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Old 21st Mar 2014, 19:39
  #7040 (permalink)  
RatherBeFlying
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Toronto
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The only reliable LKP available to the public is the last SSR position.

Note that it's a few degrees above the equator.

Moving West from the LKP would reduce the distance to IOR -- as would a course of 180 True until crossing the Equator, whereupon the distance would steadily increase.

The first ping arc after LKP coupled with a/c g/s might be useful to determine whether MH370 turned North or South. The second ping arc may also be helpful in determining the relative probability of which way the a/c turned.

That said, there remains the possibility the a/c assumed a closed course. In that case, we might see a steady oscillation in ping arc distances or a constant one depending on cycle times. For example if the a/c was tracking a wide circle n times an hour, the ping distance could remain constant.
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