Quoting LTC8K6 (Reply 71): Investigators have also examined data transmitted from the plane’s Rolls-Royce engines that shows it descending 40,000 feet in the space of a minute, according to a senior American official briefed on the investigation.

So first the WSJ claims RR got data from the engines. Then it retracts this information: only pings from the plane to the communications satellite with no data. Now the NYT talks again about data from the engines! And people here complain about the Malaysians changing their story (they haven't).

Quoting flyenthu (Reply 9): This removes any doubts about the identity of those signals/pings. As all of this new info was coming along, I was taking the ping information with a grain of salt as well. However, now it is for certain that it was MH 370 as corroborated by INMARSAT themselves. This makes me much more comfortable with the westward flightpath hypothesis

It removes nothing. Inmarsat has confirmed they received "pings" from the airplane . . . as is to be expected as it operated normally FOR over an hour, of which 40+ minutes were airborne. Inmarsat has given no details as to whether pings were received after transponder signal was lost.

Quoting flyenthu (Reply 15): The INMARSTAT makes me much more comfortable with the fact that the plane was in flight for 5 some hours beyond radar drop-off

Inmarsat has given no details as to whether pings were received after transponder signal was lost. The only thing we have are news channels/papers citing unnamed "US officials" (who decides who is an official? - unnamed?) claiming pings were received for another four hours. Mind you, those were apparently magic bullet pings with loads of information on altitude, speed, heading etc etc.

Quoting hivue (Reply 21): I believe it has not been established that ACARS shut down.

Agree, although probably poor choice of words. ACARS is not active full time, but at predetermined intervals, or even less. In this case, it appears that at least from the engine side, only three messages were planned for the full flight, two of which had been completed successfully. It would probably have taken another four hours or so before the next/last planned transmission. I don't see how one can conclude from that that the system was "shut down" when it did not send more than two messages. At least not from the engine side ACARS. I'm not sure if we have confirmation from the airframe side, but I believe MAS did not have that option activated.

Quoting LTC8K6 (Reply 33): What if the crew had a habit of relaxing cockpit security and inviting passengers in?

How would a potential hijacker know upfront to pick this crew/flight for his mission?

Quoting AT (Reply 39): This is why the home of the flight crew needs to be searched and family members interviewed to the extent allowed by law. In the event it was just an accident, all that will come to naught; but if foul play by the crew was the cause, then this information will be pivotal

And that will help us exactly how to find the plane??
How would interviewing the family members help finding the plane? The younger copilot seems to be the main culprit according to some, would his family have knowledge of his/their secret plans? Then the senior Flight Sim enthusiast, even if he came up with such a clever plan to suicide/crash/hijack the plane in such a way that nobody is able to find the plane, surely he would be clever enough not to leave the training flights in his FS files, why bother taking some much care trying to avoid the known radar stations and find that radar black hole to crash/divert his aircraft . . .? Does not even pass the smell test at 4000 nautical miles.


PW100

Quoting blueshamu330s (Reply 27): Whether the Transponder was on or off makes zero difference to the pilot's ability to fly the thing.Rgds

Ok. But anyway, could we think of the 777 landing at night in a non standard airport but with any navigation (i.e. ILS) help?

Or iwould we better require a very skilled pilot to land a 777 at night in those airports because those helps would be extremely unlikely?

Well with the CNN and NYT reports, something wild and chaotic was going on inside that aircraft.

Quoting PW100 (Reply 101): How would a potential hijacker know upfront to pick this crew/flight for his mission?

I would research the planes, routes and crew members, etc., if I were going to try to hijack a plane...

I would take a few flights and see what goes on...

Two Questions on NYT Article:

- How accurate would a primary radar be with respect to altitude?

- Given that it was early in the flight, could a 777 with significant fuel (5 hours +) on board reach FL450?

Quoting Mitico12 (Reply 97): Do you think the Malaysians knew this information all along, yet held it secret because it would strongly indicate that their pilot mass murdered a large amount of Chinese citizens and they would fear the fallout?

No

Quoting davidzill (Reply 103):

If they have the insane engine altitude rate data why would it be so wildly inaccurate and discounted, does it use a independent measurement or a common system for the altitude tracking.

Quoting KL808 (Reply 94): Just out of curiosity, is it possible for the pilot to disconnect the CVR on the 777?

He doesn't have to disconnect it, it only lasts so long then starts recording over itself. So if the airplane did fly for several hours after the westward turn we'll never here what happened at that time even if we do find the CVR.

Quoting DJM18 (Reply 105): - Given that it was early in the flight, could a 777 with significant fuel (5 hours +) on board reach FL450?

KUL-PEK is a very light fuel load for a 777-200ER.

Quoting DJM18 (Reply 105): Two Questions on NYT Article: - How accurate would a primary radar be with respect to altitude?

The article addresses that.

Quoting tomlee (Reply 107): If they have the insane engine altitude rate data why would it be so wildly inaccurate and discounted, does it use a independent measurement or a common system for the altitude tracking.

Would a portion of the fuselage/wing including the engines breaking off and falling at terminal velocity allow for such a descent rate that would be reported back?



[Edited 2014-03-14 14:42:16]