(meteorobs) (moving OT) possible fireball in Portugal - update

[Marco Langbroek]

> It looks like "airplane associated" indeed. Airplane's contrails
illuminated
> by sun?
> The only strange thing is that (if I correctly understand) the Portuguese
> AirForce completely failed to indentify them as airplanes... Just a large
> airplane with transponder etc. can cruise at 12 km altitude. Maybe some
> confusing, misunderstanding, etc.

Jose, Paulo,

The thing that stikes me as being odd: do you know whether your Air Force
made an interception, i.e. sent up fighters, to identify it? This would seem
to be a logic thing to do, and if they did not, you can ask yourself
why.....

A few weeks ago this happened in the Netherlands, when a stupid Air Europe
pilot in a 737 flew from Norway to Palma through Dutch airspace without
identifying himself to air traffic control. Our Air Force sent up two F-16's
who intercepted it; this created some nice sonic booms. The Germans and
French had their fighters out too on that occasion. Jose, you mentioned in
one of your mails that there were 20 minutes inbetween two of the sightings.
That would be amble time to scramble some jets and intercept it. If your Air
Force didn't, then why not? In my country, and most countries able to do so
I think, something unidentified flying at the speeds and altitudes you
mention, certainly would bring our fighters out, as was the case a few weeks
ago.

Just a thought to consider. I cannot believe an Air Force stand back and do
nothing while something is seen on their radars flying through your national
airspace at aircraft altitudes and speeds.

- Marco

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Dr Marco Langbroek
Dutch Meteor Society (DMS)
Leiden, the Netherlands
52.15896 N, 4.48884 E (WGS 84)

e-mail: meteorites at dmsweb.org
DMS website: http://www.dmsweb.org
priv. website: http://home.wanadoo.nl/marco.langbroek
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