MH 777 missing - MH370 media statement

[medhead]

If some people said they saw the plane overhead 8 hours after it went missing (but it was in a completely different area to any of the current search areas) what would take precedence - stick to the theoretical search area or move to the visual sighting?

A visual sighting in an area nowhere near the circle determined from the last electronic signal from the aircraft and where the country's radar did not spot an unknown aircraft. A visual sighting that does not match the other information is hardly a reason to change search areas.

 

[browski]

A visual sighting in an area nowhere near the circle determined from the last electronic signal from the aircraft and where the country's radar did not spot an unknown aircraft. A visual sighting that does not match the other information is hardly a reason to change search areas.

Is it fair to suggest that based upon the location of the current search area, the aircraft would have passed directly over Indonesia (and Malaysia) and that neither of those country's radar detected the plane?

 

[VHOEJ]

I love aviation but I am getting sick of the media reporting on this story - if there is no news, don't repeat the same rubbish and don't fill time with the various 'theories'. The media are forgetting there are family and friends of 239 people who are dealing with a lot - I have to say the media coverage has gone downhill the longer this story goes on.

 

[zainman]

I think they are those private jet types - Bombardier Global express or something similar

According to Warren Truss, one is a gulf stream and the other is a global express.. they have more flying time in the area than the military aircraft..

 

[DrA]

Just how buoyant are planes? Seriously. If it broke apart on descent or impact, how likely are parts to stay afloat or float up? I know some things that may initially be buoyant can start absorbing water and will subsequently sink. Is it possible that's what may have happened here? A wing (?) that may have initially been buoyant took on so much water that it's now sunk?

 

[drron]

If some people said they saw the plane overhead 8 hours after it went missing (but it was in a completely different area to any of the current search areas) what would take precedence - stick to the theoretical search area or move to the visual sighting?

One more time.The people in the Maldives said they saw the plane at 0615.That is 0915 KUL time.
Therefore the plane had flown 8 and a half hours to get there despite not having enough fuel to do that especially after using lots of fuel ascending from FL350.
The Immarsat pings suggest the plane was not stationary.
Another ping was sent at 0911 KUL time and would be answered if the plane was still in the air.It was not answered
Whatever they saw it was not MH370.

 

[markis10]

Just how buoyant are planes? Seriously. If it broke apart on descent or impact, how likely are parts to stay afloat or float up? I know some things that may initially be buoyant can start absorbing water and will subsequently sink. Is it possible that's what may have happened here? A wing (?) that may have initially been buoyant took on so much water that it's now sunk?

A wing empty of fuel and the tail would be the two likely parts, the wing would sink as the tanks fill with water.

 

[browski]

One more time.The people in the Maldives said they saw the plane at 0615.That is 0915 KUL time.
Therefore the plane had flown 8 and a half hours to get there despite not having enough fuel to do that especially after using lots of fuel ascending from FL350.
The Immarsat pings suggest the plane was not stationary.
Another ping was sent at 0911 KUL time and would be answered if the plane was still in the air.It was not answered
Whatever they saw it was not MH370.

Thank god for the pings. Would it be just way too hard for the aviation experts to determine exactly what that sighted commercial aircraft must have been? (considering they had never seen anything larger than seaplanes before.........like ever.)

 

[drron]

Thank god for the pings. Would it be just way too hard for the aviation experts to determine exactly what that sighted commercial aircraft must have been? (considering they had never seen anything larger than seaplanes before.........like ever.)

I know you like a good conspiracy so what about a secret CIA flight as part of their extraordinary rendition program.

 

[browski]

I know you like a good conspiracy so what about a secret CIA flight as part of their extraordinary rendition program.

Bit too far-fetched for me, I'll leave the conspiracies to those who see so much into smudges on a grainy photo.
I'm more the simpleton type of guy - see it, follow it.

Just for the record, for the aviators out there, (considering we don't really know how much fuel was on board MH370); just how many hours flying time is it from:
1. Penang to the current search area (2330km SW of Perth)
2. Penang to Kudahuvadhoo

To my untrained eyes, Kudahuvadhoo looks closer, but maybe that's just because I measured it with a ruler

 

[markis10]

(considering we don't really know how much fuel was on board MH370)

MH370 had 49100kg of fuel.

 

[medhead]

Is it fair to suggest that based upon the location of the current search area, the aircraft would have passed directly over Indonesia (and Malaysia) and that neither of those country's radar detected the plane?

I'm no pilot but looking at a map it seems that clearing Indonesia before turning south would be a fairly short detour. This is why the locations for the other 6 (or 5 pings) before that last one would be extremely useful. I'm assuming they aren't releasing that info because a) they don't have it or b) they don't want the public to know.

 

[prozac]

Bit too far-fetched for me, I'll leave the conspiracies to those who see so much into smudges on a grainy photo.
I'm more the simpleton type of guy - see it, follow it.

Just for the record, for the aviators out there, (considering we don't really know how much fuel was on board MH370); just how many hours flying time is it from:
1. Penang to the current search area (2330km SW of Perth)
2. Penang to Kudahuvadhoo

To my untrained eyes, Kudahuvadhoo looks closer, but maybe that's just because I measured it with a ruler

Penang (PEN) - Maldives Airport (GAN) = 1667nm, or 3087km
Routing Penang International Airport (PEN)-Gan International Airport (GAN) - Great Circle Mapper
Odd, my preferred GCM provides a different distance = 1997m
Great Circle Mapper

edit: 2nd is in miles not nautical miles...doh. So 1997m/1.15 = 1667nm
Same same.

 

[woodborer]

I'm no pilot but looking at a map it seems that clearly Indonesia before turning south would be a fairly short detour. This is why the locations for the other 6 (or 5 pings) before that last one would be extremely useful. I'm assuming they aren't releasing that info because a) they don't have it or b) they don't want the public to know.

I thought they have - it shows the aircraft was moving away from the satellite. (by which I mean it was getting further away from the satellite - not that it was on a radius centred on the satellite)

 

[medhead]

I thought they have - it shows the aircraft was moving away from the satellite. (by which I mean it was getting further away from the satellite - not that it was on a radius centred on the satellite)

I must've missed it. The picture from Markis10 just had NTSB projected locations. I took those to not be actual.

 

[browski]

Penang (PEN) - Maldives Airport (GAN) = 1667nm, or 3087km
Routing Penang International Airport (PEN)-Gan International Airport (GAN) - Great Circle Mapper
Odd, my preferred GCM provides a different distance = 1997nm
Great Circle Mapper

So, Prozac, does that mean that Kudahuvadhoo is actually wayyyyyyyy closer than was reported and the the current search area SW of Perth is outside the possible fuel range of MH370. (especially if it did Medhead's detour to the west of Indonesia so as to avoid all their radar)?

 

[prozac]

So, Prozac, does that mean that Kudahuvadhoo is actually wayyyyyyyy closer than was reported and the the current search area SW of Perth is outside the possible fuel range of MH370. (especially if it did Medhead's detour to the west of Indonesia so as to avoid all their radar)?

Provide approx. coordinates, Ill let you know.

 

[browski]

Provide approx. coordinates, Ill let you know.

Here you go: [h=1]4°18'26.7"N 72°44'42.3"E[/h]

 

[prozac]

Here you go: 4°18'26.7"N 72°44'42.3"E

lol. They are the approx coordinates Penang.
Trying an approx (well near as dammit) for the search area ... (5°17'50"N 100°16'37"E) Penang to (40°15'00"S 100°00'00"E) edge Sthn ocean AMSA search area = 2,535nm approx.
Anyone feel free to correct this.

 

[browski]

lol. They are the approx coordinates Penang.
Trying an approx (well near as dammit) for the search area ... (5°17'50"N 100°16'37"E) Penang to (40°15'00"S 100°00'00"E) edge Sthn ocean AMSA search area = 2,535nm approx.
Anyone feel free to correct this.

So Prozac, Malaysia dismissed the eye-witness account from Kudahuvadhoo, Maldives based on:
1. It could not have reached that far on the fuel required
2. No military or civilian radar detected the aircraft.

Yet we now know that:
1. The aircraft could easily have made the journey to Kudahuvadhoo, in fact it is over 500nM closer to Penang than the current search area off Perth
2. We have chosen to ignore the fact that it was not detected on Indonesian radar enroute to Perth because ............ (no reason offered)

Nice work. Those pings sure carry a lot of weight.