Originally Posted by
wes_wall
Perhaps a bit late, but how do we know the time and altitude of the LKP? How was this seemingly well accepted information acheived? All speculation and calculations of what the airplane did or did not do has been based on two important things as fact. In reality, is altitude and position a confirmed fact? Just wondering.
AF447 reported position to AF HQ via ACARS Satellite comms, every 10 mins. In amongst the alarm messages in one of the BEA interim reports is the 02:10 entry received at 2:10:34
2:10:34#0210/+2.98-30.59
Position only accurate to nearest 0.6NM in each direction, time 'nearest minute' but assumed close to 2:10:30.
Significantly this was ~3NM west of planned route, altitude, heading, velocity all 'assumed' until the black boxes reveal all.