Malaysian Airlines MH370 contact lost
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Connecticut, USA
Age: 64
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A man whose wife has just announced that their marriage is over, that she is leaving and taking his 3 beloved children with her. This man, a normally decent individual, is boiling with rage, frustration, humiliation and loss. His life as he sees it is over - pointless. His anger immense.
The next day, his first alone, he is on the flight. People are behaving normally. It enrages him more. He is not thinking rationally, the rage is all-consuming. He decides.
His plan is simple enough. At the appropriate point, go invisible, fly back over Malaysia and then take the plane to 45,000 feet. He doesn't want to die by smashing the plane into the water. Lack of oxygen is an easier death.
And he doesn't want it to look like suicide. He programs a flight path into the autopilot, and hopes that the plane will return from 45,000ft and follow that path until it flames out in the middle of the ocean, never to be found.
He will be missed - oh yes - his family will cry for him. They never should have left.
The next day, his first alone, he is on the flight. People are behaving normally. It enrages him more. He is not thinking rationally, the rage is all-consuming. He decides.
His plan is simple enough. At the appropriate point, go invisible, fly back over Malaysia and then take the plane to 45,000 feet. He doesn't want to die by smashing the plane into the water. Lack of oxygen is an easier death.
And he doesn't want it to look like suicide. He programs a flight path into the autopilot, and hopes that the plane will return from 45,000ft and follow that path until it flames out in the middle of the ocean, never to be found.
He will be missed - oh yes - his family will cry for him. They never should have left.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Antipodes Islands
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A man whose wife has just announced that their marriage is over, that she is leaving..................His life as he sees it is over - pointless
There is also nothing to say that the wife and adult children hadn't simply gone to visit relatives.
They have at least one grandchild so presumably not all the children were staying at home anyway.
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: CYYZ
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Xeque
But you can buy add-ons that simulate the real thing.
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Rockytop, Tennessee, USA
Posts: 5,898
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
A man whose wife has just announced that their marriage is over, that she is leaving and taking his 3 beloved children with her. This man, a normally decent individual, is boiling with rage, frustration, humiliation and loss. His life as he sees it is over - pointless. His anger immense.
It is an avenue that certainly should be investigated in the human factors aspect of the investigation.
I would imagine that the visiting FBI agents will tread very gingerly on the scrutiny of a community activist with Muslim origins as portrayed in media accounts due to political considerations at home and in Malaysia.
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: California
Age: 54
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
@Onetrack
In the interview that friend said he knew Capt for 2 years and had not seen the sim in the basement - but implied he was aware of it. For someone at 57 a friendship of 2 years sounds rather brief - a relatively new acquaintance.
The Captains closest friend has expressed his opinion that the Captain was a fine, honorable individual, and he would fly anywhere with him. He said nothing about him being a hothead - which he would need to be to fit your scenario.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Antipodes Islands
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
community activist with Muslim origins
He could easily be Hindu, Muslim, Christian, or unaffiliated.
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2 cents
Been trying to stay away from the internet and pprune on Sunday, but my mind keep wandering back to the missing plane. Guess people in the industry (me ground ops, dx and PPL) just can't keep the mind away from something so strange and so mysterious happened in the industry.
Anyways, I want to say that it just doesn't make sense the captain did it - it doesn't fit his personalty. From his past, we can see that he's a very proactive chap and isn't afraid to show the world what he's fond of and proud of. It does not fit his personalty that he would choose such an obscure scenario to just disappear. He would want to make a statement...letting the world hear what he has to say. And if he's a fanatic supporter of the previous PM, it is well within his reach to use the aircraft in a way that would cause more serious and more potential crippling damage to the current PM.
Until solid, hard evidence is found against the pilots, I would give them benefit of the doubt.
Anyways, I want to say that it just doesn't make sense the captain did it - it doesn't fit his personalty. From his past, we can see that he's a very proactive chap and isn't afraid to show the world what he's fond of and proud of. It does not fit his personalty that he would choose such an obscure scenario to just disappear. He would want to make a statement...letting the world hear what he has to say. And if he's a fanatic supporter of the previous PM, it is well within his reach to use the aircraft in a way that would cause more serious and more potential crippling damage to the current PM.
Until solid, hard evidence is found against the pilots, I would give them benefit of the doubt.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Antipodes Islands
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Change Transponder ID - 777 Avionics Tech question
O.K. Serious question for 777 Avionics Techs.
Is it possible to alter the ICAO unique airframe code in the transponder using pilot available menus; or engineering menus using pilot accessible equipment?
Is it possible to alter the ICAO unique airframe code in the transponder using pilot available menus; or engineering menus using pilot accessible equipment?
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Age: 61
Posts: 122
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Quote:
Are the a/c flying visible on the pictures? On the pic from the link above, on the "submap" 637975 (it is the fifth rectangle from the right edge, and the twentyfourth from the bottom), there is an "intact" a/c, even visible as a very small white point on the thumbnail map). And I don't see its shadow, but there is a black "band" on the pic, just west of the a/c.
That looks to me like a B-737 or the P-8A maritime patrol aircraft variant.
Are the a/c flying visible on the pictures? On the pic from the link above, on the "submap" 637975 (it is the fifth rectangle from the right edge, and the twentyfourth from the bottom), there is an "intact" a/c, even visible as a very small white point on the thumbnail map). And I don't see its shadow, but there is a black "band" on the pic, just west of the a/c.
That looks to me like a B-737 or the P-8A maritime patrol aircraft variant.
Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah
I lived and worked in Malaysia on ATC and airport projects for 10 years, and the Captain appears to be a Malay Muslim to me. Some posts have referred to him as Captain Shah - not so as that is his father's name. He is Captain Zaharie. This mistake may have come from the Daily Mail, which also referred to the Prime Minister, Najib Razak as Mr Razak - wrong again he is Prime Minister Najib. Do these people actually graduate in Journalism? Whilst on matters of respect, the Malaysians and their neighbours (plus participants from China, US, Australia and NZ) are quite capable of organising and conducting Search and Rescue missions. They started in the right place (last known position) and expanded the search area as more CONFIRMED data became available. The last position at the start of the search was in the Singapore FIR and also SRR - so it was up to Singapore to start the search action. However this can be delegated to another SRR (in this case KL) if coordination and communications are better facilitated. The mistake the Malaysians made was in not using a professional media person to run their press conferences. The 24 hour news cycle demands fast updates and if the media don't get it they go nuts and they and their experts start going off in all directions. The great shame is that the relatives of those missing have to put up with this.
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: England
Age: 36
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Stumbled across this forum while looking for info and it seems to be one of few places on the internet right now that is attempting a serious discussion about all this so I hope no one minds my intrusion..
As regards the pilot's wife leaving him, no truly reputable sources seem to be reporting that. I've seen a few say it's been confirmed as untrue by Malaysia but have no source for that so can't be sure. However, I think we all know that if a detail like that were true it would be all over the news networks as they are desperate for new information to allow further speculation so I think it's safe to assume that is not true.
Same goes for the ridiculous article in the Mail on Sunday about the pilot being a political 'fanatic'. Here in the UK, the Mail is well known for fabricating and twisting stories to ridiculous extremes. It has a nasty habit of assuming anyone with a foreign name is a terrorist, is trying to steal our jobs or is the cause of cancer. I would seriously encourage everyone to avoid both the Mail and the Mirror like the plague.
Now, i'm not a Pilot or an aviation enthusiast so I'm going to stay well away from the technical discussion (no need to add further speculation from someone who has no idea what they're talking about - enough of that on CNN). But i'm going to throw my two cents in here on a couple of other points:
The suicide theory makes very little sense to me. While i'm aware similar has happened before, it seems to me that whoever was flying the plane was going to incredible lengths to remain undetected (lengths that would require skill, knowledge and I would imagine planning). Makes zero sense to do any of that, especially to that extent, if you are intent on killing yourself. Similarly, most suicidal folks don't want to kill another 200+ innocent people along with them. Sure, the pilot could have had a sudden breakdown but thousands of people have breakdowns every year and they don't all go on a murder spree. Yes, there are exceptions but they are incredibly rare.
As for terrorism, I can't see any logical reason to go to the expense of making a plane disappear just for that sake alone. The fact no one has officially claimed responsibility is key here, I think. The way I see it the only explanations for this would be
1) No terrorists involved
2) Plane has been hijacked and hidden to be used in another attack of some sort in the future - which seems ludicrous to me. There must be cheaper, easier and less time consuming ways to get hold of a plane - particularly when it comes to the large terrorist networks. 9/11 was about making a point. The hijacking of those planes was not purely to crash them into WTC but to make a point using an American airline with mostly American passengers. The terror is not just to make people fear this could happen but more importantly that it is them specifically that is being targeted. And even more importantly, it's about making maximum impact (really didn't wan to make that pun but cannot think of another word) by being as unexpected as possible. In the case of MH370, it would achieve little. Even if being prepared for some future attack, the world is now on alert, aware that something could happen. Makes far more sense to implement an attack when the target is unsuspecting and will not get a chance to stop you (which, let's face it, probably could have been accomplished in this instance).
3) This was a dry run for some potential attack in the future - This seems more likely, I think. Can't see a terrorist network having any issues whatsoever with 200+ lives for a practise run.
4) The plan went wrong. This is the theory i'm leaning toward at the moment. Now this could mean either there was intent to actually attack and something went wrong OR it was a dry run that went wrong. Both scenarios would explain a lack of anyone coming forward to claim responsibility, especially if it was a dry run. When you think about it, with all this coverage any terrorist network is getting a lot of information about what works and what doesn't, what the authorities pick up and what they don't.
I guess the theory of it being an accident could still be feasible? I may not be an aviation geek but I am a Titanic geek and if that has taught me anything it's that a random sequence of extremely coincidental events can come together to make a situation previously thought unthinkable, thinkable. It's rare. But it happens.
Those are my thoughts anyway. Sorry for the ramble.
As regards the pilot's wife leaving him, no truly reputable sources seem to be reporting that. I've seen a few say it's been confirmed as untrue by Malaysia but have no source for that so can't be sure. However, I think we all know that if a detail like that were true it would be all over the news networks as they are desperate for new information to allow further speculation so I think it's safe to assume that is not true.
Same goes for the ridiculous article in the Mail on Sunday about the pilot being a political 'fanatic'. Here in the UK, the Mail is well known for fabricating and twisting stories to ridiculous extremes. It has a nasty habit of assuming anyone with a foreign name is a terrorist, is trying to steal our jobs or is the cause of cancer. I would seriously encourage everyone to avoid both the Mail and the Mirror like the plague.
Now, i'm not a Pilot or an aviation enthusiast so I'm going to stay well away from the technical discussion (no need to add further speculation from someone who has no idea what they're talking about - enough of that on CNN). But i'm going to throw my two cents in here on a couple of other points:
The suicide theory makes very little sense to me. While i'm aware similar has happened before, it seems to me that whoever was flying the plane was going to incredible lengths to remain undetected (lengths that would require skill, knowledge and I would imagine planning). Makes zero sense to do any of that, especially to that extent, if you are intent on killing yourself. Similarly, most suicidal folks don't want to kill another 200+ innocent people along with them. Sure, the pilot could have had a sudden breakdown but thousands of people have breakdowns every year and they don't all go on a murder spree. Yes, there are exceptions but they are incredibly rare.
As for terrorism, I can't see any logical reason to go to the expense of making a plane disappear just for that sake alone. The fact no one has officially claimed responsibility is key here, I think. The way I see it the only explanations for this would be
1) No terrorists involved
2) Plane has been hijacked and hidden to be used in another attack of some sort in the future - which seems ludicrous to me. There must be cheaper, easier and less time consuming ways to get hold of a plane - particularly when it comes to the large terrorist networks. 9/11 was about making a point. The hijacking of those planes was not purely to crash them into WTC but to make a point using an American airline with mostly American passengers. The terror is not just to make people fear this could happen but more importantly that it is them specifically that is being targeted. And even more importantly, it's about making maximum impact (really didn't wan to make that pun but cannot think of another word) by being as unexpected as possible. In the case of MH370, it would achieve little. Even if being prepared for some future attack, the world is now on alert, aware that something could happen. Makes far more sense to implement an attack when the target is unsuspecting and will not get a chance to stop you (which, let's face it, probably could have been accomplished in this instance).
3) This was a dry run for some potential attack in the future - This seems more likely, I think. Can't see a terrorist network having any issues whatsoever with 200+ lives for a practise run.
4) The plan went wrong. This is the theory i'm leaning toward at the moment. Now this could mean either there was intent to actually attack and something went wrong OR it was a dry run that went wrong. Both scenarios would explain a lack of anyone coming forward to claim responsibility, especially if it was a dry run. When you think about it, with all this coverage any terrorist network is getting a lot of information about what works and what doesn't, what the authorities pick up and what they don't.
I guess the theory of it being an accident could still be feasible? I may not be an aviation geek but I am a Titanic geek and if that has taught me anything it's that a random sequence of extremely coincidental events can come together to make a situation previously thought unthinkable, thinkable. It's rare. But it happens.
Those are my thoughts anyway. Sorry for the ramble.
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Fife, Scotland
Age: 78
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think the problem is that 'facts' are announced then either withdrawn or qualified.
And what is published seems to be contradictory.
For instance, radar apparently shows the plane to have turned back then flown off to the NW.
But the satellite data indicates that it ended up in a different direction.
Intermediate satellite 'pings' are supposedly available, but locations of these are not posted so we can't see if these correlate with the radar plots (or indeed with anything else).
Not surprising that people are reluctant to accept the official version of events.
And what is published seems to be contradictory.
For instance, radar apparently shows the plane to have turned back then flown off to the NW.
But the satellite data indicates that it ended up in a different direction.
Intermediate satellite 'pings' are supposedly available, but locations of these are not posted so we can't see if these correlate with the radar plots (or indeed with anything else).
Not surprising that people are reluctant to accept the official version of events.
short flights long nights
The ABC in Australia has dug up some 'expert' saying ( again) that the use of good night on the radio is very strange as it is not normal procedure. I wish they would give it a rest, there is nothing abnormal about it at all, especially when you are talking to your home ATC.
Last edited by SOPS; 17th Mar 2014 at 06:45.
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: MSP
Age: 67
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The transponders are an easy disable - switch them to standby. Done. However, to prevent the ACARS system from transmitting data requires a bit more work. On the 777, ACARS is an integrated part of the AIMS and as such, has no off switch.One can disable the reporting module of the AIMS by either pulling specific CB's located in the cockpit, de-racking the primary units (2) located in the EE bay AIMS cabinet, or by accessing the ACARS page on an FMS CDU and switching the data link to an unused frequency.
No I am not surprised - I had morning tea every day in KL at an Indian Muslim restaurant. But usually different names from Malay Muslims. Anyway it does not matter much so long as we get the names right.
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: high in the sky....
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
log off
As per my experience even changing the data frequency to an unused frequency wont help as in most cases the system uses SATCOM to communicate automatically in case no VHF handshake takes place.... reracking etc is impossible in air too!!!
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: SFO/KCH
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Anyway, there are too many people trying to tie Islam into this event whereas it's completely irrelevant and shows serious ignorance. I don't mean your post - I mean the others directly alluding to or hinting that because the pilot is a "Muslim" things will be investigated differently than if he were not. This is in addition to the already existing unfounded suspicion being thrown at the captain.
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: LAX
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The ABC in Australia has dug up some 'expert' saying ( again) that the use of good night on the radio is very strange as it is not normal procedure. I wish they would give it a rest, there is not jining abnormal about it at all, especially when you are talking to your home ATC.