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I would have thought that was one of the first things they would have done. Figure out how much fuel the plane had, then altitude it flew and from that I'm guessing they have a decent idea of how far it could have flown. Couple that with the known trajectories and that would be a good starting point for the search. Maybe they did that but it just seems like the search is sort of disjointed.
I thought that was why that satellite "handshake" around 8am was turned into an arc and not a circle, because they had taken into account the fuel range of the plane. (Although at the time they were saying no new extra fuel had been added to the plane than needed for the Beijing flight - I'm guessing there would be good records of this?). Would that 1:07 ACARS transmission have sent fuel info?
I thought that was why that satellite "handshake" around 8am was turned into an arc and not a circle, because they had taken into account the fuel range of the plane. (Although at the time they were saying no new extra fuel had been added to the plane than needed for the Beijing flight - I'm guessing there would be good records of this?). Would that 1:07 ACARS transmission have sent fuel info?
Good question. Those seem to be the key factors, fuel, and altitute to figure out range, then course heading.
I thought that was why that satellite "handshake" around 8am was turned into an arc and not a circle, because they had taken into account the fuel range of the plane. (Although at the time they were saying no new extra fuel had been added to the plane than needed for the Beijing flight - I'm guessing there would be good records of this?). Would that 1:07 ACARS transmission have sent fuel info?
Yes, that's what they said. They calculated the range of the fuel. That's how they arrived at Kazakhstan and Xinjiang as suspected destinations. But they didn't take into consideration the possibility that the plane could head straight across the Bay of Bengal to the Maldives, then possibly onward.
Also, when they calculated how far the plane could go per fuel range, it may be that they calculated that on the basis of the standard amount of fuel in planes flying from Malaysia to Beijing. They may not have interviewed whoever actually fueled the plane, to see if there was an anomaly.
Yes, that's what they said. They calculated the range of the fuel. That's how they arrived at Kazakhstan and Xinjiang as suspected destinations. But they didn't take into consideration the possibility that the plane could head straight across the Bay of Bengal to the Maldives, then possibly onward.
Also, when they calculated how far the plane could go per fuel range, it may be that they calculated that on the basis of the standard amount of fuel in planes flying from Malaysia to Beijing. They may not have interviewed whoever actually fueled the plane, to see if there was an anomaly.
For something this serious it just seems like a lot of things that should have been done right away weren't. At least as far as us , the public know.
A single malfunction on a modern commercial airliner, especially if it is rare, can unleash many other malfunctions to which on board computers and pilots will respond. Each response by man or machine then has consequences to which both man and machine must further adjust. All of these adjustments interact. What you can end up with any number of series of responses that return the aircraft systems to some sort of stable state, perhaps not optimal, but stable enough to avoid disaster. You also can end up with a large number of series of responses that deviate away from stability into chaos. The possibilities can be very large.
This plane is at the bottom of an ocean, somewhere, the victim of a chaotic adjustment path.
The main point of my comment is that the scenario which actually happened may have a very, very small probability, as do all the others, and that what we observe on the ground, based on the information we have available, may not explain a large number of equally likely scenarios, even if it makes (made) more far more sense compared to what actually is found out to have happened.
Please, before the next Diego Garcia landing comes up, at least search for what Diego Garcia is and then think about it for 2 seconds. Geesh.
Maximum range for the 777 doesn't get it close to flying around the world. Not even close.
A plane headed to Diego Garcia wouldn't have flown first to the Maldives, unless it stopped there to refuel. It would have flown directly to DG after it got past Indonesian airspace, if it had only the expected fuel capacity for a flight from Malaysia to Beijing. If it were somehow carrying extra fuel (a possibility someone raised just now), or if it refueled in Male, then all bets are off.
What? You mean you don't think a giant jet could land at a US Navy and Air base without being noticed? Surely you jest.
Regarding any Diego Garcia theories out there. I appreciate that many people don't buy into conspiracy theories and such, but keep in mind that many of those same people (especially in the media) are the ones who are quick to point out that other countries ARE capable of doing nefarious things while we are exempt. Do I believe or want to believe that our country would purposely try to fly a plane full of passengers and "suspicious cargo" to a place like Diego Garcia or any place else to get rid of it? No. Do I think our country is capable of it? Yes. I believe there is a lot of technology and information that everyday citizens are not and will not ever be privy to. I find it very hard to believe that the United States got to where it is today simply by always doing the right thing at all times while ignoring its own special interests.
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