The CVR and CDR both have either Dukane or Sippican 12KHz pingers that are activated when immersed. Why 12KHz? Because 12KHz is a frequency that has a longer reach than higher frequencies, and is in the band of frequencies that a submarine sonar (and a sonabouy, helicopter dipping sonar, etc.) would easily detect if it is not shadowed by debris or ridge. If at the right depth and thermoclines working in your favor, the pinger can be heard for dozens of miles. However, it is battery powered and will gradually stop pinging.

Wow Tom thanks for that insight great info.

That would mean either the facts are wrong or the theories are wrong. The only thing I can think of that seems to match now, is a mentally disturbed passenger gaining access to the flightdeck, eliminating the pilots after the cockpit door was closed.

 I'm not sure but I think the 777 was a ER model and depending on that model they

don't have a monitor display in the cockpit to view the doors....So it could be possible.

I once knew the inside story on a major news item and the amount of wrong information dispensed by the media was absolutely mind-boggling.  I also learned that just because an official government spokesperson says something doesn't make it true.  I wish it were otherwise.

 

Unless and until the aircraft is found intact somewhere, I'm going with the theory that the pilot took heroic measures to save the aircraft and failed, if for no other reason than it gives me peace. 

 

Hook

 I hate to say this, but the authorities need to check the manifests against records of people who've downloaded products like the PMDG 777 and other flightsim addons.

 

Are you a part time reporter for CNN ? I really have heard it all now  :lol:

Diego Garcia which is a US Military base, I think you can cross that one off the suspicious list, as you can Maldives' Male international airport, which is a busy airport highly unlikely a rogue 777 that wants to hide would go. The other fields are said to be on 1000m (3280ft) long. That would be way too short for a 777 with a passenger load to land. So I find it highly unlikely any of these fields would be used. A better possible site (If the plane was hijacked and landed somewhere) is one I read from a users comment on  Flightaware. He suggested it may have gone to Socotra Island (SCT) international airport (Yemen). It is rather remote. Looking at Google Earth other then the airfield, which looks deserted, there is virtually nothing there. The airfield has a 10000+ft runway, and is right at the 7 hour flight window where the last ping was heard. Yemen as we all know have been linked to terrorists groups in the past. 

 

Maldives residents report seeing low-flying aircraft on day MH370 disappeared

 

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/maldives-residents-report-seeing-low-flying-aircraft-on-day-mh370-disappear

Maldives residents report seeing low-flying aircraft on day MH370 disappeared

 

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/maldives-residents-report-seeing-low-flying-aircraft-on-day-mh370-disappear

 

That would actually bolster this theory, as to get there it would most certainly fly below India, to avoid radar detection, that would send it close or over the Maldives, so they may have briefly dropped low there to avoid any radar they may have. After that it's nothing but Ocean to Yemen with little chance of Radar detection.

The human minds hates a vacuum of information, and likes to fill in the blanks. While many (if not most) here are lambasting the media for wild speculating, we are doing exactly the same thing! If you don't believe me, read the thread... I have watched CNN TV for many hours, and I have to say that they keep repeating that  scenarios being discussed are only speculations, except when the info comes from official sources - (which are usually wrong). Personally I have nothing against speculationsm but I rankle at some of the high-and-mighty lambasting of others.But I would rather lilten to repetitive reportings of CNN than hours of discussions about Justin Bieber's latest problems.

 

Some of the CNN experts seem rather ignorant about some aspects of flight simulation, or even of fundamental things like waypoints - unless they are trying to simplify for an audience who mostly know nothing about flying or simulations. Maybe they should have asked Tom to suggest a few experts from these forums (who know? Maybe they did...).

 

Henri

Just thinking practically on all of this,  this is just my opinion:

• No pinging from the FDR's that has been made public.
• No visible debris or bodies anywhere (sorry, I feel for the families) that has been made public
• It's too convenient that this aircraft just <poof> disappeared from every radar in that part of the world without a military radar somewhere tracking it to either below radar coverage or seeing an airborne track that was recorded.
• The aircraft had, from some reports, enough range to land on a runway in the middle of nowhere
• It is possible to render the passengers unconcious while keeping the aircrew that is in charge alive and well, one can safely assume
• In that area of the world, it's also possible to map a course with thin cellular coverage

My opinion, it's sitting in a hangar somewhere waiting to be used for some future purpose.  Purpose unknown by the public.  Sorry, in my opinion that this is one of the only things that make sense.  Even with complete explosive decompression or catastropic failure there would be some trace somewhere.

 

And now, off to the sim!

Are you a part time reporter for CNN ? I really have heard it all now :lol:

If it's that crazy sounding to you, then it probably means that it is crazy enough to match the crazy situation. Besides, a flightsimmer actually tried it once.

Getting bizarre by the minute http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/9844415/Plane-satellite-image-uncovered

 

 

Maybe they should have asked Tom to suggest a few experts from these forums (who know? Maybe they did...).

 

Actually, it has been suggested to both CNN and Fox that they might want to buff up their simulator knowledge. :Big Grin:

If it's that crazy sounding to you, then it probably means that it is crazy enough to match the crazy situation. Besides, a flightsimmer actually tried it once.

 

Yes I know, but my reply was directed at your comment  "I hate to say this, but the authorities need to check the manifests against records of people who've downloaded products like the PMDG 777 and other flightsim addons."  Just think of the logistics for a moment. Whatever man hours are available I am quite sure can be better spent else where at this moment in time.

 

I agree with you though, I think she is in the ocean somewhere. My guess is the southern Indian Ocean - least shipping and harder to find. For whatever reasons.

Getting bizarre by the minute http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/9844415/Plane-satellite-image-uncovered

 

Yeah, just saw that a few minutes ago. Port Blair a week or more ago for some reason. Can't recall why now.

I think when the aircraft is finally found, there's going to be a lot surprised people.  I might be surprised, or those who think it's on the bottom of the Indian Ocean might be surprised.  But... I think there might be a movie about it somewhere here in our future.

Yes I know, but my reply was directed at your comment "I hate to say this, but the authorities need to check the manifests against records of people who've downloaded products like the PMDG 777 and other flightsim addons." Just think of the logistics for a moment. Whatever man hours are available I am quite sure can be better spent else where at this moment in time.

 

I agree with you though, I think she is in the ocean somewhere. My guess is the southern Indian Ocean - least shipping and harder to find. For whatever reasons.

If they want to get to the bottom of this bad enough and if they're smart enough, they'll subpoena the purchase records of the flightsim addon e-tailers to determine whether or not one of the passengers may have had more than a passing interest in flying a 777. Besides, computers these days have technologies such as word 'search' that can probably help with the task. And instead of canvassing the 230 passenger's families for a terrorism nexus, search for a flightsimming and mental illness one.

 

 

Yeah, just saw that a few minutes ago. Port Blair a week or more ago for some reason. Can't recall why now.

The 300 million dollar question, why would it go to the Bay of Bengal ?

There is one question that should have already been asked and I have seen no indication that it has.  This particular 777.  After it turned it is reported from the investigation that it flew, at least for some time, on what appeared to be a defined route, waypoint to waypoint, likely through FMC programming.  Had this particular 777 ever flown that route before?  Was it stored in the FMC?  And might the pilots have been frantically attempting to dial in another route, such as back to Malaysia, and become overcome or incapacitated at about that time?  i.e. did they get the wrong flight plan at the wrong time under duress?