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o/t but serious query, re finding missing planes / transponders



desprateseagull

New member
Jul 20, 2003
10,171
brighton, actually
Saddened that the flight MH370 has still not been found. Several false hopes quickly


Why would anyone have a need (or be able to) turn off the transponder in a plane once it's airborne- or AT ALL - as some reports suggest..

With all the technology that's available, surely something better than radar nowadays, to track positions of planes- in the air, or water?
 

beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,237
its a good the question, i've wondered the same. i'd have thought they'd set it so anyone on the plane would be unable to switch it off to avoid exactly this sort of thing, only case i can think of where it needs be off is once landed. note its a radio transmission from the aircraft, it is a technology in addtion to radar.
 

happypig

Staring at the rude boys
May 23, 2009
7,928
Eastbourne
Given the cost of a 777 (or any commercial aircraft), it cannot be a big add-on to fit a gps receiver and iridium satellite connection to constantly (or periodically) send flight data back to "base".
 


Cian

Well-known member
Jul 16, 2003
14,262
Dublin, Ireland
Given the cost of a 777 (or any commercial aircraft), it cannot be a big add-on to fit a gps receiver and iridium satellite connection to constantly (or periodically) send flight data back to "base".

They have GPS receivers. They have constant transmitters. All that stuff has been there for YEARS.

The issue is that they're disable-able.
 

spongy

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2011
2,758
Burgess Hill
They have GPS receivers. They have constant transmitters. All that stuff has been there for YEARS.

The issue is that they're disable-able.

Is it really that hard to dis-disable them? Given the costs both humanitarian and financially, why hasn't this ever been done before? If the technology is available on cars at not too extortionate cost and considering there millions more cars than planes it surprises me no one has ever made it compulsory.
 


Cian

Well-known member
Jul 16, 2003
14,262
Dublin, Ireland
Is it really that hard to dis-disable them? Given the costs both humanitarian and financially, why hasn't this ever been done before? If the technology is available on cars at not too extortionate cost and considering there millions more cars than planes it surprises me no one has ever made it compulsory.

Anything which has a risk of causing an electrical fire realistically needs to have breakers that can be pulled.
 

Mowgli37

Enigmatic Asthmatic
Jan 13, 2013
6,371
Sheffield
There is talk also of having black boxes which transmit live, minute-by-minute data, rather than ending up buried with the wreckage

As soon as this becomes available it should be implemented in all planes, will be incredibly useful.
 

kevo

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2008
9,083
Saddened that the flight MH370 has still not been found. Several false hopes quickly


Why would anyone have a need (or be able to) turn off the transponder in a plane once it's airborne- or AT ALL - as some reports suggest..

Was thinking exactly the same thing - why would they make it possible to switch off any communications system or anything that could track the plane. Why is there an 'off' switch?
 


cloud

Well-known member
Jun 12, 2011
3,027
Here, there and everywhere
Was thinking exactly the same thing - why would they make it possible to switch off any communications system or anything that could track the plane. Why is there an 'off' switch?

I believe it's in case there is an electrical short circuit of some description where it would be useful to bypass it
 

robinsonsgrin

Well-known member
Mar 16, 2009
1,443
LA...wishing it was devon..
why haven't they picked up mobile signals...don't tell me that the majority of passengers didn't have one.. if foul play was happening surely some brave soul would've tried to communicate out.. or is more that where they were... no chance of mobile connectivity?
 

cloud

Well-known member
Jun 12, 2011
3,027
Here, there and everywhere
First thing any hijacker would do is take all the mobile phones.

In any case, no hijacker would be providing meals and sanitation for 239 people when there are easier options.
 


Theatre of Trees

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
7,716
TQ2905
why haven't they picked up mobile signals...don't tell me that the majority of passengers didn't have one.. if foul play was happening surely some brave soul would've tried to communicate out.. or is more that where they were... no chance of mobile connectivity?

If they were alive. You only need to decompress the cabin and you've got rid of all your passengers in one go.
 

dangull

Well-known member
Feb 24, 2013
5,100
why haven't they picked up mobile signals...don't tell me that the majority of passengers didn't have one.. if foul play was happening surely some brave soul would've tried to communicate out.. or is more that where they were... no chance of mobile connectivity?
Maybe the passengers were unawhere there was a problem until close to the end.
 

beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,237
why haven't they picked up mobile signals...

because they are out of range. mobile range is very short, maybe 10-15miles over sea (no obstacles). i know there were early reports about phones being live but they dont really add up as they'd have to be relayed through the plane/satellite which one would assume some turning off a transponder would know about. im pretty sure ive "rung" phones of people on the tube or otherwise out of range, so treating those report with a pinch of salt unless a engineer* from Vodafone or similar explicit states its not possible unless they are on and in range.
*i read somewhere a professor pontificating on the "possibility" but engineers know what actually happen in real world installations
 

severnside gull

Well-known member
May 16, 2007
24,540
By the seaside in West Somerset
I think deliberate rapid decompression of the cabin will have ensured that no passengers were able to use mobile phones.
 


dangull

Well-known member
Feb 24, 2013
5,100
Latest news, the plane could have landed intact. If that was the case surely someone from the plane would have contacted the outside world by now, if anyone is still alive.
 

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