Plane Disappearance

[soberups]

I haven't been following this particular news in great detail but two things do spring to mind. How do you lose a plane that is still flying? We live in a blanket of wireless data and radar and satellites, I don't trust the idea that the people with satellites took so long to report that they think the plane's signal had gone to any particular place. Shoulda been minutes after the disappearance when the satellite info was reported.
Also, what if this is Russia doing a test? Making sure their new weapon can completely stump us?
Anyhow, planes disappear all the time.

1. A plane that turns its transponder off is just an anonymous blip on a radar screen, which itself is nothing more than microwave radiation being reflected off of a distant object. Unless you make a concerted effort to lock onto and track that specific object, it can disappear rather easily. Civilian air traffic control is only designed to track aircraft that WANT to be monitored.

2. Satellites gather millions of bits of raw data every minute--but it still takes a human to find, analyze and sift thru all that information. We can see every square foot of the Indian Ocean with our spy satellites but unless we have some idea of WHICH particular square foot to look at, finding a plane out there is like looking for a needle in a haystack with a magnifying glass.


Sent using BrownCafe App

 

[wkmac]

It could vanish because so few spy satellites are actually watching that part of the world .

I was thinking the opposite. That area in and around the South China Sea is a major ocean transport lane and in the interest the economic concerns, I would assume our military and intelligence apparatus would have numerous birds in the air from satellites to recon aircraft. Even drones.

Seems to me if you have satellite technology, were concerned over the ability of a country developing the capacity to take them out, you may place more of those birds in the air to watch the situation. Case in point.

Thus, do we know and keep silent as cover for our own ability to see and know in such detail? I'd suggest that is a possibility.

 

[rod]

I was watching CNN yesterday and they had a reporter sitting in a 777 flight simulator. They showed step by step how to turn off a transponder. Its really easy by the way. Nothing like further educating every two bit terrorist on how to hijack a plane.

 

[soberups]

I was watching CNN yesterday and they had a reporter sitting in a 777 flight simulator. They showed step by step how to turn off a transponder. Its really easy by the way. Nothing like further educating every two bit terrorist on how to hijack a plane.

It doesnt do any good to turn off the transponder unless you also shut off the ACARS, which requires crawling under the cockpit thru a hatch is disconnecting a number of terminals and panels.

Plus, I am 100% certain that there are redundant "secret" alarms and protocols in place so that pilots can secretly alert ground control of a hijacking. I'd be willing to bet that an alarm is triggered if the transponder is not shut off in the correct way. Nothing that was shown on CNN gave terrorists any useful information.


Sent using BrownCafe App

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

The plane was either purposely crashed in the ocean or landed in a predetermined Muslim country and is in the hands of terrorists. One of the pilots is Muslim and was upset by politics just hours before the flight. Maybe he is to blame. Then there's the two Iranians that used fake passports to board to consider.

 

[upschuck]

Why can you turn those off anyways while in flight? Seems like it would be a safety issue in crowded airspace not to know where everyone is at.

 

[soberups]

Thus, do we know and keep silent as cover for our own ability to see and know in such detail? I'd suggest that is a possibility.

I disagree.

I can pull up a Google Earth satellite photo on my iphone that shows the position of the lawn chairs on my back deck. It is no secret that we have military satellites that can see even closer detail than that. The issue here is not the capabilities of our satellites, it is the vast area of thousands of square miles that must be pored over frame by frame with human eyes in order to identify an individual aircraft or pieces of wreckage.



Sent using BrownCafe App

 

[MAKAVELI]

With all the technology that we have, much of is not known by the American public, I'm sure there is computers and software capable of deciphering all that data.

 

[wkmac]

I disagree.

I can pull up a Google Earth satellite photo on my iphone that shows the position of the lawn chairs on my back deck. It is no secret that we have military satellites that can see even closer detail than that. The issue here is not the capabilities of our satellites, it is the vast area of thousands of square miles that must be pored over frame by frame with human eyes in order to identify an individual aircraft or pieces of wreckage.



Sent using BrownCafe App

One is free to consider a possibility as being impossible. That too is a possibility.

Also did you ever consider that no one person(s) actually looks at all that Satellite data in the first place and most is sifted through computer algorithms and then the anomalies are human handled. Depending on the code in which the algorithm is written, might be possible to eliminate a lot of land and water area real quickly, especially if you can compare to previous photos or at least seems to me this might be possible.

To put it another way,

I'd suggest that is a possibility.

 

[island1fox]

I found the "No spin show" on Fox very amusing Friday evening.

The host O'Reilly began the show by complaining about all the speculation and guessing from networks and experts on this incident.
He claimed that a competing network had the nerve to dedicate an entire hour show for speculation.

O'Reilly's first guest from the NTSB--was asked to give the known facts to this point -nothing more because this was the "no spin zone"
The guest stated the plane took off on time with the number of people on board and disappeared.
He and O'Reilly spent the next 20 minutes guessing and speculating ????
The next two shows on Fox --were scheduled to have the entire two hours -dedicated to experts and speculation !!!

Some people should actually listen to and understand what THEY are saying

 

[Island]

I'm in the south where everyone and their brother will do whatever a republican politician tells them but even some of them agree that Fox News is a bunch of hooey.

 

[moreluck]

O'Reilly is not a news show.......no more than Jon Stewart is or Hannity or Greta of Geraldo etc.

 

[rod]

It doesnt do any good to turn off the transponder unless you also shut off the ACARS, which requires crawling under the cockpit thru a hatch is disconnecting a number of terminals and panels.

Plus, I am 100% certain that there are redundant "secret" alarms and protocols in place so that pilots can secretly alert ground control of a hijacking. I'd be willing to bet that an alarm is triggered if the transponder is not shut off in the correct way. Nothing that was shown on CNN gave terrorists any useful information.


Sent using BrownCafe App

According to what CNN showed all you had to do was turn the "transponder switch" (and they showed where it was) two clicks to the left---to the off position. Pretty uncomplicated stuff other than knowing where to find the switch----which like I said they showed where it was.

 

[wkmac]

I'm in the south where everyone and their brother will do whatever a republican politician tells them but even some of them agree that Fox News is a bunch of hooey.

I live in the south, so much for that assertion.

I found the "No spin show" on Fox very amusing Friday evening.

The host O'Reilly began the show by complaining about all the speculation and guessing from networks and experts on this incident.
He claimed that a competing network had the nerve to dedicate an entire hour show for speculation.

O'Reilly's first guest from the NTSB--was asked to give the known facts to this point -nothing more because this was the "no spin zone"
The guest stated the plane took off on time with the number of people on board and disappeared.
He and O'Reilly spent the next 20 minutes guessing and speculating ????
The next two shows on Fox --were scheduled to have the entire two hours -dedicated to experts and speculation !!!

Some people should actually listen to and understand what THEY are saying

I never saw the show but you did a good job describing it to the point I enjoyed the laugh.

These kind of contradictions are why the media pundits at large are mostly laughing stocks.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

No one has yet to mention the 239 smartphones sitting in the passenger section. Why have we yet to hear anything from any of the passengers on board?


Sent using BrownCafe App

 

[wkmac]

No one has yet to mention the 239 smartphones sitting in the passenger section. Why have we yet to hear anything from any of the passengers on board?


Sent using BrownCafe App

Are you kidding me? Do you know the cost of international roaming charges?

Talk about out of touch!

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Are you kidding me? Do you know the cost of international roaming charges?

Talk about out of touch!

My son is presently in Southeast Asia so I am well aware of international roaming charges.

You can be a really arrogant prick sometimes.


Sent using BrownCafe App

 

[wkmac]

Yep and even more enjoyable when the humor goes totally over your head.

 

[moreluck]

First of all, hijackers would collect all phones and electronic equipment from passengers.

 

[roadrunner2012]

First of all, hijackers would collect all phones and electronic equipment from passengers.

There were hijackers?