Hoax caller impersonates pilots or ATC in Melbourne

[Melburnian1]

The ABC online site has a lengthy report ("Passenger plane forced to abort landing') about incidents on Thursday 27 October where some lunatic impersonated Melbourne ATC and convinced VA740 (OOL - MEL) to alter its course, and then later the same dangerous individual pretended to be issuing a mayday call from a light aircraft.

Quite disturbing. When one listens to the brief audio attached to the report, it sounds like it had emanated from 'the air' rather than 'the ground' (for the light plane pilot impersonation) which I would have thought would be difficult to achieve.

I suppose some will give the individual who did this marks for being inventive or clever but it is stupid behaviour and diverts air traffic controllers from their important, normal duties. At 1700 hours on a Thursday they'd be fairly busy, not as busy as at 1700 on a Friday but not exactly quiet.

If the Federal police track down this individual he will probably face a criminal charge or two.

 

[Melburnian1]

Fairfax has now picked up this report:

Lone-wolf radio hoaxer hacks Melbourne air traffic control: AFP

It mentions that the penalty is up to 20 years in gaol (which with parole from memory could mean somewhere between 10 and 13 were the maximum 'stretch' to be given).

Not a smart thing for the alleged hoaxer to do. It may be difficult for the police to track the miscreant down (assuming that the latter disguised his voice print).

 

[Quickstatus]

The frequency bands for aircraft communications are separate and reserved. I think while you can buy a VHF radio, you need a license to operate in those frequency bands - and only then the frequencies can be enabled or programmed into the radios by the supplier of the radios, or perhaps aircraft radios are sold preprogrammed with these frequencies.

What about Amateur radio operators?. I think these are sold with amateur band frequencies programmed into the units. Transmitting frequencies are normally restricted to amateur bands but sometimes receiving frequencies can crossover into the aircraft bands - can listen but not transmit

Consumer radios such as the UHF ones operated by truckies don't need a license and are preprogrammed with the frequencies .used for that purpose.

The hoax caller obviously got access to a VHF radio which has aircraft band frequencies programmed into it.

If you believe Wiki:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airband

 

[ausfox]

Airband handheld transceivers are readily available if you want one.
They are used widely in sports aircraft. You are meant to have a licence to operate them but it is not enforced.

 

[Quickstatus]

Here are some examples:

Radios Airband Transceivers

 

[drron]

Aborted landings at MEL today

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has launched an investigation after someone made hoax calls to pilots, causing a passenger flight to abort landing as it approached Melbourne Airport.

Passenger plane forced to abort landing after receiving hoax radio call at Melbourne Airport - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

[FlyboyAl]

Re: Aborted landings at MEL today

If I caught the P###k who did it, he would never be able to use a microphone again!
Seriously, this sounds like a real problem for those in the pointy end of commercial aircraft.

 

[Sdtravel]

Re: Aborted landings at MEL today

Not to make light of the seriousness of the situation. But the Die Hard 2 movie is a clear example of just how serious this could be.

 

[ButFli]

The frequency bands for aircraft communications are separate and reserved. I think while you can buy a VHF radio, you need a license to operate in those frequency bands - and only then the frequencies can be enabled or programmed into the radios by the supplier of the radios, or perhaps aircraft radios are sold preprogrammed with these frequencies.

You can buy a brand new one for $150 on ebay.

Due to an administrative oversight, I had a pilots' licence for several years without actually being licensed to operate an airband radio. No one noticed.

 

[moa999]

From the few seconds on the Fairfax report sounds like a somewhat distinctive voice -- wonder why they haven't released a full excerpt.

Also amused at the press articles using the words 'hacked'

 

[N860CR]

You can buy a brand new one for $150 on ebay.

Due to an administrative oversight, I had a pilots' licence for several years without actually being licensed to operate an airband radio. No one noticed.

What type of license?

 

[Quickstatus]

ACMA license - buy from seller of Radios. Essentially telling ACMA who is using it and where, more or less an administrative.

If if you want a specific frequency band for yourself to use in a specific geographical area then a fee will reserve that band as well

 

[Melburnian1]

I still don't understand how the hoaxer can successfully make it sound like he's 'up in the air' when he is in reality 'on the ground.'

 

[Quickstatus]

He could still have been in the air. Radios are not self identifying. But more likely to be on the ground. Like those laser hooligans. Expect to see/hear more.

 

[Melburnian1]

I just hope that this fellow (because from the voice it is a male) is not emboldened by all the media coverage he has received and that he does not seek to do it again.

No doubt the AFP will have staff going around in cars to places like Sunbury Road (a spot off which from memory is a favoured place for aviation enthusiasts to gather) to see if anyone knows anything.

Logic tells me that this person has done this before, and that for him it's a sort of addiction - sadly, a potential harmful one to others.

 

[harvyk]

I still don't understand how the hoaxer can successfully make it sound like he's 'up in the air' when he is in reality 'on the ground.'

Probably the easist part of this prank, finding very realistic aircraft engine noise online is pretty easy.

 

[Melburnian1]

As of Monday 21 November 2016, the alleged hoaxer, a 19 year old male from Rockbank (outer western Melbourne locality, soon to be home to thousands of new residents and on the way to Melton) is in custody having been arrested by the AFP. He has been remanded to next Monday (28 November 2016). I don't think he sought bail.

Apparently he is alleged to have made transmissions from Avalon as well as adjacent to Melbourne Airport. There are a few media reports available online.

Troubling but there was a mention of alleged autism or similar in one report I quickly scanned. Perhaps he was unaware of the consequences of his actions but he must be facing either time in a youth training centre (difficult as that is in Victoria at present given that the largest one has just been trashed), an adult gaol or committal to an establishment such as Thomas Embling that caters for the mentally ill.

 

[ausfox]

I spend a fair bit of time flying as a passenger as well as a pilot albeit recreational and have no sympathy for the miscreant. The full force of the law is needed in this type of offence. End of rant. Clear skies folks.

 

[Melburnian1]

Apart from the threat to safety, one of the saddest things is that someone who engages in this type of unlawful and dangerous action might well think it was 'funny', or obtains stimulation from it. One hopes no one else repeats it in Australia: I don't recall a similar case but presumably there have been.

 

[Quickstatus]

I wonder how they found this person.

Some time ago there were those overpass rock throwers. Despite numerous injuries suffered by drivers below the rock throwing only stopped when high fences were built on the overpasses. So unless someway can be found to prevent hoax transmissions it is likely to happen again.