I've replaced dozens of CVR's and FDR's. No, they definitely don't float... they're quite heavy.
So, likely, the black boxes are at the bottom of the ocean. If they are, it would be a miracle if they are found. Like finding a needle in a million haystacks, like a said before.
So, likely, the black boxes are at the bottom of the ocean. If they are, it would be a miracle if they are found. Like finding a needle in a million haystacks, like a said before.
This is going to sound horrible but am I the only one disappointed that not only is there no footage of this but that we won't be able to hear the panicked cries for help on the black box?
Are black boxes waterproof to 4300 metres? Not Likely, plus if there was any air space inside it at all, it would be crushed. Any electronics would be toast. Plus, how far does it transmit through all that water? Probobly not far. If they can pick up its signal through all that water, how accurately would they be able to pinpoint it's exact location under all that water? Probobly not very well.
It's a HUGE deal to even get equipment down to that kind of depth, in one specific location, never mind searching the thousands of square kilometres that it could be in.
Black boxes have an underwater beacon called a pinger which is activated when the recorder is immersed in water. The beacon can transmit from depths down to 14,000 feet (4,300 metres), according to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.
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This is going to sound horrible but am I the only one disappointed that not only is there no footage of this but that we won't be able to hear the panicked cries for help on the black box?
I really, really hope so.
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This is going to sound horrible but am I the only one disappointed that not only is there no footage of this but that we won't be able to hear the panicked cries for help on the black box?
I'm not disappointed to be missing the paniced cries, but as a air traveller I would be disappointed if the cause of the crash was never determined because they don't find the boxes in time.
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I guess you learn something new every day. I never knew the plane communicated with company mtce computers like that. Must be an airbus thing.
Must have been some sort of engine failure.
Good discussion here, just a couple of things.
Boeing does the same thing--several parameter exceedances will automatically generate ACARS messages.
Backup generators--on a 2 engine aircraft, you will normally be powered by the 2 engine driven gens, then you also have a generator powered by an APU-Auxiliary power unit--which is basically a small jet engine. Of course needs fuel, so if the plane is out of fuel then it is useless. That is when RAT's (ram air turbine-small propeller) will deploy on some aircraft that have them to provide emergency electrical power. On aircraft without RAT's, then you rely on battery power for a certain period of time which should allow you to get it safely on the ground.
The single biggest and most urgent problem is locating the boxes. Retriving them can certainly be done. Problem is the sonar pingers on the boxes last 30 days only.
What I don't understand is why a SSN/SSBN submarine from someone's Navy doesn't head on down to the area and with their ultra sensitive passive sonar array - locate the boxes and pass on the co-ordinates to the retrival teams. No one need know how sensitive the equipment was that found it, so the militaries shouldn't mind.
Even the Seawolf class Nuclear sub has a crush depth of around 1600 feet. I'm pretty sure that these boxes have dropped far further then that. They might not even be able to hear the boxes
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Even the Seawolf class Nuclear sub has a crush depth of around 1600 feet. I'm pretty sure that these boxes have dropped far further then that. They might not even be able to hear the boxes
The beacon is supposed to work up to a depth of 20,000 ft
They are finding more and more debris fields, and they are miles apart.
They are now saying that that would indicate it came apart in the air. Sounds like the storm ripped it apart.
I hope they can find out what happened so that it can be avoided in the future, if that is even possible.
Sad for all of the families. For those of you who joke around about it, think about one family member dying, and how that affects you. Here we have couples, a baby, memebers of numerous families who will never be the same again.
Unmanned sub touches deepest part of world's ocean
This Sub can do it
Quote:
An unmanned robotic vehicle has successfully touched the deepest known part of the ocean floor, U.S. researchers revealed on Wednesday.
On May 31, the Nereus was launched off the research vessel Kilo Moana in the western Pacific Ocean, between Papua New Guinea and Japan.
The unmanned aquatic vessel descended 10,902 metres into a part of the Mariana Trench known as Challenger Deep. It is the first vessel to explore the remote area in more than a decade.
Even the Seawolf class Nuclear sub has a crush depth of around 1600 feet. I'm pretty sure that these boxes have dropped far further then that. They might not even be able to hear the boxes
Maybe. But then again, I'm willing to put my money on a Seawolf 1,600 feet below the surface finding it vs a civilian ship on the surface with non-military grade passive sonar systems. As long as the pingers on the boxes are working of course.
Maybe we can train some giant squid or dolphins to find em. Bout time we put them to work for us.
Last edited by I-Hate-Hulse; 06-03-2009 at 02:36 PM.
They are finding more and more debris fields, and they are miles apart.
They are now saying that that would indicate it came apart in the air. Sounds like the storm ripped it apart.
I hope they can find out what happened so that it can be avoided in the future, if that is even possible.
Sad for all of the families. For those of you who joke around about it, think about one family member dying, and how that affects you. Here we have couples, a baby, memebers of numerous families who will never be the same again.
That is nothing to laugh at.
I agree, I also think about how effing horrible it would have been for all these people's last few minutes alive. Most likely most of the passengers would have been consciously aware of what was happening as they fell towards earth, even if the airplane came apart... depending how long the aircraft stayed above FL100 after depressurization. Terrible..
