Easy to forget that it is a very, very big ocean, and acoustic conditions have so many variables it is not a straightforward matter to determine why the boxes active sonar wasn't easily detectable.

Keep in mind the area size here; even 10sq miles is a massive area in subsea operations. Hats off to all involved for locating the site.

Thanks Mickk. Found them through the Techlog thread on the BEA site. Interesting discussion over there, including whether that gear was in the extended position prior to impact - the origin of my query really. For ref that's a very good thread to be following for the technically minded.
Well done to the investigating team and its partners for getting to this stage.

What are we seeing in the vertical scan . . . is terrain supporting the vertical displacement of specific metal objects?

I had thought it was flatter than that at the site.

Side Scan Sonar
 

Even though this is a side scan sonar image, I believe the orientation is mainly one of looking down at the ocean bottom and showing the distribution of wreckage on the ocean floor as seen from above. Fairly tight cluster of wreckage to me means the aircraft was largely intact when it hit the ocean surface and sank.

Past drift analysis
 

There used to be some excellent analysis in the old forum (MM43, Greatbear etal) on drift and potential final location. It would be interesting to know how accurate the analysis was.

I suggest you (and others here) go to the "old" thread on the Tech Log forum and see what is and has been going on.

I’m not a conspiracy theorist but those data recorders would have been putting out the equivalent of a heavy rock-concerts worth of sound to any sub-surface military listening device. And that relatively compact debris site would have been a magnetic sea-bed anomaly the size of a skyscraper, even to a looking satellite. This one does make me scratch my head (and few other parts of my anatomy). I really believe the technology exists to have found this wreckage before now. Which must beg the question ‘why wasn’t it found until now’ ? and the answer to that can only be because it wasn’t convenient. For what reason we don’t know, will never know !

memyself,

if you care to read the original thread in the tech log section you will find that your question too has been answered there.

What a name you have.... I smell a conspiracy just in that name!

For there to be a magnetic anomaly there needs to be material with magnetic properties (or a moving body through a conductive liquid).

What is a modern airliner made of? Not magnetic stuff. :ugh:

I think you want to see conspiracy where none likely exists. And that in itself speaks volumes.

:=

This accident ist perfect for conspiracy theorists (not that OP claims one to be):

If they had found the wreck immediately ...
... then they would have known beforehand that it would crash there

If they had found the wreck after a long search
... read above

If they hadn't found the wreck at all
... well, that explains itself

Salut les gars! Hi guys!

well, it may be time to wipe off the fog from your glasses :rolleyes:

Of course, "they" do know where the wreckage is .... since long time.

Just remember the means deployed during the search phase 1, 2 & 3.

Now, just focused on search phase 3 and look at the searched areas on the following map (extract from BEA - Point of the situation) - sorry, it is in french - :
http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol....phase.3.fr.jpg

By coïncidence, the abyssal plain where is sitting the wreckage has not being expored...
Remember again, just after the crash, a brazilian air patrouilleur found and oil puddle nearby the last known A330 point of report, and, still by coïncidence, no submarine search was conducted around this area....

Still in memory, a french submarine vessel was involved during the search phase 1 (just after crash). The job of the submarine is to LISTEN, with its sophisticated listenning device, any sound in a wide sound spectrum. The french navy has listened some thing..... and then a public communication said that there is mistake in the interpretation /localisation of the sound (mistaken with a beluga cry).

What's next? Easy to guess:
1. "we" do not know whether the CVR&SSFDR are within the wreckage or not;
2. if not--> end of the story
3. if yes : are they readable? Y or N
4. if Y ....
5. if N, go back to 2.

In any case, the BEA, officials, airline and AIB has an escape door to save, not only their face but also DZE BUSINESS.
Because this world is talking and doing business :}

What about the bodies? The remaining families? Who cares? and this is most likely the most important.

You do know you can get creams and powders for that problem!:E

If you have time and away from this thread i will give you lessons on accoustics and how sound tends to bend (i.e. refraction) as it passes through the thermoclines and tends to produce "shadow zones" above and below the angle of the sound.

Why is gear extended?
 

From the photos, it certainly appears that the landing gear is extended. Any ideas why that would be? Years ago, a 727 in an uncontrollable dive, the crew lowered the gear to slow down and were able to successfully recover from the dive.

jj

Why keep searching?
 

They renewed the search because they were named in a civil lawsuit and are trying to find evidence that will prove they were not negligent in ways that contributed to the accident. I would say some degree of cynicism is warranted, however, with so many people involved (Woods Hole Institute) I don't think you can really keep the wraps on things. Now if you believe the Apollo moon landing was a hoax ...

Hi,

You are completely wrong .. or you have a hidden agenda or you are misinformed :8
The researches phase 4 was decided months ago and certainly with some pressure from the family associations
The lawsuites were made after the decision of phase 4

Actually no. Noise is proportional to bandwidth so listening for any sound in a "wide spectrum" is exactly what you shouldn't do. If you know the frequency of the transmitter you should optimise your reciever to that narrow band.

Why are there two threads on here now with the same topic?

Can mods please merge this with the main 'Search Resumes' thread. It's pointless having both.

Seconded - that's where the most informed discussion is taking place IMHO.