Malaysian 777 missing
03-09-2014, 08:57 PM
#121
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2013
Position: French American
Posts: 417
Originally Posted by satpak77
BBC is reporting that the stolen passport dudes had planned to continue to Europe. Instead, they went swimming.
BBC News - Missing Malaysia Airlines plane: How were stolen passports used?
03-09-2014, 08:59 PM
#122
Line Holder
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Posts: 79
Originally Posted by JustAMushroom
Malaysian authorities just announced the tickets purchased using the stolen passports were bought at the same time and are numbers sequentially.
This is giving me a bad feeling.
This is giving me a bad feeling.
A lot of passports are stolen in Thailand and there is an "underground" business selling them. Tourists gladly hand over their passports for renting something or even a guided tour ... and oops, lost.
While the two passports have been reported stolen at different times, they could very well have been purchased at the same time.
My guess is that your bad feeling is not going to get any better
03-10-2014, 08:37 AM
#127
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2013
Posts: 10,065
Originally Posted by RetiredFTS
Anyone else a little concerned how this will impact our profession if it turns out to be terrorism? Even a catastrophic mechanical on the 777 could impact public's travel decisions.
03-10-2014, 09:11 AM
#128
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2013
Posts: 10,065
I don't know if it was brought up earlier, but the US Government said our satellites did not pick up any explosions in the region. So, unless terrorists managed to unscrew every bolt on the wings, it is highly unlikely it was a bomb. What else could cause a mid-air disintegration? If there was a catastrophic powerplant and electrical failure and trimmed in cruise flight, how likely is a 180 degree turn before completely losing control?
03-10-2014, 09:28 AM
#129
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,281
Originally Posted by CBreezy
I don't know if it was brought up earlier, but the US Government said our satellites did not pick up any explosions in the region. So, unless terrorists managed to unscrew every bolt on the wings, it is highly unlikely it was a bomb. What else could cause a mid-air disintegration? If there was a catastrophic powerplant and electrical failure and trimmed in cruise flight, how likely is a 180 degree turn before completely losing control?
A high-resolution satellite would be able to see exactly what happened...if it was looking right at the airplane. Those satellites are in high-demand and probably focused on the middle east or somebody's military facilities, not open ocean.
The satellites best suited to that sort of thing would be the ones designed to detect strategic missile launches...they constantly cover large areas and look for thermal blooms (ballistic missiles but out a lot of heat on launch). I would think if the airplanes' fuel atomized and ignited in the air then such a satellite could have spotted it. But a small HE charge causing structural failure would not be enough to show up unless a lot fuel burned all at once.
03-10-2014, 09:39 AM
#130
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2007
Position: A320 CA
Posts: 1,530
Originally Posted by CBreezy
I don't know if it was brought up earlier, but the US Government said our satellites did not pick up any explosions in the region. So, unless terrorists managed to unscrew every bolt on the wings, it is highly unlikely it was a bomb. What else could cause a mid-air disintegration? If there was a catastrophic powerplant and electrical failure and trimmed in cruise flight, how likely is a 180 degree turn before completely losing control?
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
bgmann
Foreign
25
01-30-2008 11:26 AM
