Possible bad news for a B777 [Malaysian MH370]

[Bwian]

Or maybe it's a double bluff, they want us to think that they really can't monitor us all the time.

eees comlicated.

 

[Triggaaar]

It also makes all of the Big Brother is watching you ramblings look pretty silly.

That's always looked incredibly silly.

 

[kevo]

This is by far the best explanation I've read. I initially thought the depressurisation of the cabin theory sounded right, but a fire makes even more sense. Explains why the plane changed course, heading for the nearest safe airport, why the transponders were off, and why there is now no trace of the plane - it carried flying on autopilot, undetected by radar, until it eventually ran out of fuel and ditched somewhere in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2014/03/mh370-electrical-fire/

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

This is by far the best explanation I've read. I initially thought the depressurisation of the cabin theory sounded right, but a fire makes even more sense. Explains why the plane changed course, heading for the nearest safe airport, why the transponders were off, and why there is now no trace of the plane - it carried flying on autopilot, undetected by radar, until it eventually ran out of fuel and ditched somewhere in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2014/03/mh370-electrical-fire/

I just find it hard to believe that no mayday call or distress signal was communicated

 

[Fungus]

I just find it hard to believe that no mayday call or distress signal was communicated

I'm puzzled about all the mobile phones (apologies if this has already been covered). Sure, the passengers probably wouldn't have been near enough to a phone mast to make a call (it's difficult enough in the middle of some English cities), but anyone that realised something was up could have typed a text message - wouldn't the mobile keep trying to send it until it was in range of a mast? (Or disabled by salt water?)

 

[Napper]

I'm puzzled about all the mobile phones (apologies if this has already been covered). Sure, the passengers probably wouldn't have been near enough to a phone mast to make a call (it's difficult enough in the middle of some English cities), but anyone that realised something was up could have typed a text message - wouldn't the mobile keep trying to send it until it was in range of a mast? (Or disabled by salt water?)

Flew to 45k and killed passengers

 

[kevo]

I just find it hard to believe that no mayday call or distress signal was communicated

Pilots are taught to deal with the problem and navigate first, before communicating. They could simply have been overcome by smoke/lack of oxygen after setting the plane on autopilot but before they could send the distress signal. In a panicky situation they are probably doing all they can to control the plane or extinguish the fire. Communicating with air traffic control isn't really going to help anyway when you think about it, at least not until they've got the plane under control and are attempting an emergency landing.

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

I'm puzzled about all the mobile phones (apologies if this has already been covered). Sure, the passengers probably wouldn't have been near enough to a phone mast to make a call (it's difficult enough in the middle of some English cities), but anyone that realised something was up could have typed a text message - wouldn't the mobile keep trying to send it until it was in range of a mast? (Or disabled by salt water?)

I've always thought that the passengers would most likely have been completely oblivious to what was happening, it was a night flight, and it would not have been until a 4-5 hours later that they would have become aware of what was actually happening.

 

[Fungus]

Flew to 45k and killed passengers

Yeah, I get that. But would that have been too quick for anyone to type a quick text message? There would have been at least a few minutes of panic, between realising something was wrong, and everyone being dead, surely?

 

[Dorset Seagull]

Yeah, I get that. But would that have been too quick for anyone to type a quick text message? There would have been at least a few minutes of panic, between realising something was wrong, and everyone being dead, surely?

I'm not sure your first thought is to send a text when you are potentially looking at death in the face. Blind panic would probably be most people's reaction to a serious incident occurring during a flight

 

[Fungus]

I'm not sure your first thought is to send a text when you are potentially looking at death in the face. Blind panic would probably be most people's reaction to a serious incident occurring during a flight

Yes, I'd probably panic! But amongst 239 people, did NONE of them think "I need to tell my family I love them"?

 

[Theatre of Trees]

Yeah, I get that. But would that have been too quick for anyone to type a quick text message? There would have been at least a few minutes of panic, between realising something was wrong, and everyone being dead, surely?

Bear in mind that a rapid ascent would probably cause death within 30 seconds and the answer is no. In addition in the time leading up to death the brain becomes confused and disorientated.

 

[cloud]

I'm not sure your first thought is to send a text when you are potentially looking at death in the face. Blind panic would probably be most people's reaction to a serious incident occurring during a flight

Exactly. I was on a flight a month or so back where the plane filled with smoke. I was literally petrified with fear, preparing myself for the end, and certainly in no fit state to send anyone a text

 

[HantsSeagull]

Yes, I'd probably panic! But amongst 239 people, did NONE of them think "I need to tell my family I love them"?

have you ever managed to get a phone signal on a plane? am i missing something?

 

[Driver8]

have you ever managed to get a phone signal on a plane? am i missing something?

You can use your phone on Virgin Atlantic once seatbelt signs have gone off.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

have you ever managed to get a phone signal on a plane? am i missing something?

People on the planes on 9/11 phoned home and left messages.

 

[HantsSeagull]

People on the planes on 9/11 phoned home and left messages.

with phones that are in built on the plane. do we know this plane had such phones? you can't get a mobile signal (unless i am very much mistaken?!)

 

[dazzer6666]

You can use your phone on Virgin Atlantic once seatbelt signs have gone off.

Planes are being steadily equipped with the facility to use mobiles (oddly enough I was on a BA flight on the day of the playoff second leg last year grrr bloody work etc and was getting updates by txt over the Atlantic), but I doubt this one was. If there was smoke or loss of oxygen at even normal height no messages would send, and if the plane then ended up over the ocean before ditching, quite possible it never got within a mobile signal range. I still find it odd that no wreckage has been spotted though, and also thought the black box continued to transmit signals (like the French one off Brazil)

 

[Guinness Boy]

Bear in mind that a rapid ascent would probably cause death within 30 seconds.

How did the pilots survive?

 

[Theatre of Trees]

How did the pilots survive?

Their oxygen provisions are usually better than passengers, e.g hoods instead of masks and a longer supply of oxygen.