Controlled ditching in the Indian Ocean ?
@ hamster3null, re possible mismatching 'ping' data shortly before impact ?
9M-MRO : wasn't it a 777-200ER MTOW 297,500 kg ? ... hence, equipped with a high-lift wing ?! ... assuming headwind 25 kts, all its active high-lift surfaces extended, assuming CoG had been shifted markedly aftwards before ditching, reserve fuels jettisoned as well (except tail-tank, if available ??), assuming "surface effect" in near-water approach and expert handling by pilot (whomever that was at that time), the true speed upon water contact could have slowed down enough for the aircraft to successfully survive a ditch ?
Any PPRuNe 777 driver to estimate final ditching 'minimum conceivable speed' ?
Is the result compatible with integrity of aircraft structure/pilot survival ?
Then, seek if last 'ping' discrepancies could be interpreted as an approach + ditching manoeuvre going on at end-of-flight somewhere in the Indian Ocean ? Manual final VFR conditions ?
We are exploring likeliness of a successfully executed RDV for pilot pick-up by some sub-marine at some pre-agreed set of co-ordinates fed into the FMS ?
Last edited by Frequent Traveller; 28th Mar 2014 at 11:41.