connect pilot has been fined about $5,800 in the first prosecution of a 2016 law that requires pilots to keep in radio contact with ATC. Capt. Christopher Hollands didn't check in for more than 30 minutes as he commanded an A320 with 58 passengers aboard from Oslo to Manchester. It resulted in a hijacking scare that led to two RAF Typhoons being scrambled to escort the airliner to Manchester. After landing it was ordered to an isolated area of the airport so law enforcement could investigate.
The UK has become a nanny state - cameras everywhere, lots of ridiculous rules in the name of safety. Sadly this nanny state mind virus is spreading - “we have to do something!” Look at the TSA - security theatre because we had to “do something” after 9/11.
Sorry, but I don’t agree with previous statements. UK CAA rarely prosecutes as evidenced on the CAA website.
Post 9/11 the need for maintaining radio contact is abundantly clear.
There seems to be a lot missing from this story. Were they not responding to radio calls? Was there some sort of radio issue? Did they just miss a handoff (or did ATC forget to give them a handoff - I’ve had that happen to me)? Were they monitoring 121.5 (is that universal, or just here in the US)?
This rule sure seems counter to “aviate, navigate, communicate”.
Numerous times on IFR flights I have had to say “ATC are you still there” in US after not hearing anything in a while. Occasionally have had to look up the sector freq to re-establish comms. Scrambling interceptor jets? Seems like a wicked over-reaction. Maybe part of the reason there is very limited GA in Europe.
A lot missing here. Why did UK ATC not call his company dispatch and have them send an ACARs message to make contact with ATC? That is cheaper than scrambling fighters. What about a selcal attempt?
As to using 121.5 it works most the time but in the UK they seem to be very abusive of 121.5. I hear it being used for routine tasks that should go over to a discrete frequency. It is annoying beyond all reason and defeats the purpose of ears being alert when a 121.5 broadcast is received. Most places 121.5 is “guard” in the UK I call it “common”.
Here in the US as well, unfortunately. I tried monitoring it during an ~2hr flight and after an hour of hearing airlines asking for missed frequencies, meows, and “you’re on guaaaaard”, I had to turn it off because it was too much of a distraction.
UK became the most monitored country during “the troubles” with the IRA frequently setting off bombs. As for TSA (and their cousins in various countries), I’m not a fan of their all powerful attitude but clearly they’re needed in the US. Thousands of weapons are seized annually.
Indeed. There’s a surprising range of comments here that completely miss the mark.
It was not a GA flight. It was on an IFR flight plan. It was a passenger airliner. It flew - internationally - into the UK ADIZ without speaking on the radio for more than half an hour. I know it was a few years ago, but does nobody remember 9/11?
Fortunately the airliner did not make any sudden changes of course, and continued to the intended destination. It is likely that, if it had done anything else, the RAF interceptors were authorised to shoot it down.
In court, the Captain plead “Guilty” to the charges and was fined - not all that much considering the possible outcomes.
