Hoax Radio transmissions at Melbourne and Avalon airports
The Melbourne Airport (Source: melbourneairport.com.au)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Phil Brennan, who writes:
Your readers might be interested in this article from today's Guardian:
Hoax radio transmission at Melbourne airport forces plane to abort landingPolice are investigating 15 incidents of illegal radio transmissions with aircraft at Melbourne and Avalon airports, including hoax calls that forced at least one aircraft to abort its landing.
In a statement issued on Monday night, the Australian federal police said there had been "unlawful interference with air traffic control broadcasts over several weeks".
Audio obtained by the ABC revealed that, during one of the calls, the hoax caller pretended to be the pilot of a light aircraft as he spoke to an air traffic controller.
"I can see you there now. Roger your mayday. Could you please advise what your situation is," the air traffic control operator asks.
"Engine failure," the hoax caller replies. "Descending passing through 4,500."
In another incident a Virgin Australia flight en route from the Gold Coast to Melbourne was forced to change course under the instruction of the hoax caller transmitting from an unknown location, the ABC reported.
Such behaviour could have disastrous consequences.
You're right, Phil. It angers me to no end when people intentionally cause interference or disrupt operations at airports. So many lives depend on air traffic control and flight communications systems.
Thank you for sharing.