MH 777 missing - MH370 media statement

[SFSC]

Where are the oxygen bottles located on the 777?

 

[jb747]

JB or any other experts on the thread

I understand that the black box has a transmitter attached that sends a signal for 30 days or so . Are you able to advise how strong this signal is ? ie would you have to be on top of it to pick it up or is it something that has a 20-50km or further transmission?

As I understand it, it's just an acoustic pinger. Useful for the submariners I guess, but that's about it.

 

[jb747]

Where are the oxygen bottles located on the 777?

The 777 uses chemical generators for the passenger oxygen. I don't know for sure where the crew bottles are, but going on other Boeings, I'd expect them to be just aft of the forward cargo door.

 

[Programme]

I understand that the black box has a transmitter attached that sends a signal for 30 days or so . Are you able to advise how strong this signal is ? ie would you have to be on top of it to pick it up or is it something that has a 20-50km or further transmission?

Not that I'm an expert, but I just did some reading about this topic for personal interest's sake.

In addition to what JB just said, the recorders have a 37.5kHz acoustic pinger attached to them that is supposed to ring for at least 30 days (at decreasing intensity). Being a high frequency and indeed out of the range of human hearing, it both requires special equipment, such as the sonobuoys the Orion P3C aircraft Australia has sent to Malaysia to assist, as well as being easily attenuated by environmental conditions such as being covered by sand or mud.

Depending on the environment and if the recorders are buried or not they could be silent, or audible up to 2-3km out. Given the air/water interface, you certainly wouldn't be able to hear them from a plane flying over the presumed crash site.

 

[Buzzard]

I certainly have no information but I suspect that this stolen passport business is purely coincidental

 

[drron]

From china.org.cn-

According to China.org.cn reporter Zhang Rui, 19 families signed a joint statement requesting Malaysian Airlines to disclose the truth to them, and explain why they could get through to their family members’ cell phones but they could not hear anything and the calls hung up. They submitted the telephone numbers to the airline, which failed to response their questions with active measures. In response, angry family members threw water bottles at the spokesman, and vowed to protest in front of the Malaysian Embassy to China if Malaysia Airlines didn’t disclose the truth of the incident.

This has caused more conspiracy theories with the plane now claimed to be on the ground at Hotan,China in the hands of the Uyghurs.
These theories are going to increase the longer that no debris is found.

 

[prozac]

......... what came from oil rigs or boats and what might have come from a downed aeroplane...

Nothing floating around coming off rigs...regs too tight to allow that. Same with shipping but as you probably realise international treaties regarding dumping rubbish off ships only seem to affect the larger shipping companies. Little vessels run by local fishermen and small cargo barges probably wouldn't concern themselves at night.

 

[JohnK]

Even if it is the case that they were "of Asian appearance", it would be interesting to know how that would have been established. Someone here may know what link in the system would make such a verification possible?

The most feasible way would be a manual check by the immigration officer.

But I don't know how to say diplomatically to a person of Asian appearance holding a passport with clearly a Western name without offending. "You do not look like a John Smith!" Is there a proper way? I guess they are immigration officials and any questions are valid.

 

[vitagen]

The most feasible way would be a manual check by the immigration officer.

But I don't know how to say diplomatically to a person of Asian appearance holding a passport with clearly a Western name without offending. "You do not look like a John Smith!" Is there a proper way? I guess they are immigration officials and any questions are valid.

Lies, we all know Asians look the same..

 

[drron]

Unconfirmed Vietnamese report of a pilot on a flight from HKG spotted a lot of debris off Vung Tau-500km from the current search area.
Though all previous Vietnamese reports have been erroneous.

 

[pagingjoan]

The most feasible way would be a manual check by the immigration officer.

But I don't know how to say diplomatically to a person of Asian appearance holding a passport with clearly a Western name without offending. "You do not like a John Smith!" Is there a proper way? I guess they are immigration officials and any question is valid.

I don't want to prolong this debate, as it is virtually fact free. But, just for the record, the original question was not how this could be addressed by an Immigration Officer at the time of passport presentation - but how it could be established after the event.

I agree with jb747 that nothing is known that explains the situation. Along with the rest of world, we will have to wait.

 

[ozkid]

Honest question, but what is it with the almost pathological need to fill lack with information with conspiracy theories/stream of consciousness. I am sure the boys and girls doing the searching are doing what they can do, and until there's substantiated data the armchair theories are not helpful.

Flew MAS yesterday KUL-SIN and QF back home overnight. The staff was professional and calm. There was extra security at the gates, but not intrusive. I had thought I might get worried about flying, but there was no hesitation crossing the threshold from airbridge to airplane.
My Malaysian colleague at yesterday's meeting told me that her best friend's husband was a FA on MH370. It's awful. I feel for the Malaysians - it's their flag carrier, and the grief is visceral. Imagine if it was a QF flight; I suspect we would feel the same way.

Was supposed to go straight to work after landing. Chucked a sickie instead, had lunch with Mrs Ozkid, played and read books with the kids.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

... and until there's substantiated data the armchair theories are not helpful.

can't see why they're unhelpful either.

people are allowed to discuss what they want when they want to. Armchair or not. People are looking for answers and speculation is just a fact of life.

The good thing about discussion is that certain things can be ruled out quickly... for example there was some initial concern about the stolen passports and how those could have been cleared for entry to China (ie visa). But we now know they would have been eligible for transit without visa.

Doesn't hurt to discuss.

 

[whatmeworry]

Honest question, but what is it with the almost pathological need to fill lack with information with conspiracy theories/stream of consciousness.

It is the human condition to find meaning from something you can't explain. In part that's why we have myths, fables, legends, religion, dreamtime etc.

 

[JohnK]

I would like to think that someone investigated more into how the passports were stolen.
The Italian was quoted as saying he left it as a deposit on a motorbike, and when he returned, was told it had been given to a man who claimed to be his husband.
Seems too easy.

It is possible the passport was sold by the person holding it as a deposit. Easy money but they could have used a better excuse.

 

[Foreigner]

I found the info at CNN useful.

Missing Malaysia Airlines plane: What we know and don't know - CNN.com

Seriously, 50 minutes into the flight, level at 35,000 feet, say FO steps out momentarily and captain decides on suicide.

 

[AVC]

Question for Markis (or other suitable knowledgeable peeps).

Given the last known location, what is the radar coverage? The aircraft had to go somewhere, if it started losing altitude rapidly, would radar not pick this up?

If the transponder were disabled, would the aircraft be trackable by normal painting at that range?

Are the radar readings logged? I can replay the track any of our organisation's vehicles three months ago and tell which streets they drove down and at what speed, does ATC have the same tech?

 

[Rox]

I think it's a natural way to deal with something that doesn't have an explanation, when you really need there to be one. Regardless of whether you are personally involved.
This is a forum of people interested, if not necessarily knowledgeable about flying and planes. I'm sure I'm not the only one that watches Air Crash Investigations. I deal with watching these by thinking of these as in the past and unrelated to me, apart from making my next flight safer. It is easy to get a morbid fascination when you realise this is happening in the present, and there but for the grace of God.....

 

[Programme]

Tien Phong and Tuoi Tre both report a new sighting of debris, this time 60km off the coast of Vungtau, far from the site of last contact, and indeed quite near Saigon. Does look more like a debris field than what has previously been sighted, but still unconfirmed if it is related to MH370 or not. It was sighted during the day today, and the navy is on route to the site overnight. It also reports that the search area has been widened to 126,000 square kilometres.

 

[medhead]

1. Everyone died, simplified the event in this article (read this please)
2. Exactly my point, I've already said it 3 times now...you can never tell, and based on my assumption which many state is impossible...

1. I have read plenty about the Helios flight, thank you. You have raised a catastrophic failure due to rapid depressurization. That did not happen in the case of the Helios disaster and so that accident doesn't support your point.