I haven't been this interested in a bad event since OJ.
I got into the Boston Marathon Bombing quite a bit, but because this is aviation, I've followed this whole thing, fairly (and probably too much so) obsessively, since day one.
Refreshing a few different pages on Reddit (which other than getting content for the funny and cool thread, I don't normally enjoy surfing), as well as 3 Twitter accounts and websites constantly. I have 4 tabs on my browser that haven't changed in a week.
So much information, misinformation, facts, debunks, etc etc. It's freaking exhausting roller coaster of emotion and I'm just armchair quarterbacking it. I can't imagine how tough it is on a) the families, and b) people who are actively trying to solve this puzzle.
So mind boggling and when it's all done, I'm stepping away from my computer for a few days, for sure.
@AerospaceInfo: When told PHL RWY was closed, one US pilot allegedly sent this ACARS msg: "WHAT IS THE REASON IS THERE A B-777 FROM MALAYSIA TRYING TO LAND""
@AerospaceInfo: When told PHL RWY was closed, one US pilot allegedly sent this ACARS msg: "WHAT IS THE REASON IS THERE A B-777 FROM MALAYSIA TRYING TO LAND""
I dont know if I am reading that right... one pilot in a different plane sent that message? Was he trying to say "What is the reason a B-777 from Malaysia is trying to land?" Or was he asking if a B-777 was trying to land and not in a plane at the time?
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I dont know if I am reading that right... one pilot in a different plane sent that message? Was he trying to say "What is the reason a B-777 from Malaysia is trying to land?" Or was he asking if a B-777 was trying to land and not in a plane at the time?
Unrelated minor accident at Philadelphia airport today, when told the runway was closed a US Airways driver made this joke... poor taste, but I laughed.
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I dont know if I am reading that right... one pilot in a different plane sent that message? Was he trying to say "What is the reason a B-777 from Malaysia is trying to land?" Or was he asking if a B-777 was trying to land and not in a plane at the time?
My guess in the context of a joke when told the runway was closed is:
"What? Is the reason because a B-777 from Malaysia is trying to land?"
Next Twist. Plane made another left turn and was headed south of the equator.
That body of water between africa and australia is HUGE!
Link?
If it was hijacked or even a rogue pilot being nuts Australia most likely wouldn't be a great destination, Java or Bali might make sense to the south but how in hell do you ever think you can land and hide a 777 with hundreds of passengers anywhere without being detected?
I think I should start a book and wait for the ending just so I'm the first to publish it...crazy stuff.
If it was hijacked or even a rogue pilot being nuts Australia most likely wouldn't be a great destination, Java or Bali might make sense to the south but how in hell do you ever think you can land and hide a 777 with hundreds of passengers anywhere without being detected?
I think I should start a book and wait for the ending just so I'm the first to publish it...crazy stuff.
Who hijacks a plane to take it to an Indian territory?
"Okay we're here, now, lets start planning how to emigrate from this place!"
Makes more sense if they headed to the Australian Outback. Heaps of flat space to land a plane of that size, plus, then you're in a first world country for the time being.
Who hijacks a plane to take it to an Indian territory?
"Okay we're here, now, lets start planning how to emigrate from this place!"
Makes more sense if they headed to the Australian Outback. Heaps of flat space to land a plane of that size, plus, then you're in a first world country for the time being.
At some point, surely passengers will get cellular voice and data services if they have landed safely somewhere.
At some point, surely passengers will get cellular voice and data services if they have landed safely somewhere.
Why do people keep saying this?
I can't get a signal when I'm a couple km off the Transcanada. If they're on some island without a tower within 10-20km, they'll have no signal.
Lets not kid ourselves though, chances of them landing anywhere are close to nil given the size of a runway that a 777 needs. They'd be lucky if they could keep it in one piece and ditch it into the water near an island.
I can't get a signal when I'm a couple km off the Transcanada. If they're on some island without a tower within 10-20km, they'll have no signal.
Lets not kid ourselves though, chances of them landing anywhere are close to nil given the size of a runway that a 777 needs. They'd be lucky if they could keep it in one piece and ditch it into the water near an island.
You could land a 772 in as short a distance as 5000' (full reverse, max braking, blowing tires and all that). Lots of runways in that range, heck the north-south runway at Springbank is 5000'.
For a Captain with the experience such as that as the MH370 one it shouldn't be a huge challenge.
Last edited by Bigtime; 03-14-2014 at 08:30 AM.
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You could land a 772 in as short a distance as 5000' (full reverse, max braking, blowing tires and all that). Lots of runways in that range, heck the north-south runway at Springbank is 5000'.
But how many 5000' runways/beaches are there in the Indian ocean island chains and are not monitored?
At some point, surely passengers will get cellular voice and data services if they have landed safely somewhere.
I was wondering about the timing too from the passenger's perspective. Only the pilots would know that the plane is off course. Passengers would normally be sleeping but even awake, unless they were following along an inflight map or GPS, they wouldn't have any idea that the flight path has been altered. The first sign of suspicion though would be when they realize that they have been in the air for longer than expected. The flight time is only suppose to be 4 hours, and if the plane was possibly still in the air 5 hours after last radar contact (assuming the plane lost contact 1 hour into the flight), it would mean they were in the air 2 hours longer than expected. Unless of course it was an obvious hijacking and there were bad guys in the cabin.
But that would lead to problem #2
The only way to prevent passengers from communicating with their devices would be for the bad guys go to each passenger and take away all their electronics while the plane is still in the air. That would require some man power though as 9/11 has instilled a precedent of passengers trying to resist or retake control from hijackers. Even then, it's a big plane, and if even one passenger lied about not having a phone, there would be an opportunity to get the word out if the plane did indeed land safely.
Realistically, I think it could have started as a hijacking, but I think the plane ended up crashing. Otherwise, the authorities would have heard about it by now, either through ransom demand, passenger communication, or reports of a suspicious plane.
