AF 447 Search to resume

[bearfoil]

HazelNuts39, mm43

Thanks for your patience, I see my blunder as to your first response, but defend my characterization of the A330 VS/Rudder join as stated. The 36g arm design I neglected to mention was copied in A330. The differentiation I see is the addition of "Lateral Rods" to "resist" Lateral Loading, the "Bending Moment" you reiterate from Machaca's post, in which I have utmost faith.

As to my First mistake, it was a big one, and you need to watch me, I can be overconfident and extrapolate a disagreement with a design into areas that do not deserve my critique. The "Longitudinal Load" is most definitely the Shear, but the blending of the Shear with mass inertial load (with a Rudder deflection) sent me ahead of myself, picturing a forward failure of 447 instead of the rearward failure of 587.

A forward failure of the VS in 447's case I consider to be remote, in spite of the confidence expressed in it by BEA. You seemed to have a similar position, noting the Horizontal velocity would have had to have been markedly higher than as reported by BEA. Did I misinterpret your emphasis on a need for the extra velocity?
I wouldn't argue with that possibility, as I said, 447 had little time to slow.

Let's look at "Terminal velocity" (Trends). This is a term of which to be wary. In a standard use, it means the fall of an object in acceleration due to gravity only, ie, Ballistic, until acted upon by (usually) aerodynamic drag until it acquires a stable velocity some point before impact.

I'm sure it isn't purposeful, but the Initial report leaves a misunderstanding waiting to jump. 447 was not falling and accelerating. She was falling and "slowing". I believe she was well over the velocity at impact that could be expected in even a "rough" fall.

It is in the nature of an intact a/c to find a rough stability when in a deep Stall. Pictures of this phenomenon abound. The alternative possibility is one to which I lean sharply, She was donating some parts to the airstream as she made her way down. Radome, (blister) antennae, outer ailerons, spoilers, etc. If upset was sudden and at high speed, "recovery" attempts if even attempted, would be unmeasured, very likely out of sequence, etc. Here the vulnerability of the control surfaces with Kv and Kh "constants" to shed are especially open to loss (aerodynamic). Rudder loss in this instance would actually be one of the last separations, the HS was full of fuel, and would not take kindly to Pitch excursions allowed with Direct Law. If the VS failed in a forward flyaway, as stated, the vH would have been substantial.

I write as I think, and make corrections after I post, not the best way to do it.
Eventually, I'll learn some skills, although I have software that prints directly from my voice! "Automation" to insult rather than my friends, what a concept!

best,
bear

Unaddressed from here, Lateral rods, 36g arm, Radome, Spoiler, Impact speeds and transition to zero value, plus cabin items recovered. Also Aft fuel impetus on upset and difficulty in Pitch recovery.