Aerial Hijack Exercise
you said, may remember what you show
“elipsishijackers used them but they will definitely remember
when you involve them’.
blank firers, which “The purpose of hijack exercises is to live
and learn real life situations. We truly
looked and sounded believe in passenger safety and we go the
extra mile to accomplish this.
realistic, and placed “This exercise was our second live
situational training and the first as an
simulated IEDs aerial event. Preparations took more than
two months, with intense meetings with
around the aircraftelipsis” various departments.
“The hijack scenario was planned by
Green Light and each party involved
was holding only one piece of the
Passports were collected and analysed puzzle, so nobody knew the whole
by the hijackers, triggering the scenario. This helped in the
terrorisation of individuals. In some persuasiveness during the exercise.
cases, passengers were shot and had to “The passengers consisted of mixed Banu Nair, THY Cabin Training Chief
play dead for the rest of the exercise. groups composed from the cabin crew,
The hijackers used blank firers, which cockpit crew, instructors, and crisis desk cabin crews ability to act effectively if ever
looked and sounded realistic, and placed personnel. Some of the guests who were a hijack situation should arise. As we
simulated improvised explosive devices invited included the Air Force, moved into the goals selection, we decided
around the aircraft; they eerily flashed in Governorship, Government Security for a complete scenario were every single
the darkened cabin. Department, Air Traffic Control, SWAT department would get involved, so as to
The exercise came to an end when the Team, airport authority, and Turkish DGCA, create the most realistic hijack
aircraft was stormed by the Turkish SWAT as well as ambulances, doctors and environment for our crew to be trained in.
team, who disarmed the hijackers and nurses, as in a real life situation. Every When I say every department, this includes
rescued the hostages. Waiting on the tarmac passenger was given a role to play. Air Traffic Control, the Air Force and their
were the police and ambulance services, as “We are very satisfied with the results interception of the flight, activating the
well as a bomb disposal squad. of the full scale hijack exercise. It was a Turkish Airlines Crisis Desk and the Airport
After the exercise was over, THY Cabin great experience. This exercise will surely Authority’s Crisis Centre.
Training Chief, Banu Nair, said, “We enhance the quality of our in-flight “As Project Manager and Commander of
believe in the importance of practical security training. the cursed flight, I was also concerned
training and form our cabin training Captain Sarp Yalgin, the pilot in the about flight safety, as this would be a real
syllabus based on this theory. Our motto cockpit for the exercise, said, “At first, we flight as well. Interception by the Air Force
can be defined as ‘People may forget what were looking to improve our cockpit and was also another issue since they
approached the aircraft as in a real
condition. This exercise offered us a
chance to review our cockpit procedures
and helped us develop new procedures for
establishing communication with the cabin
and some other procedures in case a
cockpit intrusion becomes a reality. This
was probably the most expensive training
ever accomplished by Turkish Airlines, but
for sure one of the most valuable.”
It was 0130 when the SWAT team
stormed the jet, more than twelve hours
after I had checked in. It had been a long
flight… and I was back where I started.
The author is a freelance multi-media
journalist based in Cardiff, Wales. An
experienced radio and television reporter,
she is also a talented DV Director, producer
and writer. Siriol spent six years with the
BBC as a reporter and video journalist. She
now provides material for a range of media
Captain Sarp Yalgin outlets and publications.
26 Register now for FREE instant access to ASI online by visiting www.asi-mag.com February 2009 Aviationsecurityinternational
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