Originally Posted by
Dora-9
GBO:
Rubbish! If an immediate return is required, then most crews that I've observed would use HDG, then sort out the return track and LNAV later. Pushing the heading knob and then rotating it hardly increases the crew workload.
I’m with you on the quick heading turn not in LNAV, and once that’s sorted enter the return track and engage LNAV, but you’re missing the critical point. The ENTIRE diversion to Penang is in heading mode or manually flown. The aircraft has not flown via waypoints, a STAR, or instrument approach. This will increase workload. This is not a hypothesis but the primary radar recording EVIDENCE.
As far as diverting to Penang or Kuala Lumpur without radios and transponder, well Penang is closer, open 24 hours, very familiar to the crew and has virtually no traffic at night. And that’s what MH370 did.
But if you want to divert to Kuala Lumpur then go for it, but just remember that it’s further, and you’ll be playing chicken with a LOT of traffic. So you may make it to “home base”, but you have increased the risk of a mid air collision and ending up in an aluminium ball!