MH 777 missing - MH370 media statement

[robd]

Turns out its a Global Express and not a Gulfstream:

VH-TGG

So it's a private plane?

 

[markis10]

Being a non-IT person and a simple aviation enthusiast, perhaps somebody could explain what this Swift software package - I presume QF and other majors have it:

Missing Malaysia Airlines plane lacked $US10 upgrade that could have provided crucial satellite data for search

Its a bit more than a software package, additional hardware is needed that allows data to be sent back realtime from the aircrafts sensors and systems. The $10 cost is the ongoing data cost per flight on average.

 

[browski]

The copyright symbol on the released images were a bit of a giveaway....

View attachment 26430

There is no way any sane person would undertake such a search based upon the provided images. To be frank they are complete rubbish. So can we assume that they are not insane and that there are higher resolution and additional "better" images that have not been made public. Surely this cannot be the extent of the info? Anyone in the know?

 

[markis10]

So it's a private plane?

Yes, its charted out I believe, owner

GANDEL INVESTMENTS PTY. LTD.

 

[QF WP]

A little more information about the first vessel in the search area, courtesy of FT poster Zeira:

The Telegraph reported that the Norwegian ship had been told about the possible wreckage discovered in the satellite photos on Sunday.

Link (post from 16.23): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...H370-live.html

"This from our Chief Foreign Correspondent Colin Freeman who says that the Hoegh St. Petersburg was told about the wreckage on Sunday. The Norwegian ship involved in the hunt for flight MH370 was first notified about the missing wreckage four days ago, its captain has said. Speaking to this newspaper by satellite telephone, the captain of the Hoegh St. Petersburg said that he had first received the request from the Australian authorities to search for possible wreckage in the Southern Indian Ocean at 8.50pm GMT on Sunday. His disclosure raises questions about why the Malaysian authorities chose for several days not to inform the families about what appears to have been a potentially promising lead in the search."

 

[QF WP]

Yes, its charted out I believe, owner

GANDEL INVESTMENTS PTY. LTD.

Correct, owner is Aaron Gandel, the surname is synonymous with the wealthy Gandel family in Melbourne.

 

[markis10]

A little more information about the first vessel in the search area, courtesy of FT poster Zeira:

Bit of confusion there, there has been a marine alert in that area since AMSA took up the reigns to look for possible debris, I doubt it was as specific as the info received yesterday.

 

[QF WP]

A really good summary and discussion of the possible options here: The Aviationist » All you need to know about MH370: facts, timelines, systems, findings, theories

Just which one is going to be correct??...

 

[DrA]

There is no way any sane person would undertake such a search based upon the provided images. To be frank they are complete rubbish. So can we assume that they are not insane and that there are higher resolution and additional "better" images that have not been made public. Surely this cannot be the extent of the info? Anyone in the know?

The highest resolution satellite imagery available has approximately half meter resolution. Quickbird is ~0.6 meters, Worldview is ~0.46 meters, and GeoEye is ~0.41 meters. The thing is, to gain that resolution, the area it captures is smaller. If there is higher resolution military satellite imagery available, any information regarding its capability is not in the public domain.

That image looks like a Worldview image, so that's pretty much the highest resolution you'll find. Bearing in mind that they've probably had to a huge amount of processing to even get it to that level of quality (orthorectification, dark pixel correction, atmospheric correction, cloud masking, etc.), I'd say it's actually pretty good. Obviously in general, you want to capture satellite images when the weather conditions are ideal, but that's not practical in this case.

 

[QF WP]

Letitride3c on FT giving details about the Chinese involvement in the southern corridor search:

China's official news agency - Xinhua - reporting that navy (maritime patrol & coast guard/rescue) vessels are heading south toward Aussie after getting reports of the 2 leads but it will take at least 2 or 3 days, previously taking on re-supplies at Singapore< Link >

China's Snow Dragon or Xuelong Icebreaker ship that made headlines down in Antarctia is fully prepared to join forces in about 4 days, docked at Perth now waiting for orders to go. It has its own heavy-duty helicopter onboard for SAR < Link >.

Xinhua news also reported that additional aircraft are being considered by the military to assist in the search and the navy/aerial resources already on station are divided into two groups, one in the north & one heading south.

 

[browski]

The highest resolution satellite imagery available has approximately half meter resolution. Quickbird is ~0.6 meters, Worldview is ~0.46 meters, and GeoEye is ~0.41 meters. The thing is, to gain that resolution, the area it captures is smaller. If there is higher resolution military satellite imagery available, any information regarding its capability is not in the public domain.

That image looks like a Worldview image, so that's pretty much the highest resolution you'll find. Bearing in mind that they've probably had to a huge amount of processing to even get it to that level of quality (orthorectification, dark pixel correction, atmospheric correction, cloud masking, etc.), I'd say it's actually pretty good. Obviously in general, you want to capture satellite images when the weather conditions are ideal, but that's not practical in this case.

I think it is now very clear why the images of the moon landing had to be manufactured.

 

[markis10]

A really good summary and discussion of the possible options here: The Aviationist » All you need to know about MH370: facts, timelines, systems, findings, theories

Just which one is going to be correct??...

I dont think any are 100% correct, and the facts point 6 is wrong in my book, the handoff was not standard and requires readback of parts. If no readback occurred and all you had was the transmission as reported, then to me that is a sign of duress.

 

[amaroo]

Surely this cannot be the extent of the info? Anyone in the know?

The Americans have been confident this is where the plane ended up so.......joining the dots - I reckon they know what they're doing.

 

[drron]

Yes, its charted out I believe, owner

GANDEL INVESTMENTS PTY. LTD.

I guess then the Gandel group.owners of chadstone mall.Father number 8 on BRWs aussie list and 446 in the Forbes 500.

 

[amaroo]

I wonder if the report Mal was referring to was this Fairfax 'exclusive' Missing Malaysia Airlines plane: US satellite the unspoken source that sparked search for MH370.

LOL looks like Peter Hartcher has been shown up by a Gen Y from the tech desk The satellite that may have found missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370

 

[Rebekkap]

I think it is now very clear why the images of the moon landing had to be manufactured.

I can't believe I'm even typing this, but you do realise the images of moon landings have not been taken by satellites? Sending images BY satellite doesn't have the same restrictions on resolution (as anyone who's ever watched satellite TV or used satellite internet will realise). The Mars Rover is currently sending 3D images back to earth, via satellite, taken by a stereo camera. Those aren't faked either.

 

[NM]

given what is known of the flight path taken by MH370 (from the point it turned left after transponder was disabled), and what is assumed based on the possible Southern Ocean search area, how much of that path could have been programmed into the flight computers and flown automatically without further pilot inputs? Could someone have programmed the flight computers with all the waypoints/coordinates etc for it to fly the assumed routing back over Malaysia, then turn right up through the Malacca Straights following the waypoints identified on many of the maps/images already posted, and then turned due south and flown until fuel was exhausted - all without further pilot inputs? Or would should routing have needed continued inputs from someone in control of the aircraft?

I know its a really long bow to draw, but there are plenty of other crazy options being considered out there!! What if (there we go again!) someone assumed control of the aircraft (one of the pilots or another person with sufficient experience/knowledge), turned off the external communications, transponder etc, programmed the route into the flight computers, depressurised the cabin (eliminate any resistance from passengers), then as the aircraft flew around 23,000 feet over Malaysia, opened a door and exited with a parachute allowing the aircraft to climb again and follow the routing initially north west avoiding radar coverage and then turning south over the Indian/Southern Ocean? Would be a very well planned way of trying to throw everyone off the trail and expect finding the wreckage to e very unlikely. Did any of the known people on-board have jump experience (night time, high altitude)?

Then again, maybe that is just as absurd as the alien theory?

 

[Warks]

given what is known of the flight path taken by MH370 (from the point it turned left after transponder was disabled), and what is assumed based on the possible Southern Ocean search area, how much of that path could have been programmed into the flight computers and flown automatically without further pilot inputs? Could someone have programmed the flight computers with all the waypoints/coordinates etc for it to fly the assumed routing back over Malaysia, then turn right up through the Malacca Straights following the waypoints identified on many of the maps/images already posted, and then turned due south and flown until fuel was exhausted - all without further pilot inputs? Or would should routing have needed continued inputs from someone in control of the aircraft?

I know its a really long bow to draw, but there are plenty of other crazy options being considered out there!! What if (there we go again!) someone assumed control of the aircraft (one of the pilots or another person with sufficient experience/knowledge), turned off the external communications, transponder etc, programmed the route into the flight computers, depressurised the cabin (eliminate any resistance from passengers), then as the aircraft flew around 23,000 feet over Malaysia, opened a door and exited with a parachute allowing the aircraft to climb again and follow the routing initially north west avoiding radar coverage and then turning south over the Indian/Southern Ocean? Would be a very well planned way of trying to throw everyone off the trail and expect finding the wreckage to e very unlikely. Did any of the known people on-board have jump experience (night time, high altitude)?

Then again, maybe that is just as absurd as the alien theory?

DB Cooper is back?

 

[markis10]

Looks like one of the AMSA SAR planes is doing coast scans south of Perth - VH_PPF

 

[prozac]

given what is known of the flight path taken by MH370 (from the point it turned left after transponder was disabled), and what is assumed based on the possible Southern Ocean search area, how much of that path could have been programmed into the flight computers and flown automatically without further pilot inputs? Could someone have programmed the flight computers with all the waypoints/coordinates etc for it to fly the assumed routing back over Malaysia, then turn right up through the Malacca Straights following the waypoints identified on many of the maps/images already posted, and then turned due south and flown until fuel was exhausted - all without further pilot inputs? Or would should routing have needed continued inputs from someone in control of the aircraft?

I know its a really long bow to draw, but there are plenty of other crazy options being considered out there!! What if (there we go again!) someone assumed control of the aircraft (one of the pilots or another person with sufficient experience/knowledge), turned off the external communications, transponder etc, programmed the route into the flight computers, depressurised the cabin (eliminate any resistance from passengers), then as the aircraft flew around 23,000 feet over Malaysia, opened a door and exited with a parachute allowing the aircraft to climb again and follow the routing initially north west avoiding radar coverage and then turning south over the Indian/Southern Ocean? Would be a very well planned way of trying to throw everyone off the trail and expect finding the wreckage to e very unlikely. Did any of the known people on-board have jump experience (night time, high altitude)?

Then again, maybe that is just as absurd as the alien theory?

All done for the sake of a ransom which was refused?