blueloo Quote:
Absolutely - but I would tell Air Traffic Control this. Not operations/my company. My company is (i wouldnt say not going to but very improbable) unlikely to ring up British Airways, KLM, Air France United, etc etc etc to advise them individually of turbulence enroute.
I have no doubt that the crew would be intending to advise ATC since their next reporting point wasn't that far away, and perhaps they found themselves too busy dealing with increasingly averse conditions in an extremely dynamic weather situation. Perhaps AF SOPs require they notify the Company of adverse conditions, especially if there can be sick passengers, damaged food carts if they aren't secure, or whatever.
Whatever the reason, I find the notion that AF is making up fantasy messages ludicrous, and there's nothing "bizarre" about it. In fact, if it helps shed more light for investigators, it was a very pertinant and timely message that may dissapoint the spark-chasers playing Electrical Sherlock Holmes here and conspiracy theororists, but may point the most direct way to the non-complicated truth.
In a case where a reliably-designed aircraft quickly quit flying, perhaps more people should be spend some time becoming versed in high-altitude aerodynamics of jet aircraft and upper level atmospheric conditions where they fly, and less time following and dissecting electrical schematics. If you don't fly up there, for a first lesson go stand and balance on a basketball and you'll get an idea of what an airplane does on a good day, let alone when things get rough. Of the consiracy theories......no comment.