March 19, 2014

Five Runways In the Indian Ocean Found on Flight 370 Captain's Flight Simulator
— Ace

This doesn't seem to lead to a definite answer.


Why isn't it as compelling as it seems? Because most of these landing strips seem to be unlikely endpoints.

The Berita Harian Malay language paper quoted unnamed sources close to the investigation as saying that the airport runways were Male International Airport in the Maldives, Diego Garcia and three runways in India and Sri Lanka.

I assume terrorists would not land at an international airport. Nor at Diego Garcia, where quite a few American servicemen might offer them a welcome warm as gunfire. There are of course terrorist groups operating in India but the country is held by an anti-terrorist government and, if I were trying to not be detected, I'd stay away from India altogether.

There are terrorist groups in Sri Lanka, of course, but I don't know anything else about Sri Lanka.

This is more interesting:

The unconfirmed report then goes on to say that all runways programmed into the simulator are 1000 meters long.

Why is that interesting?

Because a Boeing 777-300 has a listed minimum runway length of somewhere between 1,300 and 1,750 meters, depending on other conditions (such as landing weight, elevation of the airport, whether the runway is wet or dry). You'll want 1,500 meters at a minimum for wet runways, and you always have to consider the possibility of rain. (See correction below.)

So he's practicing emergency-style landings on a runway below the minimum runway length for the 777-300 located around the Indian Ocean. (See correction.)

Maybe this was prudence; maybe it was planning.

Note that other sources on the internet claim the minimum runway for a 777-300 is even longer than what that document says; some recommend 8,000 feet of runway. (See correction.)

Via Hot Air, Malaysian investigators are trying to recover recently-deleted files on the pilot's home flight simulator. (Note that it's possible the chronology here is muddled and the headline information -- about the five Indian Ocean runways -- is the result of these efforts.)

There's also a very simple explanation offered to explain all of this: There was a fire on the plane, the fire was electrical in nature, and the fire knocked out the transponder and ACARS. The pilots therefore turned west, towards the nearest possible runway for an emergency landing.

At some point, per this theory, they lost control of the plane and crashed.

If NBC's reporting that the new westerly waypoint was entered before the "All right, good night" signoff, that would seem to disprove this theory, as the pilots wouldn't divert for an emergency landing and then just say a polite goodnight as if nothing at all was wrong.

Of course, NBC's reporting could be wrong. There has been so many false reports, we don't know anything.

Correction: Andy says:

- The plane's a 777-200, not a 777-300

- Wikipedia says the runway at Diego Garcia is 3,659 meters long, which makes sense because we used to (and maybe still do) base B-52s there and those bad boys need a hell of a lot more than 1,000 meters.

I screwed up badly on the plane's type. A 777-200 does not require as long a runway for a landing -- but still over 1000 meters under best conditions (lowest weight, sea level airport, dry runway). It looks like you'd need a runway from around 1,150 meters to 1,700 meters, depending on conditions.

As for the runway at Diego Garcia: I'm asking Andy right now if Diego Garcia has only one runway. He confirms: It's just the one. So the news report I linked is flat-out wrong in at least one respect.

Sigh. Everything reported in this story is always wrong. Apologies for adding to the wrong reporting.

[Update - Andy:] The plane's a 777-200ER, to be precise. And there's one 3,659m runway at Diego Garcia.

Posted by: Ace at 06:50 AM | Comments (496)
Post contains 686 words, total size 5 kb.

1 I am curious if the pilot was over Macho Grande at any point.

Posted by: cu'chulainn at March 19, 2014 06:53 AM (Vk2CC)

2 I saw elsewhere that the 1000 meter lengths were incorrect, but we can't let that get in the way of wild, uninformed speculation, can we?

Posted by: Idaho Spudboy at March 19, 2014 06:53 AM (wTPGq)

3

And one of the runways was Male, Maldives, where the locals saw a big white plane with red stripes flying low at 6:17 AM that Sunday morning.

 

Back in a minute with a link.

Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at March 19, 2014 06:54 AM (JtwS4)

4 My guess is that these were short runways he could load into the simulator for practice, but not the actual site(s) he planned on landing at.  If they fabbed their own runway on some remote island, that likely wouldn't be available in the flight sim.

Posted by: dm at March 19, 2014 06:54 AM (eV1I0)

5 Oops.  Maldives now said to be discredited.  Of course, it's Maylasian officials saying that, sooo....

Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at March 19, 2014 06:56 AM (JtwS4)

6 Michael Moore style connecting the dots.

Posted by: Mr. Moo Moo at March 19, 2014 06:56 AM (0LHZx)

7 Has Hannity referred to the pilot as a "Great American" yet?

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at March 19, 2014 06:57 AM (SG5Lw)

8 I expect all runways in a region get loaded as a package.

Posted by: db at March 19, 2014 06:58 AM (+m7Zm)

9 The Berita Harian Malay language paper quoted unnamed sources close to the investigation as saying that the airport runways were   Male International Airport    in the Maldives



#WARONWOMEN!!!

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Bossy Assault Hobbit [/u][/i][/s][/b] at March 19, 2014 06:58 AM (4df7R)

10 We'd just like to repeat our previous announcement that we have no idea what we are doing. At all. None. Not a clue. Seriously confused about everything.

Posted by: Malaysian Military and Govt at March 19, 2014 06:59 AM (ZPrif)

11 Investigators apparently found several deleted files on the hard drive.  Whatever that means.  Seems every day, perhaps several times a day, spokescritters and anonymous tipsters hit the reset button like piano-playing chickens.

Posted by: mrp at March 19, 2014 07:00 AM (JBggj)

12 Ace, Gotta call you out for once, but it seems odd to note this, but not note that investigators say they found nothing on the pilots computer that would point to planning.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at March 19, 2014 07:00 AM (HDwDg)

13 Someone who has been there chime in, but B-52's fly out of Diego Garcia. They need more than 1,000 meters.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at March 19, 2014 07:00 AM (sAXJ5)

14 I expect all runways in a region get loaded as a package.

Yeah, the reporting on this is frustratingly dim-witted.

Posted by: Waterhouse at March 19, 2014 07:00 AM (FrfNj)

15

So he's practicing emergency-style landings on a runway below the minimum runway length for the 777-300 located around the Indian Ocean.

Maybe this was prudence; maybe it was planning.



He may have been paying attention to those recent   news stories about   big planes landing in   small airports by accident   and decided,  "Hmm, maybe I should practice what to do in that situation."     Though why he'd choose   airports in the Indian Ocean is anyone's guess.



I have no idea what to think about this    mystery.    No idea.

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Bossy Assault Hobbit [/u][/i][/s][/b] at March 19, 2014 07:01 AM (4df7R)

16 Sri Lanka used to have a terrorist group, the Tamil Tigers, but the government finally went into the north of the country and utterly wiped them off the face of the earth.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at March 19, 2014 07:02 AM (oFCZn)

17 Investigators apparently found several deleted files on the hard drive. Whatever that means. Seems every day, perhaps several times a day, spokescritters and anonymous tipsters hit the reset button like piano-playing chickens.

Posted by: mrp at March 19, 2014 11:00 AM (JBggj)



I heard that on the radio this morning,   but    the news also said that the files had been deleted over a month ago.   That sounds  like he was just clearing out disk space, not covering his tracks.

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Bossy Assault Hobbit [/u][/i][/s][/b] at March 19, 2014 07:02 AM (4df7R)

18 I can put this baby down in a Wal-Mart parking lot without hitting a fat person on a scooter.

Posted by: Ted Stryker at March 19, 2014 07:02 AM (SG5Lw)

19

We'd just like to repeat our previous announcement that we have no idea what we are doing. At all. None. Not a clue. Seriously confused about everything.

 

But keep your prying eyes out of our business and stuff your offers of "help".

Posted by: Addendum to Maylasian Military and Govt at March 19, 2014 07:02 AM (JtwS4)

20 Would they have to trim a lot of bush to make a landing strip on a Pacific island?

Posted by: typical moron at March 19, 2014 07:03 AM (hn5v5)

21 I have no idea what to think about this mystery. No idea. Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Bossy Assault Hobbit at March 19, 2014 11:01 AM (4df7R) Well if his normal flight path is to or from kuala lumpur choosing the Indian Ocean would make perfect sense.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at March 19, 2014 07:03 AM (HDwDg)

22 This intense coverage reminds me of the msm and Benghazi. /s Fascinating story, no doubt, but the specualtion and hysteria is approaching Nancy Grace levels.

Posted by: Texas t at March 19, 2014 07:03 AM (C10qJ)

23 As to runway length, there is always the possibility the idiot news-varmints bungled a feet to metric conversion.

Posted by: Idaho Spudboy at March 19, 2014 07:04 AM (JyNPg)

24 I remember in one of Arthur C. Clark's later video blogs he was mentioning the chaotic violence and unrest going on in his adopted home of Sri Lanka. Then he started prattling on about some climate change bullshit. Still love ya, tho, AC!

Posted by: Mike in the Hinterlands at March 19, 2014 07:04 AM (DNpio)

25

big white plane with red stripes

 

Hooray beer!

Posted by: Insomniac at March 19, 2014 07:05 AM (DrWcr)

26 >9 The Berita Harian Malay language paper quoted unnamed sources close to
the investigation as saying that the airport runways were Male
International Airport in the Maldives



#WARONWOMEN!!!

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Bossy Assault Hobbit at March 19, 2014 10:58 AM (4df7R)<



OK.  That made me laugh.  Carry on.

Posted by: Muad'dib at March 19, 2014 07:05 AM (sjdRT)

27 Could anyone on board the plane speak jive?

Posted by: Jinx the Cat at March 19, 2014 07:06 AM (l3vZN)

28 Why was the Kidd ordered to stand down?

Posted by: creeper at March 19, 2014 07:06 AM (WDGsE)

29 Back when I used a MS Flight Simulator program that allowed you to create your own airports and scenery I placed airports, nav aids, and towns all the way across the US.  The fact that he had 5 on his means nothing.

Posted by: Virgil Earp at March 19, 2014 07:06 AM (T2V/1)

30 i wish they'd report what they know as opposed to all the speculation.....it's sucking the interest right out of it for me

Posted by: phoenixgirl @phxazgrl at March 19, 2014 07:06 AM (u8GsB)

31 We're still looking into all major possible causes -- such as electrical fire, sudden depressurization, hijacking, pilot suicide, Jewish sorcery, or lesbians. There are reports of possible menstruation among the passengers and, rest assured, we are looking into that.

Posted by: Malaysian Military and Govt at March 19, 2014 07:06 AM (ZPrif)

32 If my intricate knowledge of The Sims will help viewers understand this mystery, I'm available to share my expertise.

Posted by: Lester Holt at March 19, 2014 07:06 AM (SG5Lw)

33 ♫ Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!
Cluck! Cluck! Cluck! ♬
✈ ☪ ✈ ☪ ✈ ☪ ✈ ☪ ✈ ☢ ☢

Posted by: piano-playing chickens at March 19, 2014 07:07 AM (hn5v5)

34 Why was the Kidd ordered to stand down?
Posted by: creeper at March 19, 2014 11:06 AM
===
Taiwan's check just cleared?

Posted by: mrp at March 19, 2014 07:07 AM (JBggj)

35 It is strange but the longer the speculation and weird conflicting bits of information goes on the more I am inclined to believe that it was a simple plane crash due to mechanical problems and not a terrorist act. Of course perhaps that is what they want to lead us to believe with all this contradictory reporting. (hey got to keep my paranoid name polished)

Posted by: ParanoidGirlinSeattle at March 19, 2014 07:07 AM (RZ8pf)

36

"big white plane with red stripes" 

 

It looks like a big Tylenol... 

Posted by: Johnny at March 19, 2014 07:07 AM (DErq5)

37 This Daily Caller piece was intriguing too. Retired Air Force general stands by theory Malaysian Airlines flight could have landed in Pakistan He's pretty adamant. http://tinyurl.com/nt3zzmb

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 19, 2014 07:07 AM (IXrOn)

38 Did someone say beer?

Posted by: HR at March 19, 2014 07:08 AM (ZKzrr)

39 Yet! Today the ministry of truth is stating they are searching scrubbed files and trying to retrieve (Chloe from 24? That girl on NCIS-LA?) files to see if any pattern fits and/or if runways would be appropriate. Or if normal to scrub files. Or if normal to find porn on simulator (made up that part to see if anyone is reading).

"Files containing records of simulations carried out on the program were deleted Feb. 3, Malaysian police chief Khalid Abu said.

It was not immediately clear whether investigators thought that deleting the files was unusual. They will want to check those files for any signs of unusual flight paths that could help explain where the missing plane went."

Link is on Drudge. Apparently NOTHING is immediately clear to these people. I am surprised they even know what a simulator is at this point.

So, more of up,down, east, west, changing story twice a day. Five hours of fuel. Seven hours of fuel. But! Maylasian govt has never said how much fuel (sort of like Obamacare, where they pretend to not know how many actual applicants in their shopping basket have paid. Right). Plane did not fly over India, yet! India does not really have a lot of stellar radar for planes. Chinese ambassador clears his 150 plus passengers of being bad. All clean. Two Iranians on false passports? What about them? Oh! They are "good" mooslems. Fake or not fake photo on Drudge of plane over a jungle. UN specialists state no explosion, no crash in area (no seismic waves or something or other).

By now it is painted with the flag of Al Qaeda and waiting for Act II or is in the bottom of a very deep Indian Ocean with no debris or floating things.

I stand with the rioting family members today. This is bs. They know. They have always known. Someone is protecting others or themselves from either shooting down a plane by accident or not wanting to show that their radar is the same as the traffic cop in Mayberry's radar gun.

Please just let me know if it is heading my way so I can either wave or duck and cover. Merci! xoxo

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Bossy Redneck Queen at March 19, 2014 07:08 AM (baL2B)

40 kill clown nose

Posted by: Vic[/i] at March 19, 2014 07:08 AM (T2V/1)

41 Just a thought ...

Since the pilot supported the opposition party could the current government be trying to discredit him now that the entire world considers him to be terrorist? Probably at this point the government and to certain extend the airline want a scapegoat for this catastrophe. I am taking all information with a grain of salt. Read an US aviation accident investigator interview ... she said "erratic flying patterns are more often an act of heroism than terrorism."

Posted by: Long Island at March 19, 2014 07:08 AM (7Nabg)

42 Pakistan.

Posted by: eman at March 19, 2014 07:09 AM (AO9UG)

43 >38 Did someone say beer?

Posted by: HR at March 19, 2014 11:08 AM (ZKzrr)<



I know right?  I have to "work" for 6 more hours.  That doesn't help.

Posted by: Muad'dib at March 19, 2014 07:09 AM (sjdRT)

44 Until this is resolved, the airlines are going to suffer economically. As an aside, Air Canada is no longer flying in and out of Venezuela.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 19, 2014 07:09 AM (IXrOn)

45 /Artie Johnson rises from behind the bushes "Very interesting. "

Posted by: soothsayer at March 19, 2014 07:09 AM (z+L6U)

46 It is strange but the longer the speculation and weird conflicting bits of information goes on the more I am inclined to believe that it was a simple plane crash due to mechanical problems and not a terrorist act. ---- I guess that is good, but I'm not sure why that wouldn't have been your first inclination from the start, Occam's Razor and all.

Posted by: SH at March 19, 2014 07:09 AM (gmeXX)

47 If it did land in Pakistan, the air defense chiefs from India and Chine better have their bug out plans in place.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at March 19, 2014 07:09 AM (sAXJ5)

48 Hubs was reading the news before I woke up and when I did I asked about the plane.  He read me some report that the Maldives "sighting" was (somehow, no inkling why) untrue.

Why would locals make up such a story?  As some guy on twitter said,  there's almost nothing to do there but look up at the sky.   Why would they make it up?

Posted by: SarahW at March 19, 2014 07:09 AM (Lbv/k)

49

Sri Lanka used to have a terrorist group, the Tamil Tigers, but the government finally went into the north of the country and utterly wiped them off the face of the earth.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at March 19, 2014 11:02 AM (oFCZn)

 

And there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth in the Progressive Communities world wide.  After decades of terrorism and slaughter of the innocent by both sides, someone decided to end the fight decisively. 

 

All Group/Right-thinking organizations protested the "slaughter" of the Tamil Tigers. 

 

The Tamil Tigers also mainstreamed the suicide bomber.  Wonderful people. 

Posted by: rd at March 19, 2014 07:09 AM (D+lxs)

50 42 Pakistan.

Posted by: eman at March 19, 2014 11:09 AM (AO9UG)

 

That's Pock-ee-stawn to you, rube.

Posted by: King Barry XIV at March 19, 2014 07:10 AM (DrWcr)

51 What would be the location at which passengers' cell phones would be likely to work? At some point if it was a standard emergency like the fire theory, seems to me passengers would know and make calls.

Posted by: Y-not on the phone at March 19, 2014 07:10 AM (zDsvJ)

52 if it is terrorism, China will be pissed.

Posted by: X at March 19, 2014 07:10 AM (KHo8t)

53 McInerney pointed to the way the U.S. and Israeli militaries have acted in recent days to suggest that much more is known about the missing flight than has so far been revealed. “First of all, let me say, when the U.S. Navy quits their search — their ship search — they must know something in the Indian Ocean,” he said. “When the Israeli Defense Forces, when they increase their air defense alert, they must know something.” I didn't know we stopped a ship search in the Indian Ocean. (from the dailycaller piece I linked just above)

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 19, 2014 07:10 AM (IXrOn)

54 He also had deleted porn files on his computer so that means he was a homicidal perv.

Posted by: WalrusRex at March 19, 2014 07:11 AM (Hx5uv)

55 big white plane with red stripes Hooray beer! Jamacian piss.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2014 07:11 AM (cB3Ay)

56 How do they know when the waypoints were entered?

Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at March 19, 2014 07:11 AM (Z7PrM)

57 I don't find it uncommon for a pilot to have a flight simulator (since love of flying takes you into that career), or to make himself aware of landing fields in his region of travel-- preparation boosts safety. There are eyebrow-raising points in this whole story, sure, but it's hard to know what's accurate.

Posted by: --- at March 19, 2014 07:11 AM (MMC8r)

58 35: None of the theories I've seen that try to explain this as simply a mechanical failure or fire don't hold water.

Posted by: db at March 19, 2014 07:11 AM (+m7Zm)

59 "I guess that is good, but I'm not sure why that wouldn't have been your first inclination from the start, Occam's Razor and all."

I guess it was mine but then there wasn't any wreckage and everything got weird.

The new simple is too simple if it's true the plane was reprogrammed before sign off,  and hella navigated to waypoints afterward.

Any word on why the Maldives sightings were called "false" in a report earlier today?

Posted by: SarahW at March 19, 2014 07:12 AM (Lbv/k)

60 The missing plane is a 777-200. /pedant

Posted by: Andy at March 19, 2014 07:12 AM (+9f/h)

61 I've decided there is too much mis-info and dis-info for me to make any more guesses about where the heck the plane is. If they find it, good.

Posted by: votermom at March 19, 2014 07:12 AM (GSIDW)

62 Sun Spots.....

Google them people!

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 19, 2014 07:13 AM (si68n)

63 35 It is strange but the longer the speculation and weird conflicting bits of information goes on the more I am inclined to believe that it was a simple plane crash due to mechanical problems and not a terrorist act. Of course perhaps that is what they want to lead us to believe with all this contradictory reporting. (hey got to keep my paranoid name polished)

Posted by: ParanoidGirlinSeattle at March 19, 2014 11:07 AM (RZ8pf)


Kinda hard to hide a Boeing passenger jet for a protracted period. You've got to bring it out for the big show sooner or later. I'm sticking with "elaborate pilot suicide" but speculation about other possibilities is fun nevertheless.

Posted by: joncelli at March 19, 2014 07:13 AM (RD7QR)

64
I really dont know what to think about this anymore.

But.... I have this feeling we're going to see this airliner again.....  probably right before the explosion.

Posted by: fixerupper at March 19, 2014 07:13 AM (nELVU)

65 From the daily caller article referenced above: "McInerney pointed to the way the U.S. and Israeli militaries have acted in recent days to suggest that much more is known about the missing flight than has so far been revealed." This I will believe. I believe our military has the capability of tracking most large objects over the globe, and it probably knows the vicinity it crashed. But there is no reason to release this information.

Posted by: SH at March 19, 2014 07:13 AM (gmeXX)

66 61 I've decided there is too much mis-info and dis-info for me to make any more guesses about where the heck the plane is. If they find it, good. Posted by: votermom at March 19, 2014 11:12 AM (GSIDW) right with you

Posted by: phoenixgirl @phxazgrl at March 19, 2014 07:13 AM (u8GsB)

67 So all the intricate conspiracies full steam ahead then. Have we narrowed the search area from Turkmenistan to the Maldives yet?

Posted by: Beagle at March 19, 2014 07:14 AM (sOtz/)

68 Posted by: Andy at March 19, 2014 11:12 AM (+9f/h) Eh, it's about as accurate as every other fact we've got right now.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at March 19, 2014 07:14 AM (HDwDg)

69 Electrical fire knocks out ACARS and comm, but engines keep operating and sending out pings for multiple hours? The plan is in Iran or nearby.

Posted by: Original Roy at March 19, 2014 07:14 AM (Dg1cR)

70 You'll find it either when it detonates over Tel Aviv or when the Israelis shoot it down.

Posted by: Tin Foil Hat Engaged at March 19, 2014 07:14 AM (Aif/5)

71 >> Someone who has been there chime in, but B-52's fly out of Diego Garcia. They need more than 1,000 meters. Yeah, Wikipedia says that runway's 3,659m long. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Garcia

Posted by: Andy at March 19, 2014 07:15 AM (+9f/h)

72 Is anyone else just bored with this story.

Posted by: SH at March 19, 2014 07:16 AM (gmeXX)

73 He also had deleted porn files on his computer so that means he was a homicidal perv.
What type of psycho deletes pr0n from his computer instead of getting a larger (external) hard-drive???

Posted by: typical moron at March 19, 2014 07:16 AM (hn5v5)

74 Shall we discuss my landing strip again? 

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at March 19, 2014 07:16 AM (GjPnA)

75 >> Eh, it's about as accurate as every other fact we've got right now. Good point.

Posted by: Andy at March 19, 2014 07:16 AM (+9f/h)

76 Well I did think plane crash first. But then more information came out and it seemed like terrorism. Now who knows. Could be the erratic plane made someone nervous and they shot it down, but then found out it was a civilian plane headed to China and now the Asian country that shot it doesn't want to fess up for fear of unleashing Chinese anger.

Posted by: ParanoidGirlinSeattle at March 19, 2014 07:16 AM (RZ8pf)

77 Breaking: Toyota will be fined one billion dollars for the disappearance of Flight 370.

Posted by: soothsayer at March 19, 2014 07:16 AM (z+L6U)

78 I think it was the Yellow King that did it.  That's the new hip solution to all mysteries now right?

Posted by: buzzion at March 19, 2014 07:16 AM (LI48c)

79 I seem to have misplaced my ass. Has anyone seen my ass lately? If anyone sees my ass, please let me know just where the fuck it is hiding.

Posted by: Maylasian Government at March 19, 2014 07:16 AM (EYp+q)

80 Any electrical fire scenario has to somehow overcome the crew and disable the comms -- but leave the autopilot on so it can fly for hours (assuming the satellite ping data is accurate).

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at March 19, 2014 07:17 AM (ZPrif)

81 OT: after reading all the horror stories about what people do to their children, it is refreshing to read a story like this: http://tinyurl.com/ptwpu87

Posted by: WalrusRex at March 19, 2014 07:17 AM (Hx5uv)

82 I think there are about three possibilities on what happened to Flight 370: 1. On-board fire - Pilot turned the plane around for emergency landing at the closest airstrip. Passengers and crew overcome by smoke. Autopilot flew the plane until it was out of fuel then crashed into the ocean. There would have been no oil slick since all the fuel was burned up. 2. Pilot suicide - pilot locked co-pilot out of cockpit and flew plane until he gathered enough courage to nose-dive the plane into the ocean from 25 thousand feet. Any wreckage would be no larger than your hand - plane will never be found. 3. Terrorism - Gen. McInerney says the plane shadowed another plane while flying into Pakistan. He also says the plane was communicating via VHF radio with the location in Pakistan where it landed safely. He says US government knows much more than they are saying publicly. Personally, I lean more toward theories 1 or 2. Theory 3 seems dubious to me because, TV.

Posted by: Stay out da Bushes at March 19, 2014 07:17 AM (uRumV)

83 Sri Lanka used to have a terrorist group, the Tamil Tigers, but the government finally went into the north of the country and utterly wiped them off the face of the earth. This is similar to the problem Peruvia once had with the Peruvian Pricks. Their solution was the same, too.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit[/i][/u][/b][/s] at March 19, 2014 07:17 AM (0HooB)

84 Posted by: soothsayer at March 19, 2014 11:16 AM (z+L6U) another gov't over reach

Posted by: phoenixgirl @phxazgrl at March 19, 2014 07:18 AM (u8GsB)

85 The media is planting seeds of ideas in your head.

Posted by: soothsayer at March 19, 2014 07:18 AM (z+L6U)

86 This I will believe. I believe our military has the capability of tracking most large objects over the globe, and it probably knows the vicinity it crashed. But there is no reason to release this information.

Posted by: SH at March 19, 2014 11:13 AM (gmeXX)

 



Then why not "discover the wreckage" accidentally?  Or get some asset to find the plane?  


It has been over a week.  Plenty of time for coincidences to occur or be created.

Posted by: rd at March 19, 2014 07:18 AM (D+lxs)

87 I do confess that I have not been following this story as closely as other people are doing.  The one thing that that has been made stunningly clear is this:  even in this day of ubiquitous and instant communications, a very large object can go missing without leaving much of a trace.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, We Be Bossy at March 19, 2014 07:18 AM (kXoT0)

88 The plan in Iran stay mainly on the can.

Posted by: prof. henry higgins at March 19, 2014 07:19 AM (hn5v5)

89 ЄВРОМАЙДАН ‏@euromaidan We killed no Russians, took no land, put no troops in. We became a free people for 1 week. Enough for Russia to declare war on us.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at March 19, 2014 07:19 AM (ZPrif)

90 @73 Huge aviation mystery suggesting maybe an unprecedented elaborate hijacking involving the crew? Not bored. This story has many interesting angles, from governments to the ways people process information and draw conclusions.

Posted by: Beagle at March 19, 2014 07:19 AM (sOtz/)

91 I do hope someone asks Carney about this issue of the missing plane, and what the Grand Poohba Pretender thinks... and/or if he has shown up for any security briefings in the last two weeks or so.

Barry Bladderwrack must be wee-wee'd up about Putin and hiding under the Resolute Desk, which has never had more than his dirty shoe or one piece of paper on it since 2008.

I have all the confidence in this administration to protect and serve (themselves). When Venezuela does not have diapers or flour, he is worried about meeting his fake numbers of Obamacare at the end of the month. When the Ukraine is invaded, he golfs and or pouts at his poll numbers. If/when the missing 777 flys over Israel or this country as an armed weapon, he will be fretting about his NCAA brackets. The life and times of Baroque.

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Bossy Redneck Queen at March 19, 2014 07:20 AM (baL2B)

92 This I will believe. I believe our military has the capability of tracking most large objects over the globe, and it probably knows the vicinity it crashed. But there is no reason to release this information.

Posted by: SH at March 19, 2014 11:13 AM (gmeXX)


Yes, it kept sending signals 6 hours after it was declared lost, so they had time to rig the sig int satellites and ground stations. They must know where it is, or they should be fired. 

Posted by: Temper Tantrum at March 19, 2014 07:20 AM (AWmfW)

93 My take is pretty much what I started with:  Somebody with a lot of money wanted something aboard that plane.

Posted by: mrp at March 19, 2014 07:20 AM (JBggj)

94 even in this day of ubiquitous and instant communications, a very large object can go missing without leaving much of a trace.
That explains Roseanne's entertainment career!

Posted by: [/i]andycanuck[/b] at March 19, 2014 07:20 AM (hn5v5)

95
Maybe....  a bunch of guys armed with safety knives....

** nah.....  nevermind.....

Posted by: fixerupper at March 19, 2014 07:20 AM (nELVU)

96 At this point, I don't think there's a probable scenario among any of them. I'm sure one scenario is pretty much the right one, but I'm not leaning in one direction or another any more. I'm getting skeptical of the electrical/mechanical failure-crash-into-the-sea idea, but all it takes is one floating seat cushion and that becomes the front runner.

Posted by: Lincolntf at March 19, 2014 07:20 AM (ZshNr)

97 I don't understand the end-game in the Pakistan hijacking scenario.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at March 19, 2014 07:21 AM (ZPrif)

98 do hope someone asks Carney about this issue of the missing plane, -------- A reporter asked him yesterday if we had it at Diego Garcia.

Posted by: Adam at March 19, 2014 07:21 AM (Aif/5)

99 even in this day of ubiquitous and instant communications, a very large object can go missing without leaving much of a trace.

♪ It's a great big universe, and we're all really puny
We're just tiny little specks, about the size of Mickey Rooney ♫

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmfAyK6CeIg

Posted by: Waterhouse at March 19, 2014 07:22 AM (FrfNj)

100 Sri Lanka = Tamal Tigers = like to blow up people. I think there was a video posted here of some woman in a gov office that detonated a bomb but only killed herself.

Posted by: Zombie Pug at March 19, 2014 07:23 AM (r7mtu)

101 The missing plane is a 777-200ER. You're welcome.

Posted by: Brother Cavil at March 19, 2014 07:23 AM (naUcP)

102 98 I don't understand the end-game in the Pakistan hijacking scenario. Posted by: Flatbush Joe at March 19, 2014 11:21 AM

Nor do I understand the whole Iranian hijaking scenario?

Posted by: Long Island at March 19, 2014 07:23 AM (7Nabg)

103 Is anyone else just bored with this story. - http://tinyurl.com/qzrptfg

Posted by: WalrusRex at March 19, 2014 07:23 AM (Hx5uv)

104 A Malaysian pilot with Indian Ocean runways on a simulator sounds unusual? I guess a captain based out of Atlanta having Gulf of Mexico area runways would be weird too then.

Posted by: Roy at March 19, 2014 07:23 AM (VndSC)

105 98 I don't understand the end-game in the Pakistan hijacking scenario. Posted by: Flatbush Joe getting obliterated by China.

Posted by: X at March 19, 2014 07:23 AM (KHo8t)

106 I'm also leaning to the theory that Anderson Cooper and CNN did it for the ratings.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at March 19, 2014 07:23 AM (ZPrif)

107 98 I don't understand the end-game in the Pakistan hijacking scenario.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at March 19, 2014 11:21 AM (ZPrif)


Cruise missile. Hostage crisis. Low fares to Outer Bumfuckistan.

Posted by: joncelli at March 19, 2014 07:23 AM (RD7QR)

108 even in this day of ubiquitous and instant communications, a very large object can go missing without leaving much of a trace.
That explains Roseanne's entertainment career!

Posted by: andycanuck at March 19, 2014 11:20 AM (hn5v5)

Yes, but, sadly that amount of weapons grade stupid all wrapped up in a big package of crazy uglee just will not go away.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, We Be Bossy at March 19, 2014 07:24 AM (kXoT0)

109 If the fire theory is right AND the pinging timeframe is accurate, someone would've called. I doubt smoke overcomes everyone except cockpit.

Posted by: Y-not on the phone at March 19, 2014 07:24 AM (zDsvJ)

110 88 The plan in Iran stay mainly on the can. --- Turns out the answer was there all along: Higgins: And where's that bloody plane? Eliza: In Spain! In Spain!

Posted by: votermom at March 19, 2014 07:24 AM (GSIDW)

111 Then why not "discover the wreckage" accidentally? Or get some asset to find the plane? ---- Perhaps there is no wreckage to discover.

Posted by: SH at March 19, 2014 07:24 AM (gmeXX)

112 Satellite data has revealed it's not on my roof.

Posted by: Breaking News at March 19, 2014 07:25 AM (jPWsV)

113 General McInerney says the airplane was communicating with its intended destination.  Could that account for the climb to 45,000 feet?  Would you get a longer radio range at that level?

Posted by: creeper at March 19, 2014 07:25 AM (WDGsE)

114 The Kidd ended its search two days ago, says USAToday. The waypoints were entered manually into the nav system by pilots, says Rueters. McInerney claims this plane "shadowed" a Singapore Airlines flight across the Malacca Straits (and northern Indian Ocean?) in his Hannity interview. Presumably, the pilots could have shadowed a flight all the way to Pakistan, and landed at a Pakistani Air base in Taliban territory (as McInerney says they landed). He goes on to say our forces in Afghanistan probably know where the plane is and so does the Pak government. I think you let the Chinese military know, if this speculation has any truth to it, and stand back to watch the fun.

Posted by: MTF at March 19, 2014 07:25 AM (3uHwI)

115 MH 370 was a 777-200ER ... not a -300 as you have stated above ... In actuality, the 777-200ER needs closer to a minimum of 5000 feet and that's with full power and almost empty ... The main runway at Paine Field (Everett, WA), where the 777 is built, is 9010 feet ...

Posted by: Tiamat at March 19, 2014 07:25 AM (KhBak)

116 And this is an important story, either way. Either b/c terrorism or b/c hundreds of ppl are dead. Or both.

Posted by: Y-not on the phone at March 19, 2014 07:25 AM (zDsvJ)

117 Ace - I see you misspelled 'Ceylon'.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 19, 2014 07:25 AM (aDwsi)

118 OT snark from a friend of mine. That girl who sued her parents should have been named Tornado because sooner or later she'll end up in a trailer park.

Posted by: WalrusRex at March 19, 2014 07:26 AM (Hx5uv)

119

Posted by: Muad'dib at March 19, 2014 11:09 AM

 

Hey, don't you owe us a story?  25 year old...

Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at March 19, 2014 07:26 AM (JtwS4)

120 Completely OT:

Drag race chute failure.

http://tinyurl.com/m7o7kjp

End quote proposed for AoSHQ member epitaph.

Posted by: DaveA[/i][/b][/s] at March 19, 2014 07:26 AM (DL2i+)

121 93 My take is pretty much what I started with: Somebody with a lot of money wanted something aboard that plane.

Posted by: mrp at March 19, 2014 11:20 AM (JBggj)


Ah, yes, the fact that the Malaysians have not mentioned what the plane was carrying or the amount of fuel. Nothing to see here! Move along!



Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Bossy Redneck Queen at March 19, 2014 07:26 AM (baL2B)

122 CNN showed you last night on Anderson Cooper how to disable the engine pinging and where the Cabin pressure control is located.

Posted by: Patrick from Ohio at March 19, 2014 07:26 AM (b6koZ)

123 Posted by: Stay out da Bushes at March 19, 2014 11:17 AM (uRumV) Eh, you'd still have engine oil and residual gas left to make an oil slick. And Oil on water spreads molecularly thin, so it doesn't take much for a huge slick.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at March 19, 2014 07:26 AM (HDwDg)

124 How does McInerney know any of these things? Like the plane communicating via VHF?

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at March 19, 2014 07:27 AM (ZPrif)

125 I' ve flown in and out of Diego Garcia several times and the runway is a lot longer than 1000 meters. Runway 13/31 is 12,003 feet long with a 950 foot overrun and 200 feet wide. One thing I can be sure of and that the missing 777 is NOT sitting on the ground at Diego Garcia.

Posted by: Alf767 at March 19, 2014 07:27 AM (5UnZF)

126 I think you let the Chinese military know, if this speculation has any truth to it, and stand back to watch the fun. Posted by: MTF -------------------- I'll provide the popcorn

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 19, 2014 07:27 AM (aDwsi)

127
See... it was the CIA...see.   They made it look like the Paks and the Iranians did it.. see.... to get China to level those countries.... see.... because Barrack is losing the world, see and lost Putins help on Iran...see.

The CIA set up .... see.

Posted by: fixerupper at March 19, 2014 07:27 AM (nELVU)

128 According to the Obama Administration, the plane was last seen flying over the Malvinas immediately after it vanished from radar.

Posted by: Fritz at March 19, 2014 07:27 AM (UzPAd)

129 Of course if it's mechanical, then all the info. about the pilot's wife leaving and his being "obsessed" with the guilty verdict of an opposition leader are meaningless.

Posted by: Lincolntf at March 19, 2014 07:28 AM (ZshNr)

130 One thing I have heard no one explain is who was the pilot talking to when he said "All right. Good night." ? * Was it an open mic? * Was he talking to flight controllers? * What was being said leading up to that time? * How long was the conversation leading up? * Who was involved in the conversation? You wouldn't just key the mic and say "All right. Good night" after a long span of silence, would you? I have to imagine it was on a channel that other pilots were using, so, without identifying himself in that transmission, it was either * Part of a conversation that we haven't heard the rest of * An inadvertent transmission (open mic) while he talked to someone else in the cockpit. (A good time to start diverting is after the other guy shuts his eyes.)

Posted by: Guy Fawkes at March 19, 2014 07:28 AM (qZr+9)

131 There was a fire on the plane, the fire was electrical in nature, and the fire knocked out the transponder and ACARS. The pilots therefore turned west, towards the nearest possible runway for an emergency landing. At some point, per this theory, they lost control of the plane and crashed. Oh please, that's ridiculous. That's, like, reasonable and crap. Can't be that. Has anyone checked Giorgio Tsoukalos's hair? Sektit to MWR, my twitters handle is my nic.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD/Orion Death Star 2016 at March 19, 2014 07:28 AM (VtjlW)

132 Pakistan is based on McInerney's confidential sources. If he nailed it what a coup. I am left with most of SE Asia, and beyond.

Posted by: Beagle at March 19, 2014 07:28 AM (sOtz/)

133 If the plane did land somewhere I pray the passengers are being treated humanely. But the savages that do this, usually don't. I'll pray anyway.

Posted by: ExSnipe at March 19, 2014 07:29 AM (LKJt3)

134 Skipper!


Posted by: Gilligan [/i] [/b] at March 19, 2014 07:29 AM (5ikDv)

135 It takes just seconds to enter waypoints into the FMC and not something one has to practice, ever. Same for routes and also for runways.I regularly go in to airports where neither the F/O nor I have ever been there. It's not the runway or length that is practiced in the simulator but the approach(es) into those airports. A light 777ER (less than 8 Hrs. of fuel)wouldn't need a gob of pavement to land. But to what end? How do you upload tens of thousands of lbs. fuel for the takeoff? Plus, it would need gobs of pavement for the takeoff. Also, deleted files? I'm going with Occam's Razor here----midget pron.

Posted by: fartist at March 19, 2014 07:29 AM (Rztl0)

136 20 Would they have to trim a lot of bush to make a landing strip on a Pacific island? Posted by: typical moron at March 19, 2014 11:03 AM (hn5v5) It would be ridiculous to scratch build a runway on an atoll/small island/jungle plain for something like this. Clearing an abandoned/disused airstrip could relatively easily be done, but it would have to a strip capable of supporting the aircraft. That area was British (SEAC) during WW Big One. They didn't build remote bomber strips very often.

Posted by: 98ZJUSMC Rounding Error Extraordinaire at March 19, 2014 07:29 AM (xKLu4)

137 76 Could be the erratic plane made someone nervous and they shot it down, but then found out it was a civilian plane headed to China and now the Asian country that shot it doesn't want to fess up for fear of unleashing Chinese anger. Posted by: ParanoidGirlinSeattle at March 19, 2014 11:16 AM (RZ8pf) Haven't seen that suggested elsewhere. Seems a reasonable theory; any problems with this theory?

Posted by: m at March 19, 2014 07:30 AM (2AqeI)

138 125 How does McInerney know any of these things? Like the plane communicating via VHF? Posted by: Flatbush Joe at March 19, 2014 11:27 AM

Out of all the scenarios this shadowing one is the most difficult to accept. Sounds too much like movie plot.

Posted by: Long Island at March 19, 2014 07:30 AM (7Nabg)

139 Hard to believe it happened 11 days ago, and still not even a good theory, outside of aliens.

Posted by: Roy at March 19, 2014 07:31 AM (VndSC)

140 Posted by: Guy Fawkes at March 19, 2014 11:28 AM (qZr+9) That's been covered, it was part of the handoff between tracking towers.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at March 19, 2014 07:31 AM (HDwDg)

141 How come nobody wants to check my landing strip?

Posted by: Moochelle Obama at March 19, 2014 07:32 AM (DrWcr)

142 We are mighty certain that that plane is lost but on the other hand it could just be missing. Of course we could be wrong and the plane just vanished.

Posted by: Maylasian Government at March 19, 2014 07:32 AM (EYp+q)

143 143 We are mighty certain that that plane is lost but on the other hand it could just be missing. Of course we could be wrong and the plane just vanished.

Posted by: Maylasian Government at March 19, 2014 11:32 AM (EYp+q)


Are you SURE you checked your other pants? What's the last place you remember seeing it?

Posted by: joncelli at March 19, 2014 07:33 AM (RD7QR)

144 777-200ER

What does the ER part stand for again?

We know how much fuel it left with.
But, if it landed, and was refueled to max capacity, it can go another 7,000 miles,or more.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 19, 2014 07:33 AM (si68n)

145 Most of these theories fall flat.

Posted by: Rachel Corrie at March 19, 2014 07:33 AM (Aif/5)

146
*** furiously flip thru the passenger manifest.....

Hmmmm..... Carmen Sandiego.   I wonder if THAT mans anything.



Posted by: fixerupper at March 19, 2014 07:34 AM (nELVU)

147 The last line says it all: "we don't know anything."

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at March 19, 2014 07:34 AM (+jyzN)

148 According to the Reich Minister of Propaganda, Jay Carney, the search for the missing Malaysian 777 airliner continues with the full support of units from the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine. Meanwhile, Herr Carney advised the loyal Ger...I mean American populace to not pay attention to reports from Moscow on the Hudson that the rates for anyone having FuhrerCare may triple in the coming months. Herr Carney advises this is just "Red" agitprop and not to be deceived.

Posted by: IrishEd at March 19, 2014 07:34 AM (D0NZx)

149 extended range?

Posted by: soothsayer at March 19, 2014 07:34 AM (z+L6U)

150 I was wondering what ole Putin has to say about the missing jet, as there is one Russian on the list.

"The majority of passengers on this flight were Chinese with 154 citizens. Additionally, 38 Malaysians, 7 Indonesians, 6 Australians, 5 Indian, 4 French, 3 Americans, 2 New Zealanders, 2 Canadians, 1 Austrian, 1 Dutch, 1 Italian, and 1 Russian were reported to be aboard."


Note this list does not mention the two illegal passport "good" boys from Iran. Actually, other than the Malaysians and Indonesians, not a lot of mooslems possibly due to nationality? I blame Iran. Will always blame Iran unless it is found at the bottom of the sea. Then I still may blame Iran.

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Bossy Redneck Queen at March 19, 2014 07:34 AM (baL2B)

151 BREAKING SPECULATION: We still don't know dick.

Posted by: akula51[/b][/i][/s] at March 19, 2014 07:35 AM (CesFO)

152 What does the ER part stand for again?

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 19, 2014 11:33 AM (si68n)


----


Emergency Randing

Posted by: Chinese Air Trafic Controller at March 19, 2014 07:35 AM (nELVU)

153 Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 19, 2014 11:33 AM (si68n) Extended Range?

Posted by: RWC at March 19, 2014 07:35 AM (fWAjv)

154 extra roomy?

Posted by: soothsayer at March 19, 2014 07:35 AM (z+L6U)

155 I'm still not getting worked up over a pilot who's interested in piloting, practiced piloting and studied emergency piloting procedures. Not saying the pilot is innocent. But all this attention on the simulator seems like a red herring.

Posted by: Citizen X at March 19, 2014 07:35 AM (7ObY1)

156 I swear, I have not seen the plane!

Posted by: Diego Garcia at March 19, 2014 07:35 AM (+m7Zm)

157 eludes radar?

Posted by: soothsayer at March 19, 2014 07:35 AM (z+L6U)

158 Sektit to MWR, my twitters handle is my nic.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD/Orion Death Star 2016 at March 19, 2014 11:28 AM (VtjlW)



WOO!

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Bossy Assault Hobbit [/u][/i][/s][/b] at March 19, 2014 07:36 AM (4df7R)

159 Extremely Radical

Posted by: joncelli at March 19, 2014 07:36 AM (RD7QR)

160 Evades Recovery

Posted by: Insomniac at March 19, 2014 07:36 AM (DrWcr)

161 Breaking: MSNBC reporting anonymous Malaysian sources have confirmed that the captain of missing flight MH370 had an "e-mail program" installed on his computer which could have been used to communicate with tech savvy terrorist groups, possibly including Al Qaeda.

Posted by: Gristle Encased Head at March 19, 2014 07:36 AM (+lsX1)

162 31 We're still looking into all major possible causes -- such as electrical fire, sudden depressurization, hijacking, pilot suicide, Jewish sorcery, or lesbians. There are reports of possible menstruation among the passengers and, rest assured, we are looking into that. Posted by: Malaysian Military and Govt at March 19, 2014 11:06 AM (ZPrif) There were no Jews on the plane!!11!!!!1

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at March 19, 2014 07:36 AM (oFCZn)

163 And Oil on water spreads molecularly thin, so it doesn't take much for a huge slick. Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at March 19, 2014 11:26 AM (HDwDg) That's certainly possible. But, what if the plane flew so far out to sea that no one has searched the area thinking the plane couldn't have flown that far before crashing? Who knows. I'm not buying the Gen. McInearney theory just yet. If it were true, we would have heard more leaks by now.

Posted by: Stay out da Bushes at March 19, 2014 07:37 AM (uRumV)

164 How come nobody wants to check my landing strip? Posted by: Moochelle Obama at March 19, 2014 11:32 AM (DrWcr) Because like everything about your life it's a fake, a lie, an illusion. Just like your husband. You probably got your kids at a 2 for 1 sale. And your landing strip? It's probably a merkin.

Posted by: ExSnipe at March 19, 2014 07:37 AM (LKJt3)

165 having all those 1,000 m runways is a big deal. If you are a pilot and you are flying your home made sim, why? all of your excitement, everything interesting is in the take of and landing. how much fun is flying a big modern plane what is the phrase flying is 99% boredom and 1% sheer terror? if you want to get good, be the man, hone your skills you practice taking off and landing. if you want to get good show off you land on small strips and you take off from short strips, you use everything you can think of for improving your performance. Along these lines, I think everyone should be thinking outside a the box. Everyone here who likes planes has seen the video of a c130 landing on a carrier and taking off again. now, while I can fly a spreadsheet to hell and back, twoce before lunch, I have never flown a 777 or 7x7 anything. however, instead of asking what is it possible to do some big ol plane under normal circumstance how about what it is possible to do in extreme circumstances? If your scenario is I want to fly a plane to a hidden runway that is way too short, land it, take off and slam it into something, your needs are different than if you have to land de-plane everyone, reload and make a return. so, figure out the shortest runway you can land your plane on accepting you will fry your brakes and lose everything associated with stopping the plane. park your plane, throw everything out to lighten the load and launch that thing again wheels, gear, undercarriage be damned since you are not gonna use it no mo.

Posted by: yankeefifth at March 19, 2014 07:37 AM (rDidD)

166 Did I hear correctly that Australia turns its radar off at night?

Posted by: Long Island at March 19, 2014 07:37 AM (7Nabg)

167 Hard to believe it happened 11 days ago, and still not even a good theory, outside of aliens. Yeah, they've even discounted a new Bermuda Triangle. I'm like, all crushed and stuff. People are all bent out of shape because they don't know everything like they thought they did.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit[/i][/u][/b][/s] at March 19, 2014 07:37 AM (0HooB)

168 I'm sure it has been stated before, but I think all the "OMG HE HAD A FLIGHT SIMULATOR" is junk. There is a much simpler and straightforward explanation: he loved to fly and ::GASP:: practiced making emergency landings at airports he might have to use in an emergency landing considering that is the are where he flew. To me, that sounds like the kind of pilot I want.

Posted by: Name at March 19, 2014 07:37 AM (kdYPC)

169 Seems a reasonable theory; any problems with this theory? ---- Seems like that would be hard to keep quiet. Sure possible, but not probable.

Posted by: SH at March 19, 2014 07:37 AM (gmeXX)

170 Wait, MSDNC "breaks" stories? With no reporters? Their opinion show shrieking heads investigating this story?

Posted by: Citizen X at March 19, 2014 07:37 AM (7ObY1)

171 153- LOL!

Posted by: Keena at March 19, 2014 07:38 AM (RiTnx)

172 How come nobody wants to check my landing strip? Posted by: Moochelle Obama at March 19, 2014 11:32 AM (DrWcr) too much vajazzaling

Posted by: yankeefifth at March 19, 2014 07:38 AM (rDidD)

173 See... it was the CIA...see. They made it look like the Paks and the Iranians did it.. see.... to get China to level those countries.... see.... because Barrack is losing the world, see and lost Putins help on Iran...see. The CIA set up .... see. The ghost of Edward G. Robinson. See.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2014 07:38 AM (cB3Ay)

174 48 Hubs was reading the news before I woke up and when I did I asked about the plane. He read me some report that the Maldives "sighting" was (somehow, no inkling why) untrue.



Why would locals make up such a story? As some guy on twitter said, there's almost nothing to do there but look up at the sky. Why would they make it up?



Posted by: SarahW at March 19, 2014 11:09 AM (Lbv/k)



I don't know that they necessarily made it up.   They might have seen another plane,  one that was legitimately supposed to be there   and has been verified.    Or, if they DID make it up, it might be because they're just plain bored.   As you said, not a lot   to   do around there.  


Or maybe they saw an actual UFO.  

Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Bossy Assault Hobbit [/u][/i][/s][/b] at March 19, 2014 07:38 AM (4df7R)

175 We know Bill Clinton wasn't involved because he hasn't denied it.

Posted by: WalrusRex at March 19, 2014 07:39 AM (Hx5uv)

176 It's George Bush's fault that plane went missing. It still works for Barky so we will give it a whirl, with the level of intelligence in the journalists today we should be off the hook by noon tomorrow.

Posted by: Maylasian Government at March 19, 2014 07:39 AM (EYp+q)

177 Why would locals make up such a story? As some guy on twitter said, there's almost nothing to do there but look up at the sky. Why would they make it up? Posted by: Sarah its a trap, pygmy cannibals,

Posted by: yankeefifth at March 19, 2014 07:39 AM (rDidD)

178 Or maybe they saw an actual UFO. Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Bossy Assault Hobbit at March 19, 2014 11:38 AM (4df7R) Or the investigators suck and they got the answer they wanted to hear rather than the truth.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at March 19, 2014 07:40 AM (HDwDg)

179 Woah! AtC's Twitter profile pic. BRB, I'll be in the men's room for a while...

Posted by: Citizen X at March 19, 2014 07:40 AM (7ObY1)

180 Â…or there was a fire on board and the thing crashed into the ocean after the pilots tried to turn back. Occam's Razor be sharp.

Posted by: J.J. Sefton at March 19, 2014 07:40 AM (olDqf)

181 Of course, NBC's reporting could be wrong. Tell me about it.

Posted by: George Zimmerman at March 19, 2014 07:40 AM (0FSuD)

182 It's kind of annoying that people like O'Reilly and CK sort of mock our curiosity with this. I'm sorry, over 200 people are either dead or living in absolute fear of death and torture. And, people are questioning flying as a result of this (even though this is a 3rd world example - which my husband flies often enough due to his job). Lastly, if this is a pre-empt to some future catastrophe, we need to be aware and prepared. Yes, there is also Venezuela going down in flames, Syria, Obamacare, and Russia - but they are all huge events/crisis. The mocking by O'Reilly and Krauthammer was odd. Mostly they mocked the media outlets coverage, fine, but don't mock Americans for caring.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 19, 2014 07:40 AM (IXrOn)

183 Why would they make it up? ---- I know hard to believe that few people would make something up to get attention when the whole world is trying to solve a mystery. You just don't do this in the 21st century.

Posted by: SH at March 19, 2014 07:40 AM (gmeXX)

184 I bet Dick Cheney know where that plan is. M

Posted by: Kos Kidz at March 19, 2014 07:40 AM (Aif/5)

185

13876 Could be the erratic plane made someone nervous and they shot it down, but then found out it was a civilian plane headed to China and now the Asian country that shot it doesn't want to fess up for fear of unleashing Chinese anger.
Posted by: ParanoidGirlinSeattle at March 19, 2014 11:16 AM (RZ8pf)

Haven't seen that suggested elsewhere. Seems a reasonable theory; any problems with this theory?

Posted by: m at March 19, 2014 11:30 AM (2AqeI)

 

 

 

How, when, and why did the plane get from where it was supposed to be with comms and transponder running, to the SAM missile area? 

Too many WTF steps in between for me to believe.

 

And where is the wreckage?  A missile warhead will not vaporize an entire plane.  It will be lucky if it tears off a wing or splits the fuselage. 

The wreckage should be seen, especially if it was on an air route like the plane was supposed to be flying. 

Posted by: rd at March 19, 2014 07:41 AM (D+lxs)

186 Evades Radar

Posted by: Beagle at March 19, 2014 07:41 AM (sOtz/)

187 Girrigan's Isrand?

Posted by: J.J. Sefton at March 19, 2014 07:41 AM (olDqf)

188 Fire can't melt steel planes. GOOGLE IT!!!!

Posted by: Rosie O'verweight at March 19, 2014 07:41 AM (MMC8r)

189 There are terrorist groups in Sri Lanka, of course, but I don't know anything else about Sri Lanka. Isn't that the country that Arthur C. Clark settled in to get his perv on w/ under aged boys? Also, I think at one point it was a British Crown Colony known as Ceylon, Just, you know, trying to be helpful, contributing to the discussion and all that. You're Welcome.

Posted by: Deety at March 19, 2014 07:41 AM (D8ONs)

190 The "shadowing" theory becomes more credible if you accept that jog in the flight path as a hold until SIA68 arrives at a point where it can be used for cover.

Posted by: creeper at March 19, 2014 07:41 AM (WDGsE)

191 167 Did I hear correctly that Australia turns its radar off at night? Posted by: Long Island at March 19, 2014 11:37 AM (7Nabg) No. That's just what they'd be expecting us to do.

Posted by: Australia at March 19, 2014 07:42 AM (xKLu4)

192 98 I don't understand the end-game in the Pakistan hijacking scenario. Posted by: Flatbush Joe a billion screaming Chinamen

Posted by: Col. Andy Tanner at March 19, 2014 07:42 AM (KHo8t)

193 I haven't watched them, but that won't stop me from making a comment. I would guess what they mock is the wild speculation, which they (as part of the media) feed.

Posted by: SH at March 19, 2014 07:42 AM (gmeXX)

194 I vaguely remember that the Tamil Tigers walked around with little vials of cyanide hanging from their necks. They be crazy.

Posted by: Zombie Pug at March 19, 2014 07:42 AM (r7mtu)

195 I guess I just don't get the fascination with this plane. I suppose its a slow news period and people are bored waiting for opening day of baseball but... I just am not that interested. Sad that a plane load of people might be lost, but not so fascinating as to justify the massive coverage and analysis.
I don't offer this as a criticism of the blog, heck write 15 posts in a row about the cute way your cat sighs when it lies down to go to sleep if you want. I just am puzzled by the cultural event this thing has become.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 19, 2014 07:42 AM (zfY+H)

196 Interesting on CNN one of the Pilots stated that the last transmission from the Co-Pilot he did not have his Oxygen mask on, If he had it on it makes a distinct sound because there is a mic in the mask.

Posted by: Patrick from Ohio at March 19, 2014 07:43 AM (b6koZ)

197 I took the plane down with my Halliburton tractor beam.  I'm now using it as a condom.

Posted by: Dick Cheney at March 19, 2014 07:43 AM (DrWcr)

198 190 Posted by: Deety at March 19, 2014 11:41 AM (D8ONs) Sri Lanka had a very bad insurgency problem with the Tamil's, but that situation has been more or less resolved over the past several yearsÂ… to the point where a lot of foreign hotel/resort investment is poised to go there. The Sri Lankans do not want to fuck that up.

Posted by: J.J. Sefton at March 19, 2014 07:43 AM (olDqf)

199 192 167 Did I hear correctly that Australia turns its radar off at night?
Posted by: Long Island at March 19, 2014 11:37 AM (7Nabg)

No. That's just what they'd be expecting us to do.

Posted by: Australia at March 19, 2014 11:42 AM (xKLu4)


I think that is India...but, wait! They don't hardly have any radar to turn off!


Note to self: do not fly past Europe, and even there, good luck! egad. Where are my nerve pills?

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Bossy Redneck Queen at March 19, 2014 07:44 AM (baL2B)

200 67 Did I hear correctly that Australia turns its radar off at night? Posted by: Long Island at March 19, 2014 11:37 AM (7Nabg) not sure which you are referring to but the only have their jorn radar on ever so often.

Posted by: yankeefifth at March 19, 2014 07:44 AM (rDidD)

201 147 *** furiously flip thru the passenger manifest..... Hmmmm..... Carmen Sandiego. I wonder if THAT mans anything. Posted by: fixerupper at March 19, 2014 11:34 AM (nELVU) Damn..... found out about our elopement...

Posted by: Waldo at March 19, 2014 07:44 AM (84gbM)

202 147 *** furiously flip thru the passenger manifest..... Hmmmm..... Carmen Sandiego. I wonder if THAT mans anything. Posted by: fixerupper at March 19, 2014 11:34 AM (nELVU) Damn..... found out about our elopement...

Posted by: Waldo at March 19, 2014 07:44 AM (84gbM)

203 Why would they make it up?

They live on an island in the Indian Ocean got a lot of time on their hands and have over active imaginations. As soon as I heard it I was doubtful.

Posted by: Long Island at March 19, 2014 07:44 AM (7Nabg)

204 Did I hear correctly that Australia turns its radar off at night?

Yeah, the janitor unplugs their radar machine at night to save electricity.

Posted by: Gristle Encased Head at March 19, 2014 07:44 AM (+lsX1)

205

If  the  ship  hit  the  water  there'd  be  a  large  debris  field  floating  that  would  be  visible  for  miles. 

If  it  was  stolen  and  the  Pakis  have  it  the  Chinks  and  Russkies  better  have  on  their  air  defense  A-game.

Posted by: Larsen E. Whipsnade at March 19, 2014 07:44 AM (rXcBX)

206 Fascination with Amelia Earhart's disappearance, as well as dozens of others planes that went "poof", has persisted for generations. Unusual events draw interest, hundreds of humans disappearing in a flash draws greater interest.

Posted by: Lincolntf at March 19, 2014 07:45 AM (ZshNr)

207 203 147 *** furiously flip thru the passenger manifest..... Hmmmm..... Carmen Sandiego. I wonder if THAT mans anything. Hey, she was sitting next to some guy named Waldo. Is this a thing?

Posted by: Citizen X at March 19, 2014 07:45 AM (7ObY1)

208 I just am puzzled by the cultural event this thing has become.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 19, 2014 11:42 AM (zfY+H)


Well, speaking for myself, I am sort of wondering if it is being fitted for a nuke and stuff where it will go and/or if it can be stopped. Otherwise, am just sorry for the poor passengers and families who are dealing with this bs. I also like mysteries. I also detest (see: Benghazi) lack of information and the appearance of cover up. But whatevah.

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Bossy Redneck Queen at March 19, 2014 07:46 AM (baL2B)

209 196: From our perspective: it is an intriguing mystery to be solved. From the perspective of the MSM: anything to distract from ACA, Ukraine, and other miserable failures by the JEF.

Posted by: db at March 19, 2014 07:46 AM (+m7Zm)

210 If the ship hit the water there'd be a large debris field floating that would be visible for miles. ---- And maybe so, but the Indian Ocean is quite big. A debris field would be pretty scattered at this point. This makes it more difficult to see, but arguably gives you greater opportunity to encounter something by chance.

Posted by: SH at March 19, 2014 07:46 AM (gmeXX)

211 187 Evades Radar -- *Golf Clap*

Posted by: votermom at March 19, 2014 07:46 AM (GSIDW)

212 Why would they make it up? They live on an island in the Indian Ocean got a lot of time on their hands and have over active imaginations. As soon as I heard it I was doubtful. Posted by: Long Island well also, residents in that area have long been famous for watching the skies and especially for notifying neighbors of approaching aircraft with a signature greeting " the plane, the plane."

Posted by: yankeefifth at March 19, 2014 07:46 AM (rDidD)

213 "Woah! AtC's Twitter profile pic."

You're just NOW finding that thing?

70% of the Morons have it committed to memory.
20% of the Morons are blind.

10%.......

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 19, 2014 07:47 AM (si68n)

214 Short runway flight simulations for possible emergency landings are reasonably explained. It's his job. But the plane vanished. It's just a piece of information.

Posted by: Beagle at March 19, 2014 07:47 AM (sOtz/)

215 it might never be found.

Posted by: Judge Crater at March 19, 2014 07:47 AM (KHo8t)

216 1. A professional pilot uses the sim to practice unusual landings. Overall, while it could be nefarious it is mostly prudent for a man in his position.

2. The cockpit fire story falls apart when you realize there was no mayday. If as alleged, they flew on for some time there was more than adequate time to make that radio com. Also, that we have a select effort to systemically disengage ACARS, etc. does not support that theory.

They are either deep Indian Ocean CFIT/deliberate aircrew or in Iran.

Irrespective, there is an embarrassing lack of radar coverage in that region.

Posted by: Marcus T at March 19, 2014 07:47 AM (GGCsk)

217 197 Interesting on CNN one of the Pilots stated that the last transmission from the Co-Pilot he did not have his Oxygen mask on, If he had it on it makes a distinct sound because there is a mic in the mask. Posted by: Patrick from Ohio at March 19, 2014 11:43 AM (b6koZ) Unless the cabin depressurized, there would be no reason to be on oxygen. At least, that's they way we did it in the 918th.

Posted by: Gen. Frank Savage at March 19, 2014 07:48 AM (xKLu4)

218 of course new zealand has no air force.

Posted by: yankeefifth at March 19, 2014 07:48 AM (rDidD)

219 I just am puzzled by the cultural event this thing has become. Maybe because a 777 disappears with not a shred of evidence. Not on iota. Generally doesn't happen.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2014 07:48 AM (cB3Ay)

220

Did I hear correctly that Australia turns its radar off at night?

 

The Swiss turn off their Air Force on nights and weekends. 

 

Posted by: rd at March 19, 2014 07:48 AM (D+lxs)

221 And maybe so, but the Indian Ocean is quite big. A debris field would be pretty scattered at this point. ------ Yeah when that Air France flight went down a few years ago they found debris and bodies 50 miles apart after 5 days.

Posted by: Adam at March 19, 2014 07:49 AM (Aif/5)

222 Over at PPRuNe someone said that the last two pings came from the same location. Meaning = airframe not moving but operational.

Idk. Just some online forum. They probably don't know dick.

Posted by: Golfman in NC at March 19, 2014 07:49 AM (vVOWk)

223 Hijacking or crash, I'm pretty sure the passengers are all dead. This long and NOBODY has called anywhere? Even a call just on speakerphone so somebody might know what's going on? Honestly that makes me think "crash" more than anything else. Even of flight 93 they were able to call out.

Posted by: nnptcgrad at March 19, 2014 07:49 AM (WxCFH)

224 From the perspective of the MSM: anything to distract from ACA, Ukraine, and other miserable failures by the JEF. Posted by: db at March 19, 2014 11:46 AM (+m7Zm) very true

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 19, 2014 07:49 AM (IXrOn)

225 of course new zealand has no air force.

Kiwis are flightless.

Posted by: Waterhouse at March 19, 2014 07:49 AM (FrfNj)

226 General McInerney has quite the intel sources within the Beltway. You can go to the bank with his assessment.

Posted by: Deep Timber at March 19, 2014 07:49 AM (K5Csv)

227 The cockpit fire story falls apart when you realize there was no mayday --- I don't think it falls apart, but it can give you pause. What's great about this story is that there are so many pieces of information (some true and some speculative) that your mind can take you anywhere you want to go.

Posted by: SH at March 19, 2014 07:50 AM (gmeXX)

228
The one thing that that has been made stunningly clear is this: even in this day of ubiquitous and instant communications, a very large object can go missing without leaving much of a trace.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, We Be Bossy at March 19, 2014 11:18 AM (kXoT0)












Criss Angel's career comeback went horribly wrong.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at March 19, 2014 07:50 AM (TIIx5)

229 Paging Mr Waldo, Paging Mr Waldo, please report in. Your space is waiting @202 & @203

Posted by: The Barrel at March 19, 2014 07:50 AM (0FSuD)

230 Hey, here's a safe bet. Anything involving mohamadans will be dripping with lies, treachery, murder and just plain evil. Let this fact be your northstar. Remember this and you will not be far off if you plan accordingly.

Posted by: Erowmero at March 19, 2014 07:52 AM (1gcFZ)

231

These theories have been   hashed, rehashed, drawn, quartered, refried, twice baked and chewed over like a cow's cud.

 

What  we don't have  since it  went missing, is a   solid clue.

Posted by: Count de Monet at March 19, 2014 07:52 AM (BAS5M)

232 Personally, I practice aiming for landing strips regularly, though I am not opposed to landing on fully shaved or other styles.

Posted by: Damiano at March 19, 2014 07:52 AM (j0wOO)

233 Tom Cruise told me it was Xenu!

Posted by: Rosie O'besity at March 19, 2014 07:52 AM (MMC8r)

234 *shifty eyes* Hey! Anyone heard from Pixy lately? Hurrumph! I thought as much...

Posted by: Deety at March 19, 2014 07:52 AM (D8ONs)

235 What I find interesting is that normally such mysteries are local, in the vein of the the Lindbergh baby. I do not recall anything, ever, that held such world-wide interest. Amelia Earhart may be the closest, but doesn't compare. I am assuming here that there actually IS world-wide interest. Perhaps in Ukraine, they don't give a shit.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 19, 2014 07:52 AM (aDwsi)

236 The cockpit fire story falls apart when you realize there was no mayday Two months before Cinco de Quatro? Not surprising.

Posted by: garrett at March 19, 2014 07:53 AM (i7MRg)

237 ot but, Kudos to rdbrewer & co for the sidebar updates always a good job, there (I watched that Christie video on foxnation and really didn't know what to think of it)

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 19, 2014 07:54 AM (IXrOn)

238 Yeah when that Air France flight went down a few years ago they found debris and bodies 50 miles apart after 5 days. But they found something. 11 days later & not even a candy wrapper......

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2014 07:54 AM (cB3Ay)

239 I am amazed no one has offered a 777 for sale on ebay. I guess even idiots know that would be wrong? Shocked. Also, have the bookies in the UK started to make book on where the plane is?

Posted by: Nip Sip at March 19, 2014 07:54 AM (0FSuD)

240 I wouldn't want to be on a plane piloted by someone who wasn't familiar with the location of nearby runways that could be used in case of an emergency.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at March 19, 2014 07:54 AM (SY2Kh)

241 221
Did I hear correctly that Australia turns its radar off at night?

The Swiss turn off their Air Force on nights and weekends.
Posted by: rd at March 19, 2014 11:48 AM

So basically these countries are cutting their budgets on our backs? Why pay for radar when the USA has got it covered!

Posted by: Long Island at March 19, 2014 07:54 AM (7Nabg)

242 There's a fire in my cockpit.

Posted by: Sandra Fluke at March 19, 2014 07:54 AM (MMC8r)

243 The cockpit fire story falls apart when you realize there was no mayday --- May Day? Why that's the Russian New Year! We can have a big parade and serve hot hors d'oeuvres...

Posted by: Johnny at March 19, 2014 07:55 AM (APuJ7)

244 What we don't have since it went missing, is a solid clue. Posted by: Count de Monet -------------------- *Hands the Count a cue* Oh..., wait..., you said 'clue''. Never Mind.

Posted by: Emily Latella at March 19, 2014 07:55 AM (aDwsi)

245 In the tin-foil category - I've been assuming the Malaysian govt is just incompetent, like a lot of govts, but now I'm starting to wonder, if it is a hi-jacking, whether there are infiltrators in there screwing up the investigation.

Posted by: votermom at March 19, 2014 07:55 AM (GSIDW)

246 237 The cockpit fire story falls apart when you realize there was no mayday Hard to give a mayday call without a radio.

Posted by: Nip Sip at March 19, 2014 07:55 AM (0FSuD)

247 As long as everybody is spinning yarns, it seems reasonable that somebody on or near the Indian Ocean tracking an inbound bogey may have shot it down out of necessity. 

I guess the question would then be, would a ten day misdirection be sufficient for a clandestine clean-up?

Posted by: Fritz at March 19, 2014 07:55 AM (UzPAd)

248 I am amazed no one has offered a 777 for sale on ebay. I guess even idiots know that would be wrong? Shocked. Also, have the bookies in the UK started to make book on where the plane is? Posted by: Nip Sip uh, if you were paying attention you would have noticed it went missing in the southern hemispher so up here you should be looking for a LLL.

Posted by: yankeefifth at March 19, 2014 07:56 AM (rDidD)

249 243 There's a fire in my cockpit. Posted by: Sandra Fluke at March 19, 2014 11:54 AM (MMC8r) It just feels like a fire, it's really gonorrhea. That shit will burn(so Ive been told).

Posted by: Nip Sip at March 19, 2014 07:57 AM (0FSuD)

250 Posted by: Marcus T at March 19, 2014 11:47 AM (GGCsk) Electrical fire.... when you start melting power buses things get really hinky (as some breakers pop, some do not)... some things go dark... some do not... Not a 777 guy... just an old US Navy Electronics type... but with bleedover from Communication systems (cell phones) being a known issue, it would seem prudent to put Com Systems and Flight Control systems on separate power buses...

Posted by: Romeo13 at March 19, 2014 07:57 AM (84gbM)

251 As a pilot for a major airline, allow me to opine: Bottom line, it comes down to stewardesses doing their damn jobs. I can't tell you how many time I've come out of the cockpit to get a cup of the brown water those women call coffee, only to find people squatting down around the emergency door, throwing dice. Where are the crew members? Trying to find the play button on the video player. I've got about ten thousand switches, knobs, dials, levers, blinking lights up there, and they can't find the play button. Some flights I jolt the plane up and down just to get people in their seats because the stewardesses apparently turned on the over-head "Discotheque" sign. And I've got the FAA riding MY ASS when the towers of passing airports see the strobe lights and loose tighty whities somehow stuck to the passenger windows. Get some flight crew members that do their jobs and don't let these airplanes turn into a 600,000 lb caged zoo, and these poor captains wont want to just aim for the second star on the right and go straight on till morning.

Posted by: Art Griego at March 19, 2014 07:57 AM (OcRPH)

252 This story creeps me out.

Posted by: Rod Serling at March 19, 2014 07:57 AM (MMC8r)

253 224 Hijacking or crash, I'm pretty sure the passengers are all dead. This long and NOBODY has called anywhere? Even a call just on speakerphone so somebody might know what's going on? Honestly that makes me think "crash" more than anything else. Even of flight 93 they were able to call out. Posted by: nnptcgrad at March 19, 2014 11:49 AM (WxCFH) ------------ This^^. I work for a large cell phone company - it makes no sense that if the passengers were alive and awake that they couldn't have made a call or sent a text. Yes, it's possible that terrorists could have taken all the phones from the passengers, but is it likely they would have searched all 220 passengers one at a time to make sure they got all the phones? Couldn't one of the passengers have hidden their phone in a seat-back and later used it to send a text message? Only if they were alive. The BS I've read online about how cell phones can't make a call from an airplane high up in the sky anymore like the old days - that's pure BS - don't believe it.

Posted by: Stay out da Bushes at March 19, 2014 07:57 AM (uRumV)

254 One thing I think about:  When national governments issue a torrent of misleading information, intentionally or not,  something pretty damn serious took place 11 days ago.  This is a unique situation, beyond simple face-saving by the Malaysian Government.  Even the PRC isn't playing this one straight.

Posted by: mrp at March 19, 2014 07:57 AM (JBggj)

255 211 If the ship hit the water there'd be a large debris field floating that would be visible for miles. ---- And maybe so, but the Indian Ocean is quite big. A debris field would be pretty scattered at this point. This makes it more difficult to see, but arguably gives you greater opportunity to encounter something by chance. Posted by: SH at March 19, 2014 11:46 AM (gmeXX) Not according to the command pilot who Rush interviewed yesterday. He said that at 600MPH, the debris field would consist of nothing but pieces of wreckage the size of your thumb. And after 7 hours, all the fuel would be exhausted so no oil slick. And now it's 12 days later.

Posted by: J.J. Sefton at March 19, 2014 07:58 AM (olDqf)

256 Kiwis are flightless. Laden or unladen?

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit[/i][/u][/b][/s] at March 19, 2014 07:58 AM (0HooB)

257 Another difference with this one is that we don't know, to within six or seven hours really, when it went down. Other disasters, one could make a good guess if not have exact data. I guess the conventional wisdom is that it did stay up for hours and hours after last contact, it's engine pinging away, but do we know that? Many of the "facts" we've been presented with have become un-facts within the next 24 hours.

Posted by: Lincolntf at March 19, 2014 07:58 AM (ZshNr)

258 240 I am amazed no one has offered a 777 for sale on ebay. I guess even idiots know that would be wrong? Shocked. Also, have the bookies in the UK started to make book on where the plane is? Posted by: Nip Sip at March 19, 2014 11:54 AM (0FSuD) 1999 BOEING 777-200ER For Sale - $35,000,000, 57945 TT; IFR; 324 Seats; Lowest price Boeing 777-200ER in the world;

Posted by: RWC at March 19, 2014 07:59 AM (fWAjv)

259 I just realized something: I haven't heard Obama running his mouth about this yet. That's unusual for him.

Posted by: rickl at March 19, 2014 07:59 AM (zoehZ)

260 switches, knobs, dials, levers, blinking lights ---- We've all got our switches, lights, and knobs to deal with.

Posted by: Murdock at March 19, 2014 07:59 AM (gmeXX)

261

In personal news, I'd like to give  a hearty FU to the spammer who wrote the virus that infects your gmail account and sends spam  out to your contact list.  May there be an unpeeled pineapple in your colon's near future.

Posted by: Count de Monet at March 19, 2014 08:00 AM (BAS5M)

262 260 I just realized something: I haven't heard Obama running his mouth about this yet. That's unusual for him.

Posted by: rickl at March 19, 2014 11:59 AM (zoehZ)

 

There's no photo-op potential in it.

Posted by: Insomniac at March 19, 2014 08:00 AM (DrWcr)

263 Wait.... I know.... we need to Anthony 'Tony' Blake.... You know... the Magician? oh crap.... Bill Bixbys dead....

Posted by: Romeo13 at March 19, 2014 08:00 AM (84gbM)

264 Posted by: Art Griego at March 19, 2014 11:57 AM (OcRPH) ...

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 19, 2014 08:01 AM (IXrOn)

265 It's not odd at all that passengers didn't make any calls. Many possible reasons for that -- range, interference, etc. Not a lot cell phone towers in the ocean.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at March 19, 2014 08:01 AM (ZPrif)

266  Apparently if the plotters behind the pilot(s) wanted to pick a pilot, they sure got a good one with the experience the Captain has/had...

Posted by: Baldy at March 19, 2014 08:01 AM (2bql3)

267 255 One thing I think about: When national governments issue a torrent of misleading information, intentionally or not, something pretty damn serious took place 11 days ago. This is a unique situation, beyond simple face-saving by the Malaysian Government. Even the PRC isn't playing this one straight.

Posted by: mrp at March 19, 2014 11:57 AM (JBggj)


What's the one thing that will scare the living shit out of every government on the planet? A nuke. (Sleep tight!)

Posted by: joncelli at March 19, 2014 08:01 AM (RD7QR)

268 I just realized something: I haven't heard Obama running his mouth about this yet. That's unusual for him.
Posted by: rickl at March 19, 2014 11:59 AM (zoehZ)

He's gonna pardon OJ and have him look for it while he's looking for Nicole's killer.

Posted by: Bruce at March 19, 2014 08:02 AM (igJW1)

269 This^^. I work for a large cell phone company - it makes no sense that if the passengers were alive and awake that they couldn't have made a call or sent a text. ---------------------- And what is the range of a typical cell phone? Maybe 25 miles?

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 19, 2014 08:02 AM (aDwsi)

270 I have heard from experts that debris floats for a short or long time and sinks or not. I can't even get debris physics and hydrodynamics nailed down.

Posted by: Beagle at March 19, 2014 08:03 AM (sOtz/)

271 122 93 My take is pretty much what I started with: Somebody with a lot of money wanted something aboard that plane. Posted by: mrp at March 19, 2014 11:20 AM (JBggj) Dr. Pavel refused our offer in favor of theirs; we had to find out what he told them.

Posted by: Bane at March 19, 2014 08:03 AM (X866z)

272 And what is the range of a typical cell phone? Maybe 25 miles? Posted by: Mike well you can send you just are unable to receive.

Posted by: yankeefifth at March 19, 2014 08:03 AM (rDidD)

273 253 This story creeps me out. Watch this shit. This is a 60's twilight zone episode, watch the first one first, the kicker is in the second one. You must watch it too. http://tinyurl.com/kh33zzd http://tinyurl.com/kevqtkg

Posted by: Nip Sip at March 19, 2014 08:03 AM (0FSuD)

274 And what is the range of a typical cell phone? Maybe 25 miles? Laden or unladen?

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit[/i][/u][/b][/s] at March 19, 2014 08:03 AM (0HooB)

275 You mean the cable news heads talking about this endlessly 24/7 hasn't solved anything yet?

Posted by: wth at March 19, 2014 08:03 AM (wAQA5)

276 Meanwhile, in Houston, Texas. Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door. Weasel Zippers ‏@weaselzippers Texas: Principal Fired For Insisting Students Speak EnglishÂ… http://shar.es/RQVsd via @WeaselZippers

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at March 19, 2014 08:03 AM (ZPrif)

277 What's the one thing that will scare the living shit out of every government on the planet? A nuke. Then why isn't Iran a smoking crater yet?

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2014 08:04 AM (cB3Ay)

278 And what is the range of a typical cell phone? Maybe 25 miles? Not on the Sprint network......

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2014 08:04 AM (cB3Ay)

279 Driving to thousand meter runways on a homebuilt Rube Goldberg flight simulator would not help train you to land on short runways. At worst, you'd need a real flight simulator for that. At best, you would need to practice it in real life with a real airplane, working your way up from a light plane to an airliner. I'm not seeing anything on this home sim that tells us anything about the missing B777. Everyone is stretching what few facts there are to fit their particular crazy conspiracy theory.

Posted by: Tantor at March 19, 2014 08:04 AM (659DL)

280 275 And what is the range of a typical cell phone? Maybe 25 miles?

Laden or unladen?

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at March 19, 2014 12:03 PM

 

What do you mean?  African or European?

Posted by: Insomniac at March 19, 2014 08:05 AM (DrWcr)

281 You mean the cable news heads talking about this endlessly 24/7 hasn't solved anything yet? Posted by: wth

Time to bring Piers Morgan back!

Posted by: Bruce at March 19, 2014 08:05 AM (igJW1)

282 I sure hope Gen McInerney is not channelling Pierre Salinger (with his papers printed from the internet about TWA 800).

Posted by: Baldy at March 19, 2014 08:05 AM (2bql3)

283 The BS I've read online about how cell phones can't make a call from an airplane high up in the sky anymore like the old days - that's pure BS - don't believe it. Posted by: Stay out da Bushes --------------- Well, 'high in the sky' is perhaps 6 miles. The question is, what is the range of a cell phone. Answer : Not much

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 19, 2014 08:05 AM (aDwsi)

284 In unrelated news, David Rockefeller's undigested remains discovered amongst a tribe of cannibals in New Guinea.

Posted by: Fritz at March 19, 2014 08:05 AM (UzPAd)

285 Sean gets a pilots license and all of a sudden he's an aviation expert. If he says the black box is really orange one more time I'll kick in the speakers.

Pilots are always looking for a place to land. Why would it be remotely surprising that the guy would have practiced scenarios of emergency landings on his common route?

Posted by: Clutch Cargo at March 19, 2014 08:05 AM (pgQxn)

286 I've believed for a while that somebody knows what happened, and there could be a variety of reasons why we're not being told.

Posted by: rickl at March 19, 2014 08:06 AM (zoehZ)

287 277 Meanwhile, in Houston, Texas. Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door. Weasel Zippers ‏@weaselzippers Texas: Principal Fired For Insisting Students Speak EnglishÂ… http://shar.es/RQVsd via @WeaselZippers Posted by: Flatbush Joe at March 19, 2014 12:03 PM (ZPrif) It reminds me of that great teacher that was almost fired and severely reprimanded for telling some bitchy kid that if he didn't like it here, to go back to Mexico.

Posted by: Zombie Pug at March 19, 2014 08:06 AM (r7mtu)

288 Art Griego @252

If you're a 777 driver I'll eat my hat.  The strangest thing has happened recently.  They're actually hiring male FLIGHT attendants.

You're an MCP and nothing you posted is helpful.

Posted by: creeper at March 19, 2014 08:06 AM (WDGsE)

289 It's you Americans' savage gun culture that brought this plane down!

Posted by: Piers Morgan at March 19, 2014 08:06 AM (DrWcr)

290 Obviously we don't know what happened, but the fact that no SOS or commotion or sign of a problem from the Pilots makes this extremely suspicious that it was some mechanical failure..Of course the "ghost" flight scenario is plausible too. We just don't have enough info.... I bet somebody does...

Posted by: hello, it's me also a creep-assed cracka.. at March 19, 2014 08:06 AM (9+ccr)

291 And what is the range of a typical cell phone? Maybe 25 miles? Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 19, 2014 12:02 PM (aDwsi) ---------------- No. From 25 thousand feet it's much further. Also, if someone entered a text message in their phone and hit send, that phone would keep trying to send that message until it ran out of battery. So, if those phone(s) ever reach coverage, or fly over coverage, that message will be sent. As far as we know, no text messages or voicemails have been received from any of the passengers. Which, to me, means they were all killed or incapacitated almost instantly.

Posted by: Stay out da Bushes at March 19, 2014 08:07 AM (uRumV)

292 And what is the range of a typical cell phone? Maybe 25 miles? Laden or unladen? Posted by: BackwardsBoy ----------------- *chuckle*

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 19, 2014 08:07 AM (aDwsi)

293 Five Runways Located Around the Indian Ocean Found on Flight 370 Captain's Flight Simulator

 

****

 

I used to have a golf simulator program (er...game)  on my computer. Had a version of Pebble Beach.  Doesn't mean I'm going to play in the U.S. Open. 

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon at March 19, 2014 08:08 AM (lHb9q)

294 I guess that is good, but I'm not sure why that wouldn't have been your first inclination from the start, Occam's Razor and all.

Posted by: SH at March 19, 2014 11:09 AM (gmeXX)

==========

It probably would have been, but with Putin eating the JEF's lunch in the Ukraine for the past three weeks the MFM needed SOMETHING to put out there to divert attention:

You want the facts

You'll settle for informed speculation

You'll get orchestrated distraction.

Posted by: Nighthawk at March 19, 2014 08:08 AM (OtQXp)

295 Nor at Diego Garcia, where quite a few American servicemen might offer them a welcome warm as gunfire.

Hey? Didn't an UFO lad at a US Base in Great Britain?  That went off with out a hitch...I think that where we got Velcro.

Posted by: Paladin at March 19, 2014 08:09 AM (YNPwP)

296 throwing dice --- What kind of flights are these. I've never seen a craps game break out. But sounds like fun.

Posted by: SH at March 19, 2014 08:09 AM (gmeXX)

297 >>>The strangest thing has happened recently. They're actually hiring male FLIGHT attendants. you gotta be kidding. are they gay dudes?

Posted by: X at March 19, 2014 08:09 AM (KHo8t)

298 What???? you released one of the New Improved Laser Sharks into the Ocean??? And just where was the Yacht when it got loose???? /facepalm....

Posted by: Dr. Evil at March 19, 2014 08:09 AM (84gbM)

299 Yeah when that Air France flight went down a few years ago they found debris and bodies 50 miles apart after 5 days. - Amos White was the Luggage man, and dearly loved his job. The company rewarded him, with a golden watch and fob. Well Amos he was workin' time when the door blew off his car. The found Amos White in fifteen pieces Fifteen miles apart. Somebody robbed the Malayan plane This mornin' at half past nine Somebody robbed the Malayan plane And I swear, I ain't lyin' They made clean off with sixteen gee's And left many men men lyin' cold Somebody robbed the Malayan plane And they made off with the gold

Posted by: WalrusRex at March 19, 2014 08:09 AM (Hx5uv)

300 also, having an accident in a time zone 12 hours away really messes up information sharing. you never know what is new and what is old. news shows call everything breaking because it is their hour even though everything happened hours ago. add in the malaysians back and forth answers.

Posted by: yankeefifth at March 19, 2014 08:10 AM (rDidD)

301 No. From 25 thousand feet it's much further. Really? Then why does my phone go from 5 bars on the ground to three bars on the 20th floor in one of the heaviest covered areas of Dallas?

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2014 08:10 AM (cB3Ay)

302 250 243 There's a fire in my cockpit.

Posted by: Sandra Fluke at March 19, 2014 11:54 AM (MMC8r)

It just feels like a fire, it's really gonorrhea.

That shit will burn(so Ive been told).

Posted by: Nip Sip at March 19, 2014 11:57 AM (0FSuD)


I can count on this blog to make me laugh even if the 777 is landing on my roof right now.


I did obtain a new fancy Singer sewing machine that just arrived. For once I am going to watch the DVD and read the manual as it looks like the cockpit of a 777 simulator so far. I am one who never reads directions. As it is computerized I figure I can plug in the program, "Make two suits for your elderly mother toot sweet" before she arrives on April Fool's Day to a hoax to get her to fly here. I am in big trouble. Please let this machine work faster than my granny's machine who did not like me.


Considering this baby threads herself I think I need to sign off the mystery of the missing plane series and read directions. Those of you cheering, bite moi.

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Bossy Redneck Queen at March 19, 2014 08:10 AM (baL2B)

303 >>What's great about this story is that there are so many pieces of information (some true and some speculative) that your mind can take you anywhere you want to go. <<

The real answer lies in sequencing events. But since the Keystone Cops are apparently handing out information to their dumber cousins in the media- that makes it harder.

That said, you don't sequentially disable on-board systems, head towards an emergency landing, miss that landing and fly on for some time without some attempt at signaling.

The only potential exception is a quick fire that sequentially disable various system, pilots program in for emergency landing, pilots become disabled at some point (and passengers...no texts, no calls???), then flies on autopilot trajectory beyond emergency airport and into the deep Indian Ocean (everybody disabled).

The biggest problem with any crash theory is the lack of debris. Anywhere.

Posted by: Marcus T at March 19, 2014 08:10 AM (GGCsk)

304 Put me in the paranoid camp. The amount of misdirection being thrown around, and the refusal to give certain specifics like how much fuel was on the plane when it took off, suggests that governments are trying to smokescreen what they do know. Presumably that means somebody does know about (if not exactly) where the plane is, that a response is being planned, and that there is cause for alarm.

Posted by: Piercello at March 19, 2014 08:10 AM (jJ97i)

305 If simulators are not used for practical flight (and other) training there are a lot of governments wasting billions on video games.

Posted by: Beagle at March 19, 2014 08:11 AM (sOtz/)

306 283 I sure hope Gen McInerney is not channelling Pierre Salinger (with his papers printed from the internet about TWA 800).

******

I enjoyed Catcher in the Rye, but I'm not sure a dated, '50s-era bit about an emotionally disturbed rich kid is terribly relevant anymore, if it ever was.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at March 19, 2014 08:11 AM (vgIRn)

307 Art Griego knows his shit. He's legit.

Posted by: Phil Hendrie at March 19, 2014 08:12 AM (ZPrif)

308 Cell phones in a plane rarely work even in a cell intense area like USA. The plane is metal. There are no cell towers in the ocean. If the plane crossed land, it probably was late in the evening and everyone was dead or asleep. Asians are very obedient, when told to do something, they do. All the cell phones were off. That is all.

Posted by: Nip Sip at March 19, 2014 08:12 AM (0FSuD)

309 oh crap.... Bill Bixbys dead.... - Just don't make him mad. You wouldn't like him when he's mad.

Posted by: WalrusRex at March 19, 2014 08:13 AM (Hx5uv)

310 It's crashed, at the bottom of the ocean.

Posted by: @JohnTant at March 19, 2014 08:13 AM (eytER)

311 I suppose there still exists one good outcome. That the plane was hijacked and landed and the next report we hear will be about a firefight/rescue in some shithole corner of the world. I'll keep hoping for that while sifting through the mounds of non-info.

Posted by: Lincolntf at March 19, 2014 08:14 AM (ZshNr)

312 Asians are very obedient, when told to do something, they do.


Fuck you, roundeye muthafucka!!!


Posted by: Kim Jong Un at March 19, 2014 08:14 AM (GQ8sn)

313 No. From 25 thousand feet it's much further. ---------------------------- Really? I expect the average transmitter power of a cell phone to be around 0.75W. Put that inside of an aluminum tube, sundry other metal and other material stuff surrounding it, I would be surprised if you could get 25 miles out of it. Feel free to offer evidence of greater range. So the question would be (assuming passengers not incapacitated) were they *ever* within that distance of a cell tower?

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 19, 2014 08:14 AM (aDwsi)

314 To add; fire destroys cabin pressurization and disables all at some point (either at 45 AGL or above 25).

Then maybe. But again it's sequence.

Posted by: Marcus T at March 19, 2014 08:14 AM (GGCsk)

315 Between the Sing 68 radar from India and intercepted comms between the 777 and Pakistan location we can see why the U.S. is being quiet for now while our options (diplomatic and military are weighed).

Posted by: Deep Timber at March 19, 2014 08:15 AM (Jelfu)

316 I wonder if anything else is going on in the whole wide world? Is this just a shiny object ploy?

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2014 08:15 AM (BJuep)

317 Art Griego knows his shit. He's legit. Posted by: Phil Hendrie at March 19, 2014 12:12 PM (ZPrif) I thought it was mary cloggenstein.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 19, 2014 08:15 AM (IXrOn)

318 312 Praying that happens.

Posted by: votermom at March 19, 2014 08:15 AM (GSIDW)

319 Will someone get this damn piece of junk OFF MY LAWN!!! Damn kids....

Posted by: Neptune, looking at his ruined Kelp bed at March 19, 2014 08:15 AM (84gbM)

320 I can put this baby down in a Wal-Mart parking lot without hitting a fat person on a scooter.

Posted by: Ted Stryker at March 19, 2014 11:02 AM (SG5Lw)


I just force a mutant to do it for me, and then I kill them.

Posted by: William Stryker[/i][/b][/i][/b][/s][/s] at March 19, 2014 08:15 AM (P7Wsr)

321 “White House equities” exception

Posted by: Fox Mulder at March 19, 2014 08:16 AM (e8kgV)

322 Cell phone range: http://www.datasync.com/~rsf1/cell-air.htm

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 19, 2014 08:16 AM (aDwsi)

323 All those guys talking about how you can't make cell phone calls at 35k feet in the middle of an ocean -- fucking liars. Bullshit. I'm a fucking expert. Truth is, the higher you get and the further you are from a cell phone tower -- the more powerful your cell phone gets. It's like how the Hulk gets stronger the angrier he gets. Don't listen to their bullshit. The typical cell phone can make calls from fuckin outer space. Fact.

Posted by: Franch Dressing at March 19, 2014 08:16 AM (ZPrif)

324 Guess we'll find out when it becomes "convenient" to the story....Maybe...

Posted by: Hello it's me Donna and I know nuthink! at March 19, 2014 08:17 AM (9+ccr)

325 Asians are very obedient, when told to do something, they do. Fuck you, roundeye muthafucka!!! Posted by: Kim Jong Un Lighten up Francis.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2014 08:17 AM (cB3Ay)

326 Right now there is a barge moving from Iran to the deep Indian Ocean with a large tarp over some big scraps of metal. It's the one with the guy whistling and looking at the sky.

His bosses thought it was a good idea in theory to steal a 777. Now, not so much. So they are dumping the evidence.

Posted by: Marcus T at March 19, 2014 08:17 AM (GGCsk)

327 Asians are very obedient, when told to do something, they do. -- Masters of the art of passive aggression.

Posted by: votermom at March 19, 2014 08:17 AM (GSIDW)

328 Speaking of flight simulators, I've flown a US Air 737 simulator. They had a couple in CLT, costs millions, on big shock pipes. The old ones you could only fly with a night screen. It was cool as shit. They can program in rain, rough runway, etc. You sit in a real cockpit and the damn thing moves as you move the plane. We practiced landing in DC, which is a tough one, down the Potomac. I crashed into the Washington Monument. Good times.

Posted by: Nip Sip at March 19, 2014 08:18 AM (0FSuD)

329 Look, I don't know about all this fuckin bullshit you guys talkin about transmitter power or these fuckin FairyGay cages metal tube bullshit. Look, I work at the fuckin Verizon kiosk in the mall, I know my cell phone shit and these things can make calls from the motherfucking moon. Trust me.

Posted by: Franch Dressing at March 19, 2014 08:19 AM (ZPrif)

330 >>Cell phone range: <<

Wow science and facts. Great stuff.

Posted by: Marcus T at March 19, 2014 08:19 AM (GGCsk)

331 The missing jet had wi-fi available for business class and a SatCom link.

Posted by: mrp at March 19, 2014 08:20 AM (JBggj)

332 The comedy is finished. http://tinyurl.com/mlhbsdc

Posted by: WalrusRex at March 19, 2014 08:20 AM (Hx5uv)

333 I crashed into the Washington Monument. Good times. -- Next time aim for Harry Reid's office.

Posted by: votermom at March 19, 2014 08:20 AM (GSIDW)

334 @323 Nice link. Data is for 8,000 Ft altitude. Plane was at FIVE times that altitude, 40,000 ft More distance, less reception.

Posted by: Nip Sip at March 19, 2014 08:20 AM (0FSuD)

335 308 Art Griego knows his shit. He's legit**************************

If he's legit he knows the term "stewardess" went out the window twenty years ago.

Either way, he's a misogynist whose comment was neither amusing nor constructive.


Posted by: creeper at March 19, 2014 08:21 AM (WDGsE)

336 331 >>Cell phone range: << Wow science and facts. Great stuff. Posted by: Marcus T at March 19, 2014 12:19 PM (GGCsk) If they just made a battery that didn't need constant charging. Science.

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2014 08:21 AM (BJuep)

337 316 I wonder if anything else is going on in the whole wide world? Is this just a shiny object ploy?

***

Huh? What?

Posted by: Ukraine at March 19, 2014 08:21 AM (vgIRn)

338 If you're a 777 driver I'll eat my hat. The strangest thing has happened recently. They're actually hiring male FLIGHT attendants. You're an MCP and nothing you posted is helpful. Posted by: creeper at March 19, 2014 12:06 PM (WDGsE) -------- Funny you should mention that. After flying into a west coast city last week, I was saying the customary goodbye to the passengers. One walked up to me (as the ground crew was training a fire extinguisher on a smoldering seat where someone had apparently been using a gas powered wok) and asked if there was some sort of "God-damned law" that prohibited airlines from hiring "flight attendants with chests." So thanks for proving my point, I guess.

Posted by: Art Griego at March 19, 2014 08:21 AM (OcRPH)

339 Did you ever wonder why No One located and sea-exumed Osama's corpse?

Posted by: soothsayer at March 19, 2014 08:22 AM (QuTMi)

340 FBI has his computer its at Quantico now

Posted by: thunderb at March 19, 2014 08:22 AM (zOTsN)

341 Honestly. I feel terrible for the families. This investigation is being run by a circus of idiots in a region that is an embarrassment.

Posted by: Marcus T at March 19, 2014 08:22 AM (GGCsk)

342 338 316 I wonder if anything else is going on in the whole wide world? Is this just a shiny object ploy? *** Huh? What? Posted by: Ukraine at March 19, 2014 12:21 PM (vgIRn) "Never let a good crisis go to waste".

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2014 08:23 AM (BJuep)

343 Masters of the art of passive aggression.

Some moronette told a story where they were trying to get into a changing room and a smiling and apologetic Asian woman kept stepping into her way.  Eventually the moronette had to aggressively step around her to go into the changing room.

Posted by: William Stryker[/i][/b][/i][/b][/s][/s] at March 19, 2014 08:23 AM (P7Wsr)

344 I feel better that the pilots computers are at Quantico and with the FBI and no doubt the NSA they are very good at this

Posted by: thunderb at March 19, 2014 08:23 AM (zOTsN)

345 This investigation is being run by a circus of idiots in a region that is an embarrassment. They're running it out of the White House?

Posted by: grammie winger at March 19, 2014 08:23 AM (oMKp3)

346 Posted by: Nip Sip at March 19, 2014 12:18 PM (0FSuD) In the late 60's, early 70's, my Uncle ran the B-52 flight simulators at Castle Air Force Base (SAC base in Merced CA)... Was very very cool for their day...

Posted by: Neptune, looking at his ruined Kelp bed at March 19, 2014 08:24 AM (84gbM)

347 maybe this is all some big comeback gig for doug henning?

Posted by: yankeefifth at March 19, 2014 08:24 AM (rDidD)

348 308 Art Griego knows his shit. He's legit. Posted by: Phil Hendrie at March 19, 2014 12:12 PM (ZPrif ------- Thanks Phil.

Posted by: Art Griego at March 19, 2014 08:24 AM (OcRPH)

349 Either way, he's a misogynist whose comment was neither amusing nor constructive. Posted by: creeper at March 19, 2014 12:21 PM (WDGsE) Is that you Sandra?

Posted by: Nip Sip at March 19, 2014 08:24 AM (0FSuD)

350 >>Either way, he's a misogynist whose comment was neither amusing nor constructive.<<

Since when is that not allowed around here? I thought it was protocol.

Posted by: Marcus T at March 19, 2014 08:24 AM (GGCsk)

351 Did you ever wonder why No One located and sea-exumed Osama's corpse? Because it's not where they claim it is?

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2014 08:24 AM (cB3Ay)

352 Art Griego is a fucking sock. I know, because I'm one.

Posted by: Rod Serling at March 19, 2014 08:24 AM (MMC8r)

353 Five Runaways? There were only four--Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Jackie Fox and Cherie  Currie. Well,  Sandy West. So that makes 5. "Cherry Bomb" is a good song.

Posted by: JoeyBagels at March 19, 2014 08:25 AM (Efmab)

354 Maybe Xenu's back.  Instead of 727s, he's going to take us away on 777s.  In flight movie--Fried Green Tomatoes. 

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at March 19, 2014 08:25 AM (Ec6wH)

355 352 Did you ever wonder why No One located and sea-exumed Osama's corpse? And the pictures were destroyed?

Posted by: Hello it's me Donna and I know nuthink! at March 19, 2014 08:25 AM (9+ccr)

356 Not that it matters, but: The recommended minimum runway length for landing a 777-200 is 5600 feet. http://tinyurl.com/nkhzzbh Considering that distance is in compliance with FAR 25 and FAR 121, the aircraft in question must be able to land on 60% of the effective runway. That brings the distance of what the plane actually needs to 3360 feet. This distance is also computed with the plane crossing the threshold at 50 feet above the runway. Also, the stopping distance is based on performance testing using only the brakes, flaps and spoilers/speed brakes - without reverse thrust. So, you can see that if a pilot with 18,000 hours experience in the service of Allah comes in low and slow and hits the runway reasonably at the beginning and uses reverse thrusters along with standing on the brakes, a 777 can be landed on a runway considerably shorter than the factory recommended length.

Posted by: jwest at March 19, 2014 08:25 AM (u2a4R)

357 "125 How does McInerney know any of these things? Like the plane communicating via VHF?" --- He pulls it out of his ass, like just about everyone else thrown up on your TV screen.

Posted by: ThisBeingMilt at March 19, 2014 08:26 AM (7mQyC)

358 Alls I know is that Osama's corpse would be quite a prize.

Posted by: soothsayer at March 19, 2014 08:26 AM (QuTMi)

359 General Thomas McInerney > Pierre Salinger. As one who has a mutual friend with McInerney I can tell you he's not one speak or speculate without facts. You'd be hard pressed to find a military member with better intel sources in DC than him.

Posted by: Deep Timber at March 19, 2014 08:26 AM (Rb9kQ)

360 Hmmm..... I submit we start an Internet Petition... To get Penn and Teller to be put in charge of this case.... Intelligent.. Used to seeing through obfuscation... and not big supporters of Big Government... And would be able to quickly tell us what is BULLSHIT, and what is not...

Posted by: Romeo13 at March 19, 2014 08:26 AM (84gbM)

361 Anybody seen Bolder Toilet Hobo lately?

http://preview.tinyurl.com/nxota33

Posted by: flounder at March 19, 2014 08:26 AM (Kkt/i)

362 Did you ever wonder why No One located and sea-exumed Osama's corpse?

Posted by: soothsayer at March 19, 2014 12:22 PM (QuTMi)
=======

I hope it's because the crew of the Truman dumped it into the Mother of All Chum Slicks and it is now nothing but shark shit all over the bottom of the Indian Ocean.

Posted by: Nighthawk at March 19, 2014 08:26 AM (OtQXp)

363 >>Alls I know is that Osama's corpse would be quite a prize. <<

I would put it on eBay.

Posted by: Marcus T at March 19, 2014 08:27 AM (GGCsk)

364 So the question would be (assuming passengers not incapacitated) were they *ever* within that distance of a cell tower? Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 19, 2014 12:14 PM (aDwsi) ---------- Yes, that's what I'm saying - the plane most likely went down in the ocean - and rather quickly. Cell phones can radiate about 1 watt of power. However they rarely ever use that much power unless they are very far away from the closest cell tower. The cellular system and phones in use to today are the most sophisticated and highly engineered electronic devices on the planet. The cellular system, phones and protocols are designed to do everything possible to complete and maintain a call or complete a text message transaction with the network. Yes, the cellular system today is different and better than it was 15 years ago. Many improvements have been made. The antennas in use on the cell towers tend to concentrate the signals closer to the ground to provide better coverage. However, the antennas are not perfect - they are still capable of receiving and recovering signals from any direction.

Posted by: Stay out da Bushes at March 19, 2014 08:27 AM (uRumV)

365 358 "125 How does McInerney know any of these things? Like the plane communicating via VHF?" --- He pulls it out of his ass, like just about everyone else thrown up on your TV screen. Yeah, but this is a strong accusation... Out of left field... Either he knows something or he's gone daft...

Posted by: Hello it's me Donna and I know nuthink! at March 19, 2014 08:27 AM (9+ccr)

366 This is the perfect story for the 21st century media. They can go to any number of technical experts. They can get realtime, erroneous interviews with national authorities from a dozen countries. They can run corrections and retractions as breaking news. It doesn't have any political implications back home and it can drown out a lot of embarrassing stories that do have political implications. I doubt if the Hearst papers would have got even a week out of PLANE STILL LOST stories. We've come a long way.

Posted by: Chris_Balsz at March 19, 2014 08:28 AM (5xmd7)

367 So, you can see that if a pilot with 18,000 hours experience in the service of Allah comes in low and slow and hits the runway reasonably at the beginning and uses reverse thrusters along with standing on the brakes, a 777 can be landed on a runway considerably shorter than the factory recommended length. Concrete or sand?

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2014 08:28 AM (cB3Ay)

368 So, you can see that if a pilot with 18,000 hours experience in the service of Allah comes in low and slow and hits the runway reasonably at the beginning and uses reverse thrusters along with standing on the brakes, a 777 can be landed on a runway considerably shorter than the factory recommended length. Posted by: jwest at March 19, 2014 12:25 PM (u2a4R) True, but to what point? Try taking that sucker off on that runway.

Posted by: Nip Sip at March 19, 2014 08:28 AM (0FSuD)

369 Some moronette told a story where they were trying to get into a changing room and a smiling and apologetic Asian woman kept stepping into her way. Eventually the moronette had to aggressively step around her to go into the changing room. -- Thick-skinned gwailo can't take a hint.

Posted by: smiling apologetic Asian woman at March 19, 2014 08:28 AM (GSIDW)

370 >>125 How does McInerney know any of these things? Like the plane communicating via VHF?" ---

He pulls it out of his ass, like just about everyone else thrown up on your TV screen.<<

Yea. What does an Air Force General with something like over 4,000 flying hours know anyway?

Posted by: Marcus T at March 19, 2014 08:29 AM (GGCsk)

371 We can't say stewardess now?

Posted by: Adam at March 19, 2014 08:29 AM (Aif/5)

372 That brings the distance of what the plane actually needs to 3360 feet. o.O

Posted by: 98ZJUSMC Rounding Error Extraordinaire at March 19, 2014 08:30 AM (xKLu4)

373 We can't say stewardess now? Posted by: Adam at March 19, 2014 12:29 PM
==
Nope.  Try "stew" instead.

Posted by: mrp at March 19, 2014 08:30 AM (JBggj)

374 stewardess stewardess stewardess *looks around - nope, no pretzels and no tomato juice*

Posted by: votermom at March 19, 2014 08:31 AM (GSIDW)

375 372 We can't say stewardess now? Posted by: Adam at March 19, 2014 12:29 PM (Aif/5) Why no, Neanderthal. Not in our Brave New World of Instant Offense.

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2014 08:31 AM (BJuep)

376 We can't say stewardess now?

Posted by: Adam at March 19, 2014 12:29 PM (Aif/5)

 

 

 

Or  the  Skirt  handing  out  sandwiches.

Posted by: Larsen E. Whipsnade at March 19, 2014 08:31 AM (rXcBX)

377 You mean the cable news heads talking about this endlessly 24/7 hasn't solved anything yet?

I blame television.  So many TV shows can be easily picked apart by talking with friends.  The solutions is usually really obvious if you think about a short set of obvious facts.

In this case, there are some obvious facts that could be completely wrong. 

I haven't heard a scenario yet that covers the complete set of facts.  For example, the suicide story, how do the eyewitnesses fit into that one?  Another example, the fire story, how does no distress signal fit in?  People keep suggesting "the radio was taken out by the fire", but there are multiple distress systems on a plane.  What, they all went out at the same time before anyone noticed smoke or systems shutting down or a fire alarm went off?

Posted by: bonhomme[/i][/b][/i][/b][/s][/s] at March 19, 2014 08:31 AM (P7Wsr)

378 "Stewardess! Fetch me a drink! Oh and look at that short skirt. Oh, my I've dropped my pen. You don't mind picking that up for me- do you?"

Posted by: Marcus T at March 19, 2014 08:31 AM (GGCsk)

379 We're deeply concerned about the impact this is going to have on Muslim self-esteem.

Posted by: NASA at March 19, 2014 08:31 AM (MMC8r)

380 Or the Skirt handing out sandwiches.


You get sandwiches?!?!


Posted by: EC at March 19, 2014 08:31 AM (GQ8sn)

381 the general is basing his opinion on the Navy moving their ships / recalling from search and israelis increasing alert levels

Posted by: yankeefifth at March 19, 2014 08:32 AM (rDidD)

382 Give me a break.

Posted by: Marcus T at March 19, 2014 08:32 AM (GGCsk)

383 Take heart Ace, tell yourself errors are resume enhancers for MSLSD and company...

Posted by: sven10077 at March 19, 2014 08:32 AM (TE35l)

384 You get sandwiches?!?!


Posted by: EC at March 19, 2014 12:31 PM (GQ8sn

 

 

 

First  class  only.

Posted by: Larsen E. Whipsnade at March 19, 2014 08:32 AM (rXcBX)

385 >>You get sandwiches?!?!<<

Really. What airline? I don't even get peanuts unless I upgrade.

Posted by: Marcus T at March 19, 2014 08:33 AM (GGCsk)

386 381 Or the Skirt handing out sandwiches. You get sandwiches?!?! Posted by: EC at March 19, 2014 12:31 PM (GQ8sn) Not on the shit-boxes I fly in. What you Get is sullen attitude.

Posted by: tubal at March 19, 2014 08:33 AM (BJuep)

387 I NEVER say 'stewardess.' I say 'air-bunny.'

Posted by: --- at March 19, 2014 08:33 AM (MMC8r)

388 372 We can't say stewardess now? Posted by: Adam at March 19, 2014 12:29 PM (Aif/5) No, per AOSHQ Style book, Stewardess=Air Hookers.

Posted by: Nip Sip at March 19, 2014 08:34 AM (0FSuD)

389 We can't say stewardess now?Posted by: Adam at March 19, 2014 12:29

Now they're sky waitresses.

Posted by: LC LaWedgie at March 19, 2014 08:34 AM (KQp38)

390 If you go to google maps, search on Diego Garcia, it will show "British Indian Ocean Territory". If you zoom into the runway, and switch to satellite image, you'll see 7 B-52s, and 6 transports -- KC-135 Stratotankers, probably.

Posted by: I R A Darth Aggie © at March 19, 2014 08:34 AM (1hM1d)

391 some guys, I think at sofreport, were sayin no one has shown any osama photos because the SEALs emptied a couple a magazines into him when they were done.

Posted by: yankeefifth at March 19, 2014 08:34 AM (rDidD)

392 Concrete or sand? Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2014 12:28 PM (cB3Ay) Concrete. That's what the braking test without reverse thrusters is done on.

Posted by: jwest at March 19, 2014 08:34 AM (u2a4R)

393 The General is basing his comments on the combination of Boeing, Rolls Royce and US intel collection sources of radar and communications. He explained that in his interview. Also said don't believe a word coming out of Maylasia.

Posted by: Deep Timber at March 19, 2014 08:35 AM (Rb9kQ)

394 I say 'air-bunny.' I prefer 'serving wench,' myself. *sigh* I miss the old days...

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit[/i][/u][/b][/s] at March 19, 2014 08:35 AM (0HooB)

395 To get Penn and Teller to be put in charge of this case... ---------------- I would go with David Copperfield/ Hervé Villechaize

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 19, 2014 08:35 AM (aDwsi)

396
**sniff sniff**

Old thread smell.

I sense..... a movie review.... in our near future.

Posted by: fixerupper at March 19, 2014 08:35 AM (nELVU)

397

So, you can see that if a pilot with 18,000 hours experience in the service of Allah comes in low and slow and hits the runway reasonably at the beginning and uses reverse thrusters along with standing on the brakes, a 777 can be landed on a runway considerably shorter than the factory recommended length.

 

***

Pilot: "Damn that is a short runway."

Co-pilot (looking to right and left):  "Yeah, it's short...but look how wide it is."

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon at March 19, 2014 08:35 AM (lHb9q)

398 Ukraine Crimea Russia obamacare law changes missing 777's Republican winning an election Talk about March Madness !

Posted by: soothsayer at March 19, 2014 08:35 AM (QuTMi)

399 Not on the shit-boxes I fly in. What you Get is sullen attitude. -- I don't fly a lot. The worst stewardesses I've encountered are on United - hags who look like they haven't smiled in 20 years.

Posted by: votermom at March 19, 2014 08:35 AM (GSIDW)

400 stewardesses? when was the las time you observed anything looking like a stewardess on a plane?

Posted by: yankeefifth at March 19, 2014 08:35 AM (rDidD)

401 Please return your stewardess to the fully upright position.


Posted by: EC at March 19, 2014 08:35 AM (GQ8sn)

402 Yeah, we're boned. DRUDGE REPORT ‏@DRUDGE_REPORT 8m CBO Director: 'Unpleasant' Choices Coming... http://drudge.tw/1fHEAft

Posted by: Costanza Defense at March 19, 2014 08:36 AM (ZPrif)

403 >>Sigh. Everything reported in this story is always wrong. Apologies for adding to the wrong reporting.<<

It's not like this is the Global Flight Blog and you are relying on first hand information.

When is the last time our media got anything right?

Posted by: Marcus T at March 19, 2014 08:36 AM (GGCsk)

404 I prefer 'serving wench,' myself. ----------------- Barefoot servants.

Posted by: Jimi Hendrix at March 19, 2014 08:36 AM (aDwsi)

405 Concrete or sand? Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2014 12:28 PM (cB3Ay) Concrete. That's what the braking test without reverse thrusters is done on. And how many unmonitored are around where the plane was/could be?

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2014 08:36 AM (cB3Ay)

406 I say 'air-bunny.'

I prefer 'serving wench,' myself.

*sigh* I miss the old days...

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at March 19, 2014 12:35 PM (0HooB)


-----


Sugar tits.   Works for all sammich makers of all professions.

Posted by: fixerupper at March 19, 2014 08:36 AM (nELVU)

407 In an expanding universe and due to global warming, who can tell how long a runway will be on a given day anyway?

Posted by: Barack Hussein Obama, superscientist at March 19, 2014 08:36 AM (tv7DV)

408 392 YankeeFifth, It's funny I can watch a GI get blown apart by Jihadi Jim on the news but we mustn't humiliate Jihadi Jim dear America.... //Ogabe wisdom

Posted by: sven10077 at March 19, 2014 08:36 AM (TE35l)

409 I prefer 'serving wench,' myself.

*sigh* I miss the old days...

Or you could go eat at Medieval Times or Renne Faire.  You're allowed to call the girls "serving wench" there.

Posted by: bonhomme[/i][/b][/i][/b][/s][/s] at March 19, 2014 08:36 AM (P7Wsr)

410 There has been so many false reports, we don't know anything.

If only there were some method of discounting supposedly new information on hot news stories that are undoubtedly tainted with the media's tendency for rumor over accuracy. It would have to be massive though- something on the order of 72 hours...

Posted by: weft cut-loop [/i][/b] at March 19, 2014 08:36 AM (ligos)

411 Bossy Stewardesses! Sounds sort of naughty.

Posted by: Long Island at March 19, 2014 08:36 AM (7Nabg)

412 394 I say 'air-bunny.' I prefer 'serving wench,' myself. *sigh* I miss the old days... Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at March 19, 2014 12:35 PM (0HooB) And then people wonder why I dress up and go to Ren Faires.... Only place you can still talk like that and get away with it... Funny part? Lots of women I know 'get into it'...

Posted by: Romeo13 at March 19, 2014 08:37 AM (84gbM)

413 I say 'air-bunny.' Sky Slut

Posted by: garrett at March 19, 2014 08:37 AM (i7MRg)

414 "What type of psycho deletes pr0n from his computer instead of getting a larger (external) hard-drive???"

*reaches for USB plug, hesitates...*

Posted by: Richard McEnroe at March 19, 2014 08:37 AM (XO6WW)

415 >> No, per AOSHQ Style book, Stewardess=Air Hookers. I prefer "flying whores".

Posted by: Andrew Dice Clay at March 19, 2014 08:37 AM (W/AGL)

416 I saw the Bossy Stewardesses open for The Waitresses at the Cow Palace in '83.

Posted by: garrett at March 19, 2014 08:38 AM (i7MRg)

417 How come all the "attendants" are named "Oh, Miss"? I actually flew on a flight where the stew's name tag was "Oh, Miss". She was, as you can imagine, a hoot.

Posted by: Nip Sip at March 19, 2014 08:38 AM (0FSuD)

418 I missed the very very end of Justified. I saw one of the Crowes cutting his and the kid's hand and mixing blood. Then what happened

Posted by: Zombie Pug at March 19, 2014 08:38 AM (r7mtu)

419 Do you think the Poles are telling Biden jokes now?

Posted by: --- at March 19, 2014 08:38 AM (MMC8r)

420 Funny part? Lots of women I know 'get into it'...


Lots of girls my wife knows get into the Ren Faire cosplay too.  They sure do like that beer wench outfit with the extremely low cut front that shows off 75% of their tits.

Posted by: EC at March 19, 2014 08:38 AM (GQ8sn)

421 Yes, that's what I'm saying - the plane most likely went down in the ocean - and rather quickly. no no no the aircraft did not go in rather quickly. 'the transponders in the tail would have been activated and those ones cannot be turned off by the pilot the engines sent info to rolls Royce as to their status for at least 7 hours after the last communication which they would not do if they were crashed on land or in the ocean what ever happened it did not happen "rather quickly"

Posted by: thunderb at March 19, 2014 08:38 AM (zOTsN)

422 392 some guys, I think at sofreport, were sayin no one has shown any osama photos because the SEALs emptied a couple a magazines into him when they were done. -- I hope they went full literal PBUH

Posted by: votermom at March 19, 2014 08:38 AM (GSIDW)

423 If he's legit he knows the term "stewardess" went out the window twenty years ago. Either way, he's a misogynist whose comment was neither amusing nor constructive. Posted by: creeper at March 19, 2014 12:21 PM (WDGsE) -------- Don't be so BOSSY.

Posted by: Art Griego at March 19, 2014 08:39 AM (OcRPH)

424 all you need if you are communicating with stewardesses are an empty glass to hold over your head so you can indicate a refill and ass slaps for a good job; quickly refilled, no spilling. works for women and, sadly, even better for men.

Posted by: yankeefifth at March 19, 2014 08:39 AM (rDidD)

425 There was a nood up, and now it's gone.

Serving wench cleavage is a more interesting topic anyway.

Posted by: Waterhouse at March 19, 2014 08:39 AM (FrfNj)

426 I missed the very very end of Justified. I saw one of the Crowes cutting his and the kid's hand and mixing blood. Then what happened

He thought it was to build trust.  I was actually just infecting him with AIDS.

I love me.

Posted by: Dewey Crowe[/i][/b][/i][/b][/s][/s] at March 19, 2014 08:39 AM (P7Wsr)

427 There was a new post but then it went poof

Posted by: grammie winger at March 19, 2014 08:39 AM (oMKp3)

428 New Drew, but comments seem bork'd.

Posted by: Brother Cavil at March 19, 2014 08:39 AM (naUcP)

429 protip, never name your plane "waldo".

Posted by: yankeefifth at March 19, 2014 08:40 AM (rDidD)

430 428 There was a new post but then it went poof -- Find the post and we find the plane.

Posted by: votermom at March 19, 2014 08:40 AM (GSIDW)

431 ot VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT ENLISTS SEAN PENN TO TEACH ACTING CLASSES IN CARACAS Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced this month, amid scores of protests and a rising death toll, that he has enlisted Sean Penn to teach acting classes in Caracas. hehe bighollywood

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 19, 2014 08:40 AM (IXrOn)

432 Put her on a pedestal, or a coaster.

Posted by: soothsayer at March 19, 2014 08:40 AM (QuTMi)

433

I really want the hypothesis of electrical fire, sudden route change, smoke overwhelming flight crew and plane flying on unpiloted until it crashes to be true. Because that means the plane is NOT in the service of some Islamofascist group planning an attack on some civilized country.

But if it is true the plane crashed, wouldn't some signals be detected? I know it's a heck of a search field, what some 2 million square miles or more, but don't the life rafts have automatic beacons that initiate when wet? Wouldn't a fuel slick be detected by satellite? Even debris should be spotted by now would you think?

I am sadly sticking to a current theory of the pilot(s) being involved in hijacking the plane. I have also thought that there was more fuel aboard than what everyone thinks. In so doing even extending the range a few hundred miles throws everyone off. IF, this is the case of course.

But for the most part, we still don't know what happened to Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan in pretty much the same area right?

I cannot imagine the families of those on the flight and how they must feel right now. My prayers go out to them.

Posted by: Arizona Mike at March 19, 2014 08:40 AM (tPznV)

434 When the Bossy Stewardess tells you to take your seat and fasten your seat belt you better do it or there be consequences for naughty passengers.

Posted by: Long Island at March 19, 2014 08:40 AM (7Nabg)

435 I thought the term that had been used for a very long time was "flight attendant".

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 19, 2014 08:40 AM (XyM/Y)

436 Looks like the fatman got put back in the draft queue.

Posted by: Fritz at March 19, 2014 08:41 AM (UzPAd)

437 Nood.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2014 08:41 AM (cB3Ay)

438 Find the post and we find the plane. Save the stewardess, save the thread.

Posted by: Brother Cavil at March 19, 2014 08:41 AM (naUcP)

439 Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced this month, amid scores of protests and a rising death toll, that he has enlisted Sean Penn to teach acting classes in Caracas.

oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please let it be true.

Posted by: bonhomme[/i][/b][/i][/b][/s][/s] at March 19, 2014 08:41 AM (P7Wsr)

440 There was a new post but then it went poof - For one brief, shining moment there was a new thread and it was a Krispie Kreme thread and you know what that means: fat jokes.

Posted by: WalrusRex at March 19, 2014 08:41 AM (Hx5uv)

441 Has someone mentioned the new thread yet?

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 19, 2014 08:41 AM (si68n)

442 Either way, he's a misogynist whose comment was neither amusing nor constructive. Posted by: creeper at March 19, 2014 12:21 PM (WDGsE) Miscogynist.... That's someone who believes what their senses, and experience tells them.... instead of what the Left tells them.... and knows there is a difference between Men and Women...

Posted by: Romeo13 at March 19, 2014 08:42 AM (84gbM)

443 Venezuelan Acting Students Go Full Retard Film at 11...

Posted by: --- at March 19, 2014 08:42 AM (MMC8r)

444 It's back! It's risen from the dead like donuts in the day old bin!

Posted by: WalrusRex at March 19, 2014 08:42 AM (Hx5uv)

445 Sad, but true. My son's future mother in law is a stewardess, has been for 30 years. Only good thing about that? She still looks pretty good, so her daughter may have some staying power. That's the only good thing about that I can say.

Posted by: Nip Sip at March 19, 2014 08:43 AM (0FSuD)

446 403

Good thing Palin turned out to be an idiot to talk about non-existent government death panels when the nationalized "private" insurance companies are going to do it for us, BUT at least we'll be saving money!

http://preview.tinyurl.com/pyy8s9k

Via Drudge

Posted by: Hrothgar at March 19, 2014 08:44 AM (o3MSL)

447 Every few weeks it seems like a bus or train of ferry with 800 people in it crashes or sinks or something and people go "aw that's awful" (then they think like Jeff Foxworthy "how the hell did they get that many people on there???"). But it doesn't get this level of fixation, I guess, is what I'm puzzled by.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 19, 2014 08:44 AM (zfY+H)

448 And how many unmonitored are around where the plane was/could be? Posted by: rickb223 at March 19, 2014 12:36 PM (cB3Ay) There are a number of 1000 meter or less strips around where the plane was initially. Along the entire 7 hour radius there are hundreds.

Posted by: jwest at March 19, 2014 08:46 AM (u2a4R)

449 Looks like the fatman got put back in the draft queue.

Posted by: Fritz at March 19, 2014 12:41 PM (UzPAd)


You didn't think we would just let an electable establishment candidate go to waste did you?



¡Christie/Bush 2016!

Posted by: Karl Rover at March 19, 2014 08:47 AM (o3MSL)

450 435 When the Bossy Stewardess tells you to take your seat and fasten your seat belt you better do it or there be consequences for naughty passengers. Posted by: Long Island at March 19, 2014 12:40 PM (7Nabg) Yes, they take you behind the blue curtain and spank you -- hard!

Posted by: Zombie Pug at March 19, 2014 08:47 AM (r7mtu)

451 360 - After careful consideration I've come to the conclusion that your new intel system sucks.

Posted by: General Beringer at March 19, 2014 08:47 AM (7mQyC)

452 Sad, but true. My son's future mother in law is a stewardess, has been for 30 years. Only good thing about that? She still looks pretty good, so her daughter may have some staying power.

That's the only good thing about that I can say.

Posted by: Nip Sip at March 19, 2014 12:43 PM (0FSuD)



US Air?



Posted by: EC at March 19, 2014 08:48 AM (GQ8sn)

453 As I told you all last week, find Jack and you'll find the plane.

Posted by: Chloe O'brian at March 19, 2014 08:49 AM (7mQyC)

454 Every few weeks it seems like a bus or train of ferry with 800 people in it crashes or sinks or something and people go "aw that's awful" (then they think like Jeff Foxworthy "how the hell did they get that many people on there???"). But it doesn't get this level of fixation, I guess, is what I'm puzzled by.

You don't get that this is a big mystery that people get to chew over?  If a ferry sinks with 800 people on board what do you say?  That's awful.  The only mystery is how'd it sink, and people are conditioned to wait for the investigation.  The boat's right there, the investigators will find out why it sank.

A missing plane with all sorts of redundant communications on board is wacky.

Posted by: bonhomme[/i][/b][/i][/b][/s][/s] at March 19, 2014 08:49 AM (P7Wsr)

455 "Yea. What does an Air Force General with something like over 4,000 flying hours know anyway?" --- Apparently very little on this matter.

Posted by: ThisBeingMilt at March 19, 2014 08:51 AM (7mQyC)

456 Courtney Love has found the plane.  Case closed.

Posted by: Insert "HOLE" joke here at March 19, 2014 08:53 AM (TM1p8)

457 "420 Do you think the Poles are telling Biden jokes now?" --- I think they were doing that even before he arrived.

Posted by: ThisBeingMilt at March 19, 2014 08:54 AM (7mQyC)

458 Well, the General is one of those Air Force brass who killed the A-10 after only 35 years active service, so there's no reason any of the career corporals here to trust his word about anything. That's for my troll-huntin' buddy on the ONT. 

Did you happen to notice, was he wearing a really big watch?

Posted by: Stringer Davis at March 19, 2014 08:54 AM (xq1UY)

459 >>>224 Hijacking or crash, I'm pretty sure the passengers are all dead. This long and NOBODY has called anywhere? Even a call just on speakerphone so somebody might know what's going on? Honestly that makes me think "crash" more than anything else.

Even of flight 93 they were able to call out<<<
.
Depressurizing the plane would take care of those pesky passengers, anyone without a mask. Especially at 45,000'

Posted by: Javems at March 19, 2014 08:57 AM (nTgAI)

460

I read the interview that Limbaugh did with an experienced 777 pilot.  Something I didn't know - you do not have to be an American born citizen to fly an American carrier. He said that there are a lot of foreign nationals that fly American carriers.  He recommended that exhaustive back ground checks be conducted on these pilots.

 

 

I also keep reading that a 777 flying at 45,000 feet would depressurize the plane and the passengers would die.  He said that is not true and he could fly a 777 at 45K all day long.

Posted by: Cheri at March 19, 2014 08:59 AM (G+Wff)

461 The Maldives story has been discounted because of the time given for the sighting (6:17 AM local). The plane would have been out of fuel for about 2 hours at that time, and that is if it had been full at takeoff (which we don't know but should). If you think there is too much interest, imagine if this plane had taken off from America and was full of Americans. Mysteries are a hobby for some, and I'm on of those people. So shoot me. I have no interest in cooking and gaming threads, but I don't go on them and give the people commenting grief about it, I just wait for another thread.

Posted by: Meremortal at March 19, 2014 09:00 AM (1Y+hH)

462
The simulator was damaged upon reassembly.

Posted by: CO at March 19, 2014 09:09 AM (E/Lwd)

463 Ace--
Something to keep in mind when talking about minimum runway distances...those 777 charts are based on FAA "dispatch" numbers and don't necessarily reflect the actual stopping distance of the airplane.
Dispatch landing distance is the regulatory minimum that must be met when planning flights. It's based on the airplane's actual flight-tested (or "operational") stopping performance with considerable safety margins: the airplane must be able to flare, touch down, and roll out within 60% of the available runway (and no credit for thrust reversers).
But that's only for preflight planning. Once airborne, you do what you have to. If the plane's on fire, they don't care about the 60% rule. The pilots operating manual or onboard software will give them the for-real "operational" stopping distance.
Assuming the pilot has his $#!+ together, a 777-200 could conceivably be landed on a 1000m runway. Getting it out would be an entirely different story. Look at the takeoff charts and you'll see it needs at least 1500m of pavement at minimum takeoff weight. There are likewise safety margins in takeoff numbers but they're not nearly as straightforward as landing numbers.

Posted by: Chilly at March 19, 2014 09:09 AM (Uxpmx)

464
A 777-200ER has a 45,000 gallon fuel capacity.
With a full tank it can fly half way around the world.


Posted by: CO at March 19, 2014 09:13 AM (E/Lwd)

465 142 above... see 20 above...

Posted by: Roscoe at March 19, 2014 09:14 AM (MIovV)

466 What else is at most runways? Air Traffic Control Radar. This indicates The pilot wanted to avoid their radar.

Posted by: Huggy at March 19, 2014 09:15 AM (9mWut)

467 #461: "I also keep reading that a 777 flying at 45,000 feet would depressurize the plane and the passengers would die. He said that is not true and he could fly a 777 at 45K all day long."

Here's where that notion probably comes from:

Commercial airliner service ceilings (the maximum altitude approved for operations) are often limited more by internal pressurization than aerodynamics. I.E. the airplane can fly at FL450 (45,000') but can only maintain the desired cabin pressure ratio up to FL430.

That doesn't mean the cabin will decompress if the plane goes higher than 43,000'. It just means they can't keep the cabin pressure equivalent to 6000' above sea level (or whatever the design ratio is).

This is why I pay almost no attention to whatever the press says about airplanes and airplane accidents. There are too many fine details and complexities for someone with no background in it to grasp and they are swayed by just about anyone who sounds like an "expert."

Posted by: Chilly at March 19, 2014 09:19 AM (Uxpmx)

468 re 458 The Poles are probably in the market for about 20 tactical nukes right now.

Posted by: Huggy at March 19, 2014 09:26 AM (9mWut)

469 You can land on a shorter runway, or perhaps even a highway, but not if you plan to take off again anytime soon.  Not only does there have to be takeoff distance, but a short landing or substandard surface is very likely to do serious damage, at least to the landing gear.

Posted by: Adjoran at March 19, 2014 09:30 AM (QIQ6j)

470 Diego Garcia has one runway, you can look at it now on Google Maps. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Diego+Garcia+Airport

Posted by: Phelps at March 19, 2014 09:32 AM (wdjv2)

471 Without taking a posish here about what happened to this plane and why, I suggest that if I was an (ethical & conscientious) airline pilot with a home simulator, I would spend a lot of time practizin' emergency landing scenarios at all the possible emergency landing spots along the routes I fly.

I would want it to be second nature for me in case of in-flight emergency, to know where and how to reach any and all emergency landing zones.

Then again, If was in league with La Terroristas, I would prolly also practice landing my plane on short runways, because plots. so, yeah.

Posted by: miked at March 19, 2014 09:33 AM (xaIQZ)

472 Posted by: Arizona Mike at March 19, 2014 12:40 PM (tPznV)

"But if it is true the plane crashed, wouldn't some signals be detected?"

Not if the ELT's are underwater. You cannot transmit high-frequency radio waves through very much water, which is why the Navy has big, expensive, ultra-low frequency (and very low bandwidth) transmitters to send messages to submarines. The flight data recorder has an acoustic device to help ships searching with sonar find it, but the ocean is a big place.

"I know it's a heck of a search field, what some 2 million square miles or more, but don't the life rafts have automatic beacons that initiate when wet?"

I don't know of the life rafts are equipped with beacons, but if the plane hit the water at 600 mph I doubt the life rafts, or anything else, are intact. Even if the life rafts are intact, they could have blown hundreds of miles from the crash site by now if there's any wind.

"Wouldn't a fuel slick be detected by satellite? Even debris should be spotted by now would you think?"

Which satellites? The sats in low-earth and polar orbits, which are the overwhelming majority of high-resolution observation satellites, are orbiting. They can't just be flown anywhere by moving a joystick around. They have short window of time every 90 minutes to get a look at something, and they can't see through cloud cover, so if the weather isn't cooperating you're SOL. You can't slow them down or stop them to get a better look - they'd fall out of the sky, because Physics. They ones in geostationary orbit are up there very, very high and are used mostly for communications and things like weather observation that don't need super-high resolution. And how do you know debris or an oil slick is from a plane crash? The parts that are obviously pieces of an airplane, like engines and landing gear, would sink immediately. The rest would be in little bitty pieces. It could just as well be shit that washed away during the tsunami, or got blown away the last typhoon that hit the Philippines, or random garbage that got caught in a current. There are lots of countries that don't give a shit about pollution, and ships under their flags could leak shitloads of oil into the water, and there are natural oil seeps all over the world.

My point is, the fact that we have spy satellites doesn't mean we always know what's going on all over the world.

Posted by: ol_dirty_/b/tard at March 19, 2014 09:42 AM (KSjsb)

473 Something to keep in mind when talking about minimum runway distances...those 777 charts are based on FAA "dispatch" numbers and don't necessarily reflect the actual stopping distance of the airplane. Good luck with that. I've made that point multiple times re: FAR takeoff/landing distances and balanced field requirements to Drew, Ace, etc. and it hasn't stuck once. Morons indeed.

Posted by: Additional Blond Agent at March 19, 2014 09:43 AM (PMGbu)

474 Hmmm..... I submit we start an Internet Petition... To get Penn and Teller to be put in charge of this case.... Intelligent.. Used to seeing through obfuscation... and not big supporters of Big Government... And would be able to quickly tell us what is BULLSHIT, and what is not... Posted by: Romeo13 at March 19, 2014 12:26 PM (84gbM) is _THIS_ your plane?

Posted by: db at March 19, 2014 09:55 AM (+m7Zm)

475 "Good luck with that. I've made that point multiple times re: FAR takeoff/landing distances and balanced field requirements to Drew, Ace, etc. and it hasn't stuck once. Morons indeed." Posted by: Additional Blond Agent at March 19, 2014 01:43 PM (PMGbu) Sometimes it's hard to get a concept across here. Wait until the topic turns to those who think the plane went down in the water. I've heard television commentators say that you have to be within 15 miles to hear the black box pinger. No one explains how our old SOSUS system was sensitive enough to "hear" the props on Russian bombers flying at 25,000 ft above the water.

Posted by: jwest at March 19, 2014 10:07 AM (u2a4R)

476 http://www.macl.aero/plus/S_FACT_SHEET/30/5 The runway in the Maldives is 3200 meters (over 9,500 feet). A 777 requires only 7,000 feet at maximum landing weight, and 10,500 feet for maximum takeout weight. No problem for landing. Takeoff refueled but without passengers and baggage, again no problem.

Posted by: Trubador at March 19, 2014 10:17 AM (MlrAE)

477 Good article in today's Wired with a more simple and plausible explanation than the various terrorist theories.

Posted by: jimf at March 19, 2014 10:18 AM (A23Tv)

478 Squirrel! oops. Squirrel! oops. Squirrel! oops... Bad vibrations when the US Intel tosses more Squirrel! incorrect info as if top notch analysis for public distraction... Part of this "drill" is noting our Pavlov dog salivating responses per scenario presentation. Accountability, accuracy. At least know word definitions before writing a post. Meanwhile, while virtual squirrels distract from real squirrels -- or something -- Military War vs. Russia for Bozo butthurt... Sanctionzzz? More $anction$!!!! Because Russia (with our most favored trade nation China) couldn't care less about our stinkin' sanctions... Isolationism is not the equivalent of Protectionism. And Debt is not Gold, nor is debt "wealth". "CHINA" too big to fail economic collapse must be ignored in order to ignore our own demise... bbbbbut Indian Ocean global warming flying squirrels swallowed a 777-200ER or something oops... Meanwhile, the lives taken/missing have been given NO honor. While asshats toss more wet noodles on the wall to see which story sticks to sell, I'd rather recognize the individual humans on that flight, and offer a prayer for the victims, that at the very least, the press leave their families in peace and the officials be forthcoming. That would take a miracle as great as delivering the passengers unharmed to return home safely. Mustard seeds.

Posted by: panzernashorn at March 19, 2014 10:20 AM (/vO0r)

479 Let it go, Ace. There is no organized conspiracy to get this plane on a remote runway and deliver it for some nefarious Act II. There never was such a plan.

Posted by: Pigilito at March 19, 2014 10:30 AM (AW99N)

480

When the incident first occurred, nobody was looking for this plane.  Nobody really set off any alarms for, what, 2 or 3 hours after it was overdue?

So the plane wasn't tracked at all, basically, for the duration of its fuel load.

And that fuel load could easily take it to Pakistan, where there are many very long runways, a government that isn't very happy with the USA, a government that has hidden people like UBL and others of his ilk, and a government that has been building fission devices for something like 25 years now.

But by all means keep discussing airfields where this airplane would have to perform a miracle landing, followed by a SPECTRE-type operation where shadow operators dispose of the passengers and their luggage, hand-pump thousands of gallons of fuel into the aircraft, watch as it claws its way into the sky, and then completely remove all of the evidence - probably escaping in a home-made SPECTRE nuclear ultra-stealth submarine.

As opposed to: Getting to Pakistan would be easy.

Flying to a PAF airbase would be easy, and easy to keep quiet.  Hiding stuff is easy, there.  They do it all of the time.  That's why we were flying drones over their territory (and pissing them off) so often.

Refueling the aircraft would take less than an hour, unless they just parked it in a hangar.

And with a full load of fuel, that plane could fly out into the Indian Ocean at under 1,000 ft, and get into one of dozens of suitable and remote Middle East or African airfields.  No primary radars would pick them up, unless they stumbled across a naval vessel - which they could avoid with a very simple radar detector...

The Cold War left fighter strips and all sorts of other aircraft handling facilities all over that continent.  Even Somalia has runways more than long enough.  You don't need to find a Salt Lake in that region - there are plenty of bases where that plane could have landed and been hidden long before any satellites were turned there to search for it.

 

 

Posted by: RobM1981 at March 19, 2014 11:48 AM (lV1tZ)

481 "...a welcome warm as gunfire."  Heh.  How do I love thee, AOS, let me count the ways.

Posted by: Mazzuchelli at March 19, 2014 11:52 AM (gvekq)

482

And with a full load of fuel, that plane could fly out into the Indian Ocean at under 1,000 ft,and get into one of dozens of suitable and remote Middle East or African airfields.

 

--

 

Below 6000-7000 feet, the range of the plane would be less than half    the     maximum      range, which removes 99% of the runways    from the equation.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at March 19, 2014 12:08 PM (AskuI)

483 "Of course, NBC's reporting could be wrong."

And water could be wet, and the sun could probably rise in the east, and likely set in the west.

Posted by: cheshirecat at March 19, 2014 01:06 PM (SESZj)

484 "He may have been paying attention to those recent news stories about big planes landing in small airports by accident and decided, "Hmm, maybe I should practice what to do in that situation." Though why he'd choose airports in the Indian Ocean is anyone's guess."

For the same reason, I, living in the midwest, would not choose practice airports in Africa...he chose airports that were close to his part of the world.

Posted by: cheshirecat at March 19, 2014 01:08 PM (SESZj)

485 "Would they have to trim a lot of bush to make a landing strip on a Pacific island?"
Depends on how big the mound (or is it mons?) is...
ISWYDT.


Posted by: cheshirecat at March 19, 2014 01:09 PM (SESZj)

486 This just in from senior administration officials: Obama took a break from working on his brackets to read a report about the airliner and he walked out of the room wide eyed looking like something big happened before returning to the brackets. He has also cancelled golf for this afternoon and Moochelle's arms are pumped.

Posted by: CNNAnchorBabe at March 19, 2014 01:10 PM (1PqiV)

487 "As to runway length, there is always the possibility the idiot news-varmints bungled a feet to metric conversion."

A few airport personnel have as well (e.g. Gimli Glider)...

Posted by: cheshirecat at March 19, 2014 01:10 PM (SESZj)

488 "One thing I have heard no one explain is who was the pilot talking to when he said "All right. Good night." ?

* Was it an open mic?"

Yes, but with a two-drink minimum.

(ba-dum-ching!)

Posted by: cheshirecat at March 19, 2014 01:20 PM (ehUlh)

489 "So, you can see that if a pilot with 18,000 hours experience in the service of Allah comes in low and slow and hits the runway reasonably at the beginning and uses reverse thrusters along with standing on the brakes, a 777 can be landed on a runway considerably shorter than the factory recommended length."

Not without blowing the tyres or crumpling the wheels.  Then how do you get that fucker off the runway? And even if you could, you are left with one mighty gash in the tarmac, clearly visible to any orbiting spy satellite looking overhead.

Posted by: cheshirecat at March 19, 2014 01:28 PM (ehUlh)

490 "You can't slow them down or stop them to get a better look - they'd fall out of the sky, because Physics."

No, because "Orbital Mechanics", but yes...

Posted by: cheshirecat at March 19, 2014 01:33 PM (ehUlh)

491 "There's also a very simple explanation offered to explain all of this: There was a fire on the plane, the fire was electrical in nature, and the fire knocked out the transponder and ACARS. The pilots therefore turned west, towards the nearest possible runway for an emergency landing." Lazypasing myself from earlier: That does leave two minor coincidences though. Co-incidence 1: the pilots just happen to suddenly notice the emergency for the first time 0-2 minutes after handover from Malaysia to Vietnam. Co-incidence 2: while switching things off to deal with fire, they just happen to switch off the transponders and ACARS, but not SATCOM, the one system that someone who was deliberately trying to go dark would be likely to overlook (because ACARS is shut down, right?) But co-incidences do happen, there's no doubt about it. The big problem for the hypoxia/smoke inhalation/muppets-locked-themselves-out-of-the-cabin/etc. theory is that the plane must have started changing course or altitude again (at *least* once, to get it on a path to one of the SATCOM final-location arcs), long after the (conjectured) sudden emergency at 1:22 or even the first big turn west. (And probably more than once, if the stuff about radar showing the plane zig-zagging between waypoints in the Strait of Malacca/Andaman Sea is accurate.) Weren't the pilots supposed to be dead/out for the count/locked out long before this? If they came round/got back in and started flying again, why did they apparently make no effort to communicate with anyone?

Posted by: anonymous irishman at March 19, 2014 02:38 PM (DJgfL)

492 For future reference, just go to Google Earth and look at the airport to determine the number of runways. Then use the ruler function to measure the length of each.

Posted by: RokShox at March 19, 2014 02:47 PM (8MMMw)

493 More rubbishing of the Goodfellow theory: http://above70k.blogspot.ie/2014/03/why-startlingly-simple-theory-is-so.html I think bits of it might be salvageable if you assume a smaller fire, in the cockpit, rather than a big fire starting outside the pressurised hull. Still may be hard to explain the later changes of course though.

Posted by: anonymous irishman at March 19, 2014 04:44 PM (DJgfL)

494 I know one transport pilot that keeps paper copies of charts of abandoned airfields in his flight bag just in case. When your ass is on the line, such cost-free contingency planning is a no-brainer. I put this sim thing in that category. Published landing distances are not a theoretical, physical minimum; they are planning minimums.

Posted by: Anon at March 19, 2014 06:25 PM (yo/Q3)

495 For example, I've successfully landed airplanes in crosswinds beyond the published "maximum demonstrated", and landed using well less than the published minimum. Land a little slower, at a slightly lower glide slope, with the right headwind, send it's not difficult at all to beat the published minimum.

Posted by: Anon at March 19, 2014 06:32 PM (yo/Q3)

496 'AND it's not difficult', not 'send'. Damn autocorrect...

Posted by: Anon at March 19, 2014 06:34 PM (yo/Q3)

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