Malaysia Airlines plane missing

Changing course using the FMS 'direct to' mode entails just typing in a waypoint and activating, takes seconds and provided L Nav is being used, the autopilot will follow the new track.

Otherwise Hdg Sel would be used and the Hdg selected on the rotary knob and digital readout. This deselects the L Nav and en route wouldn't make much sense.

I haven't a clue, but I'm pretty sure the word cluster**** was coined in that part of the world. KL couldn't even see us coming in from the east at 100 miles at 35000. We had to use HF in the South China Sea, VHF wouldn't reach.

I'll take that as a yes, then. The quotes I saw said that the altitude was fluctuating but the figures given were not regarded as definitive.

Anyway, new "news" from a Malaysian rag (take it as you will). The pilot had been practising landings (and take-offs) on 5 specific "short" runways, 3 in the Indian Ocean (usual suspects) and 2 in Southern India. Once again probably just made up stuff to sell papers.

Anyway, new "news" from a Malaysian rag (take it as you will). The pilot had been practising landings (and take-offs) on 5 specific "short" runways, 3 in the Indian Ocean (usual suspects) and 2 in Southern India. Once again probably just made up stuff to sell papers.

Refuelling stops?

Refuelling stops?

How would I know . I don't read Malay or whatever it is they speak there so I've only got it second hand. According to Berita Harian he had been simulating flights to (and from) 5 specific Indian Ocean landing strips with runways at about 1000 metres.

It could just be the local equivalent of the Morning Star for all I know but it's supposed to be a market leader for online press in that area.

Anyway

http://www.bharian.com.my/bharian/articles/5LANDASANDALAMSIMULATORDISIASAT/Article/

How would I know . I don't read Malay or whatever it is they speak there so I've only got it second hand. According to Berita Harian he had been simulating flights to (and from) 5 specific Indian Ocean landing strips with runways at about 1000 metres.

It could just be the local equivalent of the Morning Star for all I know but it's supposed to be a market leader for online press in that area.

 

Anyway

 

http://www.bharian.com.my/bharian/articles/5LANDASANDALAMSIMULATORDISIASAT/Article/

A lot of things starting to point towards some sort of Indian Ocean skullduggery or other though. Obviously the yanks know far more than they're saying, wouldn't put it past them to deliberately mislead everyone if they have some reason to do so.

How would I know . I don't read Malay or whatever it is they speak there so I've only got it second hand. According to Berita Harian he had been simulating flights to (and from) 5 specific Indian Ocean landing strips with runways at about 1000 metres.

It could just be the local equivalent of the Morning Star for all I know but it's supposed to be a market leader for online press in that area.

 

Anyway

 

http://www.bharian.com.my/bharian/articles/5LANDASANDALAMSIMULATORDISIASAT/Article/

Hmm... If true, that's an intriguing pattern of landing strips. It was just your comment about short landings and take offs that got me thinking that they might only have been a stopover. Difficult to keep a cabinful of angry passengers quiet though, once you're on the ground.

"Some of the software platform thus far is Male International Airport in Maldives, an airport owned by the United States (Diego Garcia) and three more tracks of India and Sri Lanka, all of which have a distance of 1,000 meters of runway."

Hmm... If true, that's an intriguing pattern of landing strips. It was just your comment about short landings and take offs that got me thinking that they might only have been a stopover. Difficult to keep a cabinful of angry passengers quiet though, once you're on the ground.

 

"Some of the software platform thus far is Male International Airport in Maldives, an airport owned by the United States (Diego Garcia) and three more tracks of India and Sri Lanka, all of which have a distance of 1,000 meters of runway."

Which isn't entirely true, the main runway at Diego must be well over 3 clics, perhaps there's a secondary shorter runway there though. How do I know this, you can't get a B2 into the air at under 2000 metres and they'd leave a margin. You can land one at just over a 1000 though.

Which isn't entirely true, the main runway at Diego must be well over 3 clics, perhaps there's a secondary shorter runway there though. How do I know this, you can't get a B2 into the air at under 2000 metres and they'd leave a margin. You can land one at just over a 1000 though.

DG is 12,003 ft apparently. I think the reference is to runways of at least 1000ft. This flight simulator story is already on this Wikipedia reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Garcia

Which isn't entirely true, the main runway at Diego must be well over 3 clics, perhaps there's a secondary shorter runway there though. How do I know this, you can't get a B2 into the air at under 2000 metres and they'd leave a margin. You can land one at just over a 1000 though.

I read somewhere that the one that "landed" at Heathrow took less than 300m to stop. Depends whether you want it down, or want it to be able to fly again.

This guy has a simple, and by the sound of it, very plausible theory. Fire on board, comms disabled, pilot turns to land plane at safest location but is overcome by the fumes.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2014/03/mh370-electrical-fire/

This guy has a simple, and by the sound of it, very plausible theory. Fire on board, comms disabled, pilot turns to land plane at safest location but is overcome by the fumes.

 

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2014/03/mh370-electrical-fire/

Was debunked earlier in the Guardian comments section about 50 times.

Was debunked earlier in the Guardian comments section about 50 times.

I guess it's just a pilot responding to the suicide/murder theories about a colleague.

Still think suicide is the most likely scenario. Nothing really contradicts it. I doubt the plane will ever be found, which is probably what he wanted.

I guess it's just a pilot responding to the suicide/murder theories about a colleague.

 

Still think suicide is the most likely scenario. Nothing really contradicts it. I doubt the plane will ever be found, which is probably what he wanted.

If it can't be proved then presumably the life insurance will be paid out, if there is any.

If it is suicide, why take 230+ with you? There are far easier ways.

And life insurance usually pays out on suicides after the policy has been running 12 months anyway. There has been no whispers of large policies recently been taken out by pilot or co-pilot.

Missing plane 'spotted in Maldives'

"Witnesses in the Maldives said that they saw a low-flying plane on the day it disappeared in what could be the latest

possible sighting of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

Residents saw a jet with markings similar to a Malaysia Airlines plane flying around Kuda Huvadhoo, a remote Maldives

island in Dhaal Atoll, local news site Haveeru Online reported.

This coincides with reports that several airport runways were found programmed on the flight simulator at Zaharie

Ahmad Shah's home.

One of those runways was Male International Airport in the Maldives.

According to the report, several locals saw a plane at 6.15am local time on March 8.

"I've never seen a jet flying so low over our island before. We've seen seaplanes, but I'm sure that this was not

one of those. I could even make out the doors on the plane clearly," a resident said. *

"It's not just me either, several other residents have reported seeing the exact same thing. Some people got out

of their houses to see what was causing the tremendous noise too."

* Not that credible then if they "think" it wasn't a seaplane as lets face it a 777 is a bit larger than an ordinary seaplane.

Total chaos today at the Press Conference with Kay Burley sounding like she was in the middle of bonking at times.

One point that was made is the Malaysians may not be telling the whole story as their neighbours are refusing to give them data that they do not want in the public domain - eg that they even have Military Radar Coverage at certain places/distances.

Oh and Kay lost her phone in the melee

Hmm... If true, that's an intriguing pattern of landing strips. It was just your comment about short landings and take offs that got me thinking that they might only have been a stopover. Difficult to keep a cabinful of angry passengers quiet though, once you're on the ground.

 

"Some of the software platform thus far is Male International Airport in Maldives, an airport owned by the United States (Diego Garcia) and three more tracks of India and Sri Lanka, all of which have a distance of 1,000 meters of runway."

Male is a long runway (3200m - 10500 ft). Long enough for fully loaded B767-300 with over 300 passengers to take off and fly to the Uk. Landing a 777-plenty of room to do a touch and go.

Total chaos today at the Press Conference with Kay Burley sounding like she was in the middle of bonking at times.

 

One point that was made is the Malaysians may not be telling the whole story as their neighbours are refusing to give them data that they do not want in the public domain - eg that they even have Military Radar Coverage at certain places/distances.

 

Oh and Kay lost her phone in the melee

Are you really surprised. Nothing gets printed that criticises the rulers

If it is suicide, why take 230+ with you? There are far easier ways.

 

And life insurance usually pays out on suicides after the policy has been running 12 months anyway. There has been no whispers of large policies recently been taken out by pilot or co-pilot.

It's happened before with an airliner and people go on suicide/murder rampages all the time, pilots are no different to anyone else.

A hijacking gone wrong is plausible but there are so many ways a pilot can quickly SOS I find that unlikely. It would be interesting to actually know what the cargo was though. If it turns out there was something really valuable on board it would obviously make that more likely.

Total chaos today at the Press Conference with Kay Burley sounding like she was in the middle of bonking at times.

 

One point that was made is the Malaysians may not be telling the whole story as their neighbours are refusing to give them data that they do not want in the public domain - eg that they even have Military Radar Coverage at certain places/distances.

 

Oh and Kay lost her phone in the melee

Perhaps there are far more OTH systems in use in that area than you'd think. Doesn't the JORN system have a range of about 3000 km so in theory they'd know of anything going on down the Australian West coast ie the southern arc. Not to mention the "chemitrail" system that no-one at all uses (well when anyone is watching anyway)

It's happened before with an airliner and people go on suicide/murder rampages all the time, pilots are no different to anyone else.

 

A hijacking gone wrong is plausible but there are so many ways a pilot can quickly SOS I find that unlikely. It would be interesting to actually know what the cargo was though. If it turns out there was something really valuable on board it would obviously make that more likely.

10 days on and none of it makes much sense. The only thing practically ruled out is mechanical malfunction. Doubling back, flying low, avoiding radar sounds more like a flying nut playing out his sim game in real life, but who knows.

It's happened before with an airliner and people go on suicide/murder rampages all the time, pilots are no different to anyone else.

 

A hijacking gone wrong is plausible but there are so many ways a pilot can quickly SOS I find that unlikely. It would be interesting to actually know what the cargo was though. If it turns out there was something really valuable on board it would obviously make that more likely.

Now you're talking.

Not on this list, though;

http://www.smh.com.au/world/missing-malaysia-airlines-plane-flight-theory-tracker-20140319-hvkbl.html

Now you're talking.

 

Not on this list, though;

 

http://www.smh.com.au/world/missing-malaysia-airlines-plane-flight-theory-tracker-20140319-hvkbl.html

Old hat, where's the "electronic cloak" theory then..... Pfff Amateurs

You don't put really valuable cargos on commercial jets. Its like putting £10,000 in an envelope with a 2nd class stamp.

You don't put really valuable cargos on commercial jets. Its like putting £10,000 in an envelope with a 2nd class stamp.

I agree that you certainly wouldn't expect to have valuable cargo on a commercial jetliners, but it's not really a case of whether it's common practice or not. Comes down to whether it is possible.

Besides, one man's trash is another man's treasure, especially in the digital age. Look at what Snowden managed to carry with him.

I agree that you certainly wouldn't expect to have valuable cargo on a commercial jetliners, but it's not really a case of whether it's common practice or not. Comes down to whether it is possible.

 

Besides, one man's trash is another man's treasure, especially in the digital age. Look at what Snowden managed to carry with him.

Well according to the meejah the plane only had a cargo of mangos, 4 tonnes of them apparently. If it's gone down in the jungle and the survivors are living off the cargo they'll all have the trots, won't get scurvy though, nothing like a bit of mango to boost your vitamin C levels. 4000/200=20 so that's 20 kgs of mangos each, 2 a day for a month or so.

Well according to the meejah the plane only had a cargo of mangos, 4 tonnes of them apparently. If it's gone down in the jungle and the survivors are living off the cargo they'll all have the trots, won't get scurvy though, nothing like a bit of mango to boost your vitamin C levels. 4000/200=20 so that's 20 kgs of mangos each, 2 a day for a month or so.

One laptop or hard drive could be worth billions, depending on what's on it.

Are you really surprised. Nothing gets printed that criticises the rulers

You may think that but I could not possibly comment.

#seelocation

Living down here we are all only too well aware of the danger of Lithium Batteries. FFS people I know were having a rooftop BBQ in International City and all ducked when the poor sods went down in the UPS Freighter.

#noteverythingonamanifestiswhatitsaysitis

Need to get Spudders onto this thread 'cos surely Windows has earnt some Rep points for talking super ITK high up there Tekkie stuff

You may think that but I could not possibly comment.

 

#seelocation

 

Living down here we are all only too well aware of the danger of Lithium Batteries. FFS people I know were having a rooftop BBQ in International City and all ducked when the poor sods went down in the UPS Freighter.

 

#noteverythingonamanifestiswhatitsaysitis

 

Need to get Spudders onto this thread 'cos surely Windows has earnt some Rep points for talking super ITK high up there Tekkie stuff

I almost chuckled when I read "four tonnes of mangoes". Do they really carry those on planes? That's equivalent to three, maybe four Americans.

The planes navigational systems are probably three Inertial Reference Systems, updated by two GPS systems and DME/VOR. Does anybody know whether the GPS / Satellites can be accessed to check what receivers used them?

What this thread needs is an ATC expert.

If only he wasn't so busy showing the latest member of Dubai Saints all the bad places to go in this town. Eric? Where the hell are you?

The planes navigational systems are probably three Inertial Reference Systems, updated by two GPS systems and DME/VOR. Does anybody know whether the GPS / Satellites can be accessed to check what receivers used them?

GPS is one-way.

GPS is one-way.

What I thought, but as they are military satellites used by civilians I just wondered what other properties were available.

What I thought, but as they are military satellites used by civilians I just wondered what other properties were available.

I'm sure there must be some extras for the military but if all you're doing is listening to the transmissions there's no way of knowing who's doing it. It used to be that the military had access to a more accurate signal that was not subject to selective dithering but Clinton freed up a lot of the codes.

I'm sure there must be some extras for the military but if all you're doing is listening to the transmissions there's no way of knowing who's doing it. It used to be that the military had access to a more accurate signal that was not subject to selective dithering but Clinton freed up a lot of the codes.

The receiver obviously interprets the signals. GPS is used to update the IRS's position, increasing accuracy. There is no doubt in my mind that the satellites can be accessed and controlled but it's what it's computers are capable of that intrigues me.

http://i.imgur.com/SvE9VQs.jpg

Very bad taste but still funny IMHO

What this thread needs is an ATC expert.

 

If only he wasn't so busy showing the latest member of Dubai Saints all the bad places to go in this town. Eric? Where the hell are you?

I've met Eric a few times and I was surprised to see ATC are actually humans. I was expecting to meet a small hairy goblin.

Breaking news out here, that they may of found debris from the aircraft, in the southern Indian ocean!

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott says satellites have picked up objects possibly related to the search for missing Malaysia Airlines jet MH370.

Abbott says the Australian Maritime Safety Authority has received credible info of "two objects" located by satellites in the Southern Indian Ocean.

The Royal Australian Air Force is sending an aircraft to the scene, while a US Navy commander has told Australia's ABC network that a US aircraft is near the identified area.

Abbott cautioned, however, that the task of locating these objects will be extremely difficult and "it may turn out that they are not related to the search for flight MH370."

Lets hope he is wrong and that they are part of that aircraft.

I've met Eric a few times and I was surprised to see ATC are actually humans. I was expecting to meet a small hairy goblin.

I don't know Eric, but having worked in ATC I can confirm that some of the controllers WERE small hairy goblins...

After a lifetime in aviation and flying many hours in the Far East I have no more idea than anyone about this incident. Right from the beginning when asked what I think happened to this aircraft I have said that I have no idea although I can think of various scenarios and that I was, and am, sure that someone or government knows more than they are saying.

I am still have no idea, but I do know that when one initially contacts an Inmarsat satellite the first question posed by that satellite is 'where are you' and it requests a GPS fix. Therefore as we are being led to believe that the 'pings' from the aircraft continued for some time after other contact was lost so it would be reasonable to assume that those GPS fixes are known.

I've met Eric a few times and I was surprised to see ATC are actually humans. I was expecting to meet a small hairy goblin.

After a lifetime in aviation and flying many hours in the Far East I have no more idea than anyone about this incident. Right from the beginning when asked what I think happened to this aircraft I have said that I have no idea although I can think of various scenarios and that I was, and am, sure that someone or government knows more than they are saying.

I am still have no idea, but I do know that when one initially contacts an Inmarsat satellite the first question posed by that satellite is 'where are you' and it requests a GPS fix. Therefore as we are being led to believe that the 'pings' from the aircraft continued for some time after other contact was lost so it would be reasonable to assume that those GPS fixes are known.

As I understand it these were very basic pings, once per hour and just enough to keep alive the connection and nothing more, no information contained in the response because the maintenance reporting system was disabled. It's the time response to the request that gives the investigators a very approximate distance to the aircraft from the satellite and hence the arcs of possible positions.

As I understand it these were very basic pings, once per hour and just enough to keep alive the connection and nothing more, no information contained in the response because the maintenance reporting system was disabled. It's the time response to the request that gives the investigators a very approximate distance to the aircraft from the satellite and hence the arcs of possible positions.

The 'ping' comes from the aeroplane but before it connects with the satellite it has to tell the satellite where it is and this is done by transmitting a GPS fix. All of Inmarsat satellite telephones work this way.

The 'ping' comes from the aeroplane but before it connects with the satellite it has to tell the satellite where it is and this is done by transmitting a GPS fix. All of Inmarsat satellite telephones work this way.

Not doubting you but I thought it was the other way around. The satellite wasn't hearing from the plane (because the system was disabled) so was sending out a handshake ping. If there was GPS data Inmarsat wouldnt have published the arcs and a week wouldnt have been wasted.

I think we're getting our Erics mixed up here.

One is a very highly trained professional that can expertly manoevre a huge passenger jet with pin point accuracy anywhere in the world.

The other one is a pilot.

Not doubting you but I thought it was the other way around. The satellite wasn't hearing from the plane (because the system was disabled) so was sending out a handshake ping. If there was GPS data Inmarsat wouldnt have published the arcs and a week wouldnt have been wasted.

I don't want to disclose how I know that which I have stated is correct as the person concerned would be in trouble, but I say no more than he/she will be correct!!

I've met Eric a few times and I was surprised to see ATC are actually humans. I was expecting to meet a small hairy goblin.

Strangely, that is THE most accurate description of him I've seen