Lordflasheart #173 - 2 Nov 23:40
Ground track diagrams -
I can't find any reference to, or mention of the information sources used to determine the quite precise ground track diagrams exhibited in the SI.
Nothing seemingly relevant (such as a recorded radar track) seems to be listed at " 1.4.10 " The Panel had access to the following evidence: ...."
Request - Can anyone kindly point me to anywhere in the SI, or otherwise explain where the information comes from that allows these excellent diagrams to be drawn and exhibited, or are they ABG ?
LFH
Where in the report so much ponderous self-evident detail can be found, it is surprising that area radars and local radars get not a mention. ADR and (in three cases only) GPS do get a mention, but with no discussion of them as systems.
I assume that the nearest area radar never saw the aircraft in its PEFATO, while any airfield radar had no data recording or was simply off. The report should have said that much.
The answer to your question is in para 1.4.187. “Downwind leg - lateral displacement. Interpretation of the ADR data and pilot's Global Positioning System (GPS) enabled a Graphical Data Analysis System (GDAS) replication of XX204's estimated ground track to be generated”.
1.4.4 tells us “XX204 was fitted with an Accident Data Recorder (ADR) … therefore … the Panel were able to establish the aircraft's flight profile”. 1.4.218 tells us “XX204's ADR data and flight characteristics were analysed by ATEC Test Pilots and Flight Test Engineers”.
Just by the way, may I guess that you have trouble wading through the report as given to us by the link at the beginning of the thread ? For what it is worth, I have speeded up my progress in and about the report by (a) copying the .PDF file to my own computer, thus avoiding the delays between my computer and the web, (b) using the FIND mechanism to visit (for instance) all 66 mentions of “ADR/adr” and just the 3 mentions of “GPS” and (c) generating an annotated word.doc index of section 1.4 to fit my .PDF version of the report.