JD-EE
I would ask assistance relative to ACARS at this point. The data made public shows first the auto pilot disengage. Soon after, TCAS, ADIRU discrepants, a/s unreliable, etc. If the a/c upset, causing a/p loss and AirData problems, do we assume that the SAT antenna could remain serviceable throughout the ACARS stream? TCAS is Altitude reliant, where is its "antenna"? My question first off is could ACARS have been accurate through a stall, roll (>60 degrees), etc.? The possibility of ACARS loss, is it attitude sensitive? Could ACARS have been interrupted for the last time at cruise Altitude, to include Stall?
Next, re: your note of lack of comm, ID,
PR, etc. Is that possibility consistent with unserviceable antennae? My recall has the HF antenna in the VStab, is that correct?
Boeing 747 has at least two airborne loss of VStab, one included the loss of the entire tail. One of these, a JAL I believe, remained airborne for some time before impacting a mountain (Fuji?). So the question is twofold, and probably would require some input from AB airframe specialists.
Can the 330
remain reasonably airworthy w/o VStab? If the VS separated, the radios are lost, yes?
Yaw is not consequential relative to the importance of Pitch, until Directional control is completely lost. Yaw is a trimming consideration, kept inside its limits. Pitch is critical to controlled flight, whether through loss of Pitch trim (or even its partial compromise), or compromise of elevators, flight without a VStab/Rudder is demonstrable, in the record.
ACARS (provenance). The release of ACARS data was without approval of the Airline, as I recall, although "Lightning" and "Fortes Turbulences" were offered immediately through
PR sheets, I believe. Does this compromise the reliability of the data itself? Probably not, as the Airline later co-operated with BEA to help translate the data for its initial report.
In the interest of brevity (!), I would comment on the "Stain" briefly. The chevron shape wants an explanation, Anyone? Whether the mass (fuel?) deposited in one location and diverged, or was lost in two locations and
converged, current considerations plus its rapid Satellite disclosure are compelling; it suggests strongly that the wreckage is beneath its "unwound" lat/long, no? Here, I believe
mm43 has let loose the Tiger. What was the current heading? Does it suggest a particular a/c aspect at impact? A relook at all the recovered debris, as BEA is accomplishing, with a consideration of a data weighted impact point (?) will hopefully suggest a more focused area of exploration.
There are some interesting suppositions relative to location of victims, debris, and their condition that would follow.
bear
edit. Inertial reference data. The 330 is a large a/c. Relative to the location of the Inertial installs, is it not possible for each unit to sense differing a/c motion? In upset, would the IRU's send very different "interpretations" of the a/c's 'aspect'? Could unreliable airspeed have been joined with unreliable IRU's? My apologies if this is a sub intelligent query.