Given he doesnt use any such equipment whilst in NI, i doubt he does in london. Close Protection is more about staying six steps ahead of any risks and hence if planned properly should not need any IED protection.

One thing that has been annoying me intensely in the reports on News 24 is the way they describe the marks where the aircraft initially contacted the ground as being “in a nearby field”.

Idiots!

Paul

P.S. Had to get that one off my chest. I feel much better now…

Yep that one was bugging me too!

Sounds like the engines did not fail in the complete failure sense, they just did not respond?

Also I am putting £10 down on a newspaper running with headline “Coward Lands Plane” or “Coward Lands Crashed Jet”

I see BBC News 24 are using Flight Simulator 2004 to reconstruct the landing!

I suggest we also wait before lauding the crew. I seem to recall that a few years ago, an Airtransat crew was lauded for having successfully “glide-landed” their fuelless and powerless A330 until it was realised that they had inadvertently emptied their plane of its fuel.

It still is a credit to them that they were able to glide the plane in. Wether or not it was their fault is another issue. I am sure anyone other than a highly skilled and experienced pilot could guide a B777 or A330 in without power.

The Captain has reportedly said he lost ALL power and avionics and had to glide the 777 in to land.

I wonder if anyone was at Myrtle Avenue?

According to onboard pax they had stabilisation problems whilst coming in to land (i.e. 20-30 miles out) and from there on in was an emergency landing.