Originally Posted by
laardvark
I just saw an ATSB guy interviewed .
he said the 737 may have clipped a ridge before crashing .
I've spent many hours doing low level animal tracking for DP&W over the FNP.
Apart from a line of granite hills, (up to 2k), along the immediate coast, the terrain is notable for steep 'Breakaways' close to the several creeks/ rivers. These are probably in the order of 100-300ft, but quite abrupt.
In onshore winds, SE-S, there's some mechanical turbulence for probably 7-8 nm inland.
Re the bird theory, in probably 50 hrs in a 172 over this area.... nary 1 sighted. Maybe you'd see a few wedgetails near fires, but as for large flocks..... never seen.
happy days