Malaysian Airlines B777 still missing

[parsifal]

There are now 126 individual items identified by satellite and about 10 that have been sited by aircraft. Bo items are as yet recovered, however. The weather is terrible and closing in, making spotting from ships difficult, let alone recovery.

9 aircraft now involved in the search including those amazing P-8 Poseidon aircraft from the US. The chinese have also provided a number of IL-76 aircraft which are producing some pretty good results.

Time is starting to run out. 11 days before the black box runs out of battery. towed array sonar and echo location and listening gear is being fitted to a ship today and will move to the area in the next few days. They need to pinpoint the location most likley where the a/c crashed and that is not yet achieved.

its a bad business, and odds are long

 

[gumbyk]

Who is going to make this mandatory?

Can you imagine the outcry if someone tried to tell the US Government what to do?

At this level, everything is political, unfortunately.

 

[davparlr]

Who is going to make this mandatory?

Can you imagine the outcry if someone tried to tell the US Government what to do?

At this level, everything is political, unfortunately.

Actually, this is one area where there is a lot of international agreement. Already GATM has been approved. An added emergency beacon could also be relatively easy to approve. Once approved by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), countries could disagree but then they wouldn't be allowed to fly on commercial routes.

 

[gumbyk]

A lot of 406 MHz ELT's come with GPS location information broadcasting already.

The 406 MHz signal is picked up by satellites, and Search and Rescue action is initiated. ELT's have an independent power supply, and cannot be switched off.

You'd think that something as simple as this would be mandatory? In many countries (including the USA) its not. Hence my scepticism about this. I definitely think its a good idea, but one that will have to fight its way through the politics of it all.

 

[parsifal]

A Thai source today published photos showing an additional 100 or so pieces of debris about 200 Km west of where the French satellite found debris. The debris appears to be different, as much of it is a different colour and shape to those shown from the french source. The Thai satellite images are the clearest so far published.

Aircraft were recalled and grounded for about 9 hours last night aas the weather closed in and got really bad. Searches re-commenced from first light this morning. Main efforts are now being directed to trying to gather data for the estimated position of the black box, though the ships are still working on recovery of debris. The sonar equipped ship will be ready in a day or so.

Im beginning to have doubts that the flight recorder will be located. Time is short and the search area enormous. We may never know what caused this.....

 

[GrauGeist]

I know the familes are in anguish over thier missing loved ones, but I don't think they understand nor appreciate what the search parties are going through, to find the downed aircraft.

Just watched a video taken aboard an Australian ship that's searching an area of the Indian Ocean. Perhaps if some of the angry relatives were to be aboard, they would have a little better understanding of why it's been so difficult...



View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrq0zWacnyY

 

[parsifal]

Thats very rough, and seeing debris in those conditions would be just about impossible

 

[GrauGeist]

Thats very rough, and seeing debris in those conditions would be just about impossible

So would keeping your lunch down!

 

[parsifal]

ive been in those sorts of conditions more than once or five times. You get used to it. Biggest issue is making sure everything is tied down and secure. Getting hit in the head with a piece of flying sextant or telescope can be very painful

 

[Torch]

Yeesh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Alex .]

BBC News just reported this;

The search for ‪#‎MH370‬ has concluded for the day.
Authorities say that a Chinese and an Australian ship "reported they have retrieved a number of objects from the ocean but so far no objects confirmed to be related to MH370 have been recovered".

 

[The Basket]

I wonder if the aircraft will ever be found.

 

[parsifal]

Its looking increasingly unlikley though the RAAF reported tagging and marking yet more debris. Conditions have eased, so recovery of some debris should be able to start soon.

The towed array still has not left port and will need 3 to days sailing time to get into position. Its needle in a hay stack stuff, becqause the ship needs a more precise position than is currently available. There is no signs yet that such pin pointing of the point of impact has been found, or might be found anytime soon.

Water depth of the best guess position is at least 4km. Thats a lot of water depth.

It may well take years to find the black box, if ever. It took 70 years to find the Sydney, in half that water depth

 

[Shinpachi]

What I am much impressed above all this time is the great contribution of Australia with cool analysis and indomitable efforts for search.

 

[gumbyk]

Actually, this is one area where there is a lot of international agreement. Already GATM has been approved. An added emergency beacon could also be relatively easy to approve. Once approved by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), countries could disagree but then they wouldn't be allowed to fly on commercial routes.

Even the EU, with its supposed regional cohesiveness, is struggling with a regional Air Traffic Management System.
Air traffic management and geology - Learmount

Agreement on the principle, and agreement on the practical are very different things.

 

[Marcel]

Any thoughts on the signals being picked up by the Australian vessel? Seemingly the signal was heared for 2.5 hours and later another 13 minutes, when it appeared to be 2 signals, which would be consistent with the 2 boxes on board. Would be a miracle if they have realy found it I think.

 

[Gnomey]

It would indeed but it is certainly being given some credence. British ship joining the Australian one in the next few days to follow it up.

 

[parsifal]

Its a promising development, but as Angus Houston has repeatedly stated, it aint over till the fat lady sings. The location of the Chinese and Australian ping signals is nearly 600km, and disturbingly, there still is no sign of any wreckage recovered. Houston is openly concerned about that.

We are not there yet, but if there is to be an early breakthrough in this search, we will know within the next 7-10 days.

 

[Marcel]

They found the signal again for some time. They must be close, is it not? The range of such a device is not that big. If this really is MH370, the Australians have pulled off a miracle. Let's keep the fingers crossed.

 

[parsifal]

yep, HMA Ocean Shield located signals consistent with flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder within two kilometres of each other yesterday. Depth was approximately 4.2 Km according to one source that i have contact with. Looks like the chinese report was bogus, but still too early to say for sure. Houston obviously thinks so, because he has decided to throw everything we have at the two Aussie Ping locations.

I hope hes made the right call. Hes a brilliant officer and one of the most decent human beings i know. His impending retirement would be really soured if he makes the wrong choices.