Malaysian Airlines MH370 contact lost
Thread Starter
OK.
So the RMAF are now saying they didn't track it westbound?
I'm a little confused.
Without intending to irritate anyone, or appear callous in regard to the souls missing, transponder appears to be located on the pedestal next to the FO's left arm... tries to squawk 7700 while passing out and instead accidentally switches it off...?
So the RMAF are now saying they didn't track it westbound?
I'm a little confused.
Without intending to irritate anyone, or appear callous in regard to the souls missing, transponder appears to be located on the pedestal next to the FO's left arm... tries to squawk 7700 while passing out and instead accidentally switches it off...?
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Without intending to irritate anyone, or appear callous in regard to the souls missing, transponder appears to be located on the pedestal next to the FO's left arm... tries to squawk 7700 while passing out and instead accidentally switches it off...?
Evertonian
Anyone remember the three Ugly Sisters at QF, one developed a massive crack in the fuse which could have easily sent it to the bottom of the Pacific.
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In all these posts, the only real facts known are that the transponder was turned off, the plane turned back, and descended, and was last detected by the military radar westbound until the signal abruptly disappeared.
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I've completely missed the source saying the military are retracting their statement that the plane changed track westbound. Anyone?
If true it fits into their PR mode of making some vague statement, leaving it one news cycle then retracting said statement.
If true it fits into their PR mode of making some vague statement, leaving it one news cycle then retracting said statement.
If for some reason, all electrical went out to lunch .. all of the major control surfaces might go to neutral? (remember, the 777 is the first fly-by-wire commercial jet) You'd be flying similar to the Sioux City aircraft without hydraulics? Only the engines to control left/right/up/down with? I think you'd have major problems with the up/down .. it might go into a phugoid oscillatory mode. Very difficult to control .. flying low .. you might get an idea of land/water to see where you were, but, you're cooked. You have to figure a place to land, and it's not going to be pretty. But, I'd think that there would be battery power for the critical items .. flight control computers, comm radios? Unless it was some sort of power surge throughout the system?
B777-You would still have engine driven and air driven hydraulic pumps running.
B777-Spoilers No.4 & No.11 have backup cable controls. So some roll control still.
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This is baffling, at first I thought "up to 7 days before they find it"...now I am not so sure.
If reports are true that theaircraft turned back, it begs more questions than answers:
-Why was it no longer transmitting any comms, either radio, transponder, acars, nothing? (I would hazard a guess at fire onboard)
- What was so serious that necessitated a turn back?
- Why did they descend (if indeed eyewitnesses did see the aircraft), did they lose all instruments? all electrics, all displays, which explains loss of comms, etc as well?
- I was around 2AM...dark night, did they lose sight of mainland, no instrumentation, descended to get visual?
If so, this aeroplane could be absolutely anywhere.
If reports are true that theaircraft turned back, it begs more questions than answers:
-Why was it no longer transmitting any comms, either radio, transponder, acars, nothing? (I would hazard a guess at fire onboard)
- What was so serious that necessitated a turn back?
- Why did they descend (if indeed eyewitnesses did see the aircraft), did they lose all instruments? all electrics, all displays, which explains loss of comms, etc as well?
- I was around 2AM...dark night, did they lose sight of mainland, no instrumentation, descended to get visual?
If so, this aeroplane could be absolutely anywhere.
Overthwing/flt001
The quote above in Post #1977 was what I was going by.
"the signal disappeared without any trace"
Was it because it got to end of their coverage?
I think this is the only "official" statement, but does not retract the westbound statement. (Maybe I read it wrong)
"the signal disappeared without any trace"
Was it because it got to end of their coverage?
I think this is the only "official" statement, but does not retract the westbound statement. (Maybe I read it wrong)
Last edited by Old Boeing Driver; 12th Mar 2014 at 00:23. Reason: Add comment.
Until someone can convincingly explain how depressurization can be linked to the loss of the transponders... yes, there are two transponders in the T7, left and right, selectable via the transponder panel, it seems difficult to see how depressurization would lead to the transponders failing.
The external antennas are in different locations (though I can't find my reference to where exactly). Turning off the transponder isn't just a toggle or push-button, the switch is a rotary and you'd have to move it two positions to get it into the standby condition.
The external antennas are in different locations (though I can't find my reference to where exactly). Turning off the transponder isn't just a toggle or push-button, the switch is a rotary and you'd have to move it two positions to get it into the standby condition.
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Another "expert" is now being quoted in the New Straits Times
For the record a Towed Pinger Locator (TPL) can only be expected to detect an operational ULB 37.5kHz signal when no more than 2 - 3km from its source. Ninety percent reliability is around 1,800 meters, and water temperature inversion layers can often create a variable outcome.
According to him, the Under Water Beacon (ULB) can emit a signal for hundreds of miles but if the black box is covered with debris or falls into a trench at the bottom of the sea, then the strength and range of the signal would be lower.
Last edited by mm43; 14th Mar 2014 at 02:57. Reason: fixed detection dist.
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First up, I'm not an airline pilot but a mere lowly GA charter pilot. But in the aircraft I fly, before changing a code on a transponder you turn it to standby. Is this the same in airliners? Following the path of some sort of catastrophic depressurisation, is it possible that Hypoxia dealt the crew it's fatal blow as they were in the process of changing the transponder code, hence it appearing to be turned off?
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Very well, my Brother in Law was on that flight. (Assuming you mean the one where the O2 broke loose & ran amok in the cabin before exiting the fuselage). I thought of this in relation to the crew oxy & electronics location question. Massive damage from a rogue cylinder there.
IIRC from the bumpf that circulated at the time, the crack was determined to have been caused by improper paint removal during an earlier repaint, using a metal scraper tool, which gouged the metal; the gouge then acted as a stress-raiser, precipitating the crack.
Someone correct me if I'm wildly wrong on the above?
Garage Years
That's the issue I keep coming back to.
A few posts ago, someone asked if the transponder could be turned off in the haste of changing codes in an emergency.
The response was that the knobs have a very different feel.
I lean the same way. I think it was turned off manually.
Why was the transponder turned off?
A few posts ago, someone asked if the transponder could be turned off in the haste of changing codes in an emergency.
The response was that the knobs have a very different feel.
I lean the same way. I think it was turned off manually.
Why was the transponder turned off?
Last edited by Old Boeing Driver; 12th Mar 2014 at 00:35. Reason: Grammar
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GarageYears :
True, but you are supposed to go to standby before changing the code, so possibly he forgot to switch it back on or passed out before he'd done so.
That said, I don't believe the above scenario to be the cause of the failure, it doesn't appear to be just the transponder that went quiet..
Edit: Sorry wishiwasupthere: missed your comment saying the same thing...
'Turning off the transponder isn't just a toggle or push-button, the switch is a rotary and you'd have to move it two positions to get it into the standby condition.'
That said, I don't believe the above scenario to be the cause of the failure, it doesn't appear to be just the transponder that went quiet..
Edit: Sorry wishiwasupthere: missed your comment saying the same thing...
Last edited by JamesCam; 12th Mar 2014 at 00:42. Reason: Update.
Question...
What is the RADAR facility / range at FJDG, anybody?
Track from 'disappearance point' to DG is approx 245T, and quite within the fuel range..?
Just curious.....
What is the RADAR facility / range at FJDG, anybody?
Track from 'disappearance point' to DG is approx 245T, and quite within the fuel range..?
Just curious.....
OBD... and I'll add that I don't think they could be turned off "accidentally" even in a hypoxic state. The mode control knob is completely different from the code rotary.
Trqnsponder
I have never flown an airliner, and I can't remember any corprate jet where you had to switch the transponder to standby before changing codes.
Some corporate jets actually have a control wheel button that changes the squawk to 7700 if pushed.
Not saying some don't require this, just none I've seen. Don't mean to sound rude.
Some corporate jets actually have a control wheel button that changes the squawk to 7700 if pushed.
Not saying some don't require this, just none I've seen. Don't mean to sound rude.
Last edited by Old Boeing Driver; 12th Mar 2014 at 00:43. Reason: Darn...spelling again
I have never flown an airliner, and I can't remember any corprate jet where you had to switch the transponder to standby before changing codes.