IAF747

ATC of Makaysia directing pilots to contact Vietnam ATC. Thus Goodnight. Normal as far as I am concerned. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/03/17/lawmaker-missing-airliner-may-have-landed-in-southeast-asia-for-use-as-weapon/ Then this: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/20/passengers-terrified-fires-lit-etihad-airways-flight-australia A fire could have been used to negotiate the pilots opening the cockpit door.

Great post Greg. I'm sure the Spy Agencies of the super powers would be aware of this by now. I would have checked every possible land site by now. But saying this, hangars and camouflage may make it a somewhat difficult task. I would also wonder if a shorter runway or 'hidden runway' could have been used to totally evade S&R and the signals intelligence directorates of world Super Powers. North Korea apparently has a runway in a mountain for fighter aircraft. Iran I would say might be similar since they are mutual friends. Anything could be possible.

Great post Robert. Yes, I agree that I don't think there will be a ban either. The US can't (and shouldn't in my opinion) ban guns, so I doubt there will be a case for this unless it is in North Korea...... I doubt the pilot is responsible here. I could be wrong though as their attitude at letting ladies in the cockpit dring flight shows their disrespect for the rules and law. There are a few agendas at play here and Malaysia is highly politically charged with internal affairs over the last decade. The fact that the Malayian Government wouldn't release information last week on the flight path known is suspious in itself. Why would it do this when other countries have committed resources to finding the airliner. I think the one possibility out of all the posible expanations of where MH370 is and how it got there that hasn't been looked at yet is the Malaysian Government. It is well known that the Government of Malaysia is not truthful. To me it sounds like the Opposition Leader was deliberately put in jail. Not getting into the politics, but that is one perspective I have been seriously thinking is a possibility in all this. The Malaysian Goverment in my opinion has mislead not only the media but foreign powers who have readily offered assistance in finding the 777.

Great to see the A10s being used effectively. When a lot of baddies are there I think it is highly effective. Now Ukraine has come on the radar screen I believe the A10 should be kept. I change my mind! I I say what a Presidential nominee said before the last US Presidential election, Russia is No.1 priority........ and I'm not getting political.

http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/malaysia-confirms-malaysia-airlines-flight-mh370-was-hijacked/story-fnizu68q-1226855485378 Well: 1. Iran has been threatening Western targets for years with their Suicide Brigades. http://www.meforum.org/1059/irans-suicide-brigades 2. At least two unauthorized Iranians were on board the flight using stolen passports. 3. The flight was headed towards Iran. To me its not far fetched that things are happening behind the scenes. If you are thinking some simmer is behind this you haven't been taking much notice of world events in the last few weeks, especially with Putin and the Crimea. Does ANYONE remember this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_Flight_8969 Little did anyone say when the 911 attacks happened after a previous _________ refused to do ______ (no swear words just removing ______s from this thread). But if you look at the above it points to a very serious problem which I shouldn't talk about here as it so easily offends people and trolls just latch on to it.

I think some people cannot fathom limits of technology today. Yes we live in high tech world, but at the very least understand that technology has been designed with the user in mind, not with hijackers or criminals. Depends if the claims of family in China that they have been able to call the phones of loved ones is true or not. Lots and lots of information surrounding this disappearance and there may be a few agendas to deal with as well. Well it's a detectives special treat. I am not too phased by the drama, just let's get bare facts on the table. But of course spy agencies and military signals intelligence services worldwide would be doing it. It's not going to be fun having a large commercial airliner rigged with explosives aimed for a capital city. Even as Iran has previously threatened nuclear strike. Lots of possibilities here and if the aircraft is in the wrong hands militaries world wide would have to be on high alert until they recover the asset.

I'm thinking like you Greg. If I was in CIA Sat intel HQ I would be checking latest sat images between Iran and Malaysia and within all countries in between. My instinct tells me if its not in the ocean it will be at an airport. But this is all based on information that may not be accurate.

It is off topic. Lets not go there. As much as the A10 is wonderful, there are not many large armies today that mass tanks similar to Egypt in 1973 on the Suez Canal. And not even Israel has the A10. I can see the A10 in the same stead as the F14, a Soviet era weapon. The A10 is a beautiful weapon when used against masses of rolling tanks and troops, and vehicles. That is World War Two vintage. Today's conflicts are UAVs, precision guided weapons to avoid civilian casualties. Not even in the Balkans has the A10 been needed in the last twenty years. The battlefield has changed and technology is changing. In Afghanistan even the tunnels and caves are proving to be challenging so I doubt the A10 could be effective there.

Engine room that was a great post, but please sign your name. I thought it was required to sign your name here?

Thanks Bill. Yes the cost seems high but I can't comment until I see what I get for my money. If I do get it, I will let you know and do a full review unless someone at Avsim does one.... I'll upload some photos I took at Haneda last June. It is like a 'gold plated airport'! I'll get busy..... The Original Terminal 1 and 2 of the Domestic Terminal (although the sign says it is International it was always that-need a history thing here too!) are amazing full of shopping outlets like the ones you would find in the Marriot or Twin Towers at Kuala Lumpur. Tiffanys can even be found on the airside part of the Terminal at the New International Terminal (which IS the International Terminal!). Here are they (the restaurant and airplane hobby shop was in Terminal One-Domestic-has a free shuttle bus every ten minutes between all three terminals- where the best shopping is and restaurants are with runway views while you eat! The restaurant is Royal Host on Level 7 I think it is-it isn't expensive-about $15 for a meal and you can also have on tap beer and wine coffees etc!-Royal Host is just one of many restaurants you will find in Japan that show you the quality Japanese aspire to but while keeping the price to an absolute minimum!):

Bill, I thought posting it would better our hobby. Thanks for your reflection. It does have the new runway at Haneda. I suppose you have been to Haneda and the NEW International Terminal? Daniel

It isn't as high as you think it is. The cost of living in Australia is high now and Japan has suffered from deflation in the last 5 years. You pay high prices for software in Australia if you compare the same item to the USA. Trent: I was mistaken. The MD's are audio. I was thinking of MOs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magneto-optical_drive

MD. Now I remember, Right.

That's the thing about Japan. In Yodobashi Camera hardware is very cheap, actually everywhere. But when it comes to software, it aint cheap! DVDs used to be like that but their prices are becoming more competitive now. I saw 2 Blu Rays for 3000Yen which is pretty good considering a few years ago a movie like Black Hawk Down was somewhere like $50!!! (4400Yen!). They have a lot of popular movies for example one is Hunt for Red October, but a lot of popular action movies. Akihabara is a place you would love to go as you would find a lot of tech not available outside Japan. I remember seeing 3.5 inch DVDs (not called DVDs though, they were simply a file storage unit) years ago, never saw it outside Japan, not even my PC component shop. Haneda is truly an amazing airport now they have International flights. You have to go to Narita for the A380 which is the biggest A380 hub in the whole bar none! Lufthansa, Air France, Thai and Singapore all fly their 380s there, and maybe even BA later. That's a guess on BA though. Haneda is prolific for Dreamliners, their is a vast armada of them! I like them but not their batteries and tech components (don't get me started!). When they resolve that I'll gladly fly them. A lot of effort went into them and credit is due Boeing and staff [but safety must come first.] Narita has an Aviation museum and great spotters areas (I can help line you up with local spotters who could drive you around to 34 or 16R) and Haneda has amazing locations which you would never have dreamed of for taking photos. The best advice I can give you about Japan if you want to visit is to pack the very least amount of clothing and other stuff as possible. As you use the public transport there you don't want to be lugging huge items around with you. The Japanese are extremely practical! You'll see what I mean if you ever do visit. One last thing, sort out your internet before you go as wifi is very restrictive there. Don't expect MacDonalds like in other countries to offer free Wifi (Starbucks does but you still need ID from NTT!!!) so you will have to hang out in hip places like Harajuku or have friends that have it. The problem is lots of people ring up the elderly and scam money off them so their is lots of Identity theft and such as that Japan has to deal with. Apart from that you would love it.