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Old 21st Aug 2010, 09:43
  #1955 (permalink)  
HazelNuts39
 
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some numerical constraints

Originally Posted by henra
210t with almost 500kts at 35000ft is a HUGE amount of emergy. This obviously has been dissipated within only 5min to a very low energy state.
The kinetic energy difference between 475 and 200 kTAS is equivalent to 8230 ft height. The airplane has lost the energy equivalent of 35000 + 8230 ft height in 5 minutes, i.e. at an average rate of 8650 ft/min. In my opinion that is quite high, but isn't necessarily associated with disintegration in-flight. On the other hand, it doesn't leave much room for continuation of cruise flight, in other words it suggests LOC very quickly after 2:10.

To end up close to or south of LKP the airplane must have changed direction. That requires a force. 3 g requires a force of 3 times the airplane's weight. At FL350, M.8 the airplane hits the buffet boundary at 1.65 g, corresponding to a bank angle of 53 degrees, rate of turn 3 degrees per second, radius of turn 2.5 nm.

regards,
HN39

Last edited by HazelNuts39; 21st Aug 2010 at 14:23. Reason: opinion added
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