JD-EE
wallybird7 said, "Apparently this crew didn't."
That is an assertion not in evidence. How do you know the storm showed on their radar? Was their radar working? Was it employed properly?
The weather forecast showed a line of thunderstorms about 100 miles wide over the equator. See AF447 Meteorological Analysis.
By the time the problem appeared on their radar any escape from the storm would have required extreme deviations from their flight plan with no communications to DAKAR.
They did note it at that time and made a deviation towards an area that appeared less risky than plowing on straight ahead.
Now, one might argue that they should have called Atlantico about this. But apparently this happens so often the pilots simply noted the fact and plowed onwards. I wonder what would have happened had they tried to check in at the follow-on control site after DAKAR since their flight plan was not properly forwarded.
Deviations happen all the time and you don't need clearance, just announce it on Guard Channel.
But the pesky detail stands - moving aside from the storm at the time they saw it would have required some serious course deviations. At the time they hit it the storm was a very wide solid band.
Agree. They should have deviated sooner. They knew the turbulence was coming.
Jcjeant
Hi,
Quote:
Was their radar working? Was it employed properly?
Again we return to the basic questions and answers ..
Radar working .. plane defect ?
Employed properly .. crew error ?
Again .. nothing between ...
Except a large build-up. And then all hell broke loose.
Bubbers44
The acars message said the pitot system failed causing AP and AT to disengage probably because of their recurring icing problem.
"Any speculation about weather other than icing taking the plane down needs to be proven."
Proven? How? Do you want a precise measurement of potential up and down drafts? What caused the ice build-ups? If not strong up and down drafts. Does turbulence exist in towering cumulous? Hell yes. Would it affect someone trying to hand-fly the plane?
So far there is no evidence of that being the problem since none of the other flights with normal deviations had a problem.
Just because the others skated through, is not "proof" that this one didn't get caught.
Those who insist it was turbulence and flying into a thunderstorm that caused the accident have absolutely no proof and are speculating. We know BEA knows exactly why they crashed by now. When they write the report we will know too. Be patient.
All of it is mere speculation. All the BEA has to come up with is "Probable" cause. Not "Exact" cause.