Malaysia Airlines flight MH370-Updates and Discussion

Thrill · 08-03-2014 4:23am

Theres no official report of any deviation or steep decent prior to disappearance so far. The last contact with the plane showed it to be at 35,000 feet. Whatever happened was so fast and catastrophic the crew had no time to report anything.

Its quite possible a mid air explosion took place.

irishmover · 08-03-2014 4:25am

Captain had 18500 flight time. Not extremely experienced. Flying since '81.
First officer had 2500 hours flight time. Not experienced.

cuterob · 08-03-2014 4:26am

irishmover wrote: »

Captain had 18500 flight time. Not extremely experienced. Flying since '81.
First officer had 2500 hours flight time. Not experienced.

Thats a very experienced captain

Kavs8 · 08-03-2014 4:26am

Thrill wrote: »

Its quite possible a mid air explosion took place.

Was thinking that myself, there are so many factors though, maintenance etc but everything at the moment is speculation - Re changes in deviation and altitude - Xinhua is going with that from a senior official.

Kavs8 · 08-03-2014 4:30am

Confirmed by Vietnam now that the flight did not contact Ho Chi Minh Control Center, no confirmation it was handed over to Vietnam ATC as of yet.

Shamrock841 · 08-03-2014 4:30am

18500 hours? Well if the captain logged the legal limit of 900 hours per year that would give over 20 years experience!

pclancy · 08-03-2014 4:30am

irishmover wrote: »

Captain had 18500 flight time. Not extremely experienced. Flying since '81.
First officer had 2500 hours flight time. Not experienced.

I would certainly disagree that neither was experienced. How many flight hours would you say is experienced in your view?

irishmover · 08-03-2014 4:31am

cuterob wrote: »

Thats a very experienced captain

Not really. Typically a very experienced pilot would be flying on average 800 hours a year.

His average is 545 a year. So below average.

EI-DOR · 08-03-2014 4:32am

Another Press Conference set for 0500 GMT!

Kavs8 · 08-03-2014 4:33am

To be fair there is no need to bring experience levels into this as there is absolutely no information to say either of the pilots was at fault, last position known is 120nm south of Vietnam, FR24 data was correct - Aircraft was lost at 17:20 UTC.

Mister Jingles · 08-03-2014 4:34am

irishmover wrote: »

Not really. Typically a very experienced pilot would be flying on average 800 hours a year.

His average is 545 a year. So below average.

Is it possible that it could be 18500 on just the 777 alone ? Not that it's relevant in anyway.

Thrill · 08-03-2014 4:35am

BBC's John Sudworth says China officials feel something untoward has happened.

They may be thinking of terrorism linked to the recent railway killings, if the report by the BBC is true.

Cessna_Pilot · 08-03-2014 4:36am

Getting off topic a bit there but 18500 hours is super experienced. 2500 hours for the co pilot makes him rather experienced in the rhs.

irishmover · 08-03-2014 4:36am

Kavs8 wrote: »

To be fair there is no need to bring experience levels into this as there is absolutely no information to say either of the pilots was at fault, last position known is 120nm south of Vietnam, FR24 data was correct - Aircraft was lost at 17:20 UTC.

I wasn't suggesting anything here was just simply stating that I'd consider both to be slightly under the 'very experienced' level.

Most likely had no bearing on anything.

I'm just really glad there was no Irish on board, as I said it is a typical route to take from Ireland to Australia

Shamrock841 · 08-03-2014 4:37am

irishmover wrote: »

Not really. Typically a very experienced pilot would be flying on average 800 hours a year.

His average is 545 a year. So below average.

I don't want to drag this off topic but a 777 is a long haul aircraft, the captain had most likely peaked in his career, i.e worked his way up through the airline. 900 hours is the legal limit a pilot can fly commercially per year. 500-600 would be normal for long haul ops when you factor in rest time down route and back at base.

Cessna_Pilot · 08-03-2014 4:38am

No irish on board, but 239 poor souls have been lost. Nothing really to be happy about here at all.

cuterob · 08-03-2014 4:38am

irishmover wrote: »

Not really. Typically a very experienced pilot would be flying on average 800 hours a year.

His average is 545 a year. So below average.

Don't be silly, do you think he still had a lot to learn at 18500 hours and flying for over 30 years? .. Maybe he was flying low hours with a regional or something for the first 10 years,

anyhow it all doesn't matter, I don't think this has much to do with the pilots if it went down while cruising obviously

Stinicker · 08-03-2014 4:40am

irishmover wrote: »

Australians were on board.

This is a common enough route for Irish coming from Ireland to Australia.

An unlikely routing for Irish people to be on board unless flying from Australia to Beijing via KUL. Either way you can just wait for the sickening media spin on this now about how a "Brit", "American" or an "Aussie" was on board as if the rest of the passengers were somehow disposable because they came from some other country. Malaysian gets a good share of Irish and my cousin flew them last month on their A380 and 737 to Thailand via KUL. More disturbingly is a friend of my mums traveled on this same frame last year from AMS to KUL.

There was 239 people on board and as far as I'm concerned this is what matters. RIP to those who are all now inevitably dead.

This is however the first big crash since Air France 447 in 2009 with a well known big-name Airline using modern respected and safe Jet aircraft.

Other big incidents in the interim

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afriqiyah_Airways_Flight_771
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_India_Express_Flight_812
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Air_Flight_6560
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_Air_Flight_992
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_Airlines_Flight_409

Thrill · 08-03-2014 4:40am

Last point of contact with flight MH370 was 120 Nautical miles of Kota Bharu over S. China Sea.

irishmover · 08-03-2014 4:40am

Malaysia Airlines confirming contact was lost over South China Sea over water.

Kavs8 · 08-03-2014 4:41am

Cessna_Pilot wrote: »

No irish on board, but 239 poor souls have been lost. Nothing really to be happy about here at all.

Indeed, if this is terrorism I really feel there will be another game-changer in security in relation to aviation, we haven't had anything on this scale if confirmed since 9/11?

Lot's of possibilities, but in layman's terms 239 people have died tragically, its devastating, and equally so for the 777, the first catastrophic accident for that aircraft.

Kavs8 · 08-03-2014 4:43am

Thrill wrote: »

Last point of contact with flight MH370 was 120 Nautical miles of Kota Bharu over S. China Sea.

Kota Bharu is in Malaysia, in the Gulf of Thailand.

EI-DOR · 08-03-2014 4:44am

Looks like a signal has been detected!

https://twitter.com/chinaorgcn

CaliforniaDream · 08-03-2014 4:45am

irishmover wrote: »

I'm just really glad there was no Irish on board, as I said it is a typical route to take from Ireland to Australia

I really don't get this line of thinking. You've mentioned a few times now about no Irish on board.
Does it make you feel better about the potential crash? Are we to celebrate the fact it was mainly Asians on board so we're less likely to feel a 'connection'.
Obviously nothing is confirmed but this looks to be a tragedy and the fact that no Irish were on board does not change my feelings behind it.
I hope people won't be as callous towards your family should something happen.

On topic:
How likely is it that the captain would have no time to transmit a message to ATC? Is there any recent history crashes where it wasn't known to ATC at the time of incident?

Amirani · 08-03-2014 4:46am

irishmover wrote: »

I'm just really glad there was no Irish on board, as I said it is a typical route to take from Ireland to Australia

Why would Malaysia to Northern China be typical route from Ireland to Australia?

How does there not being any Irish on board make this incident better? There was 239 humans on board. Unless someone has a very closeted and incestuous background, all Irish people are going to have friends and relatives who aren't Irish.

irishmover · 08-03-2014 4:47am

CaliforniaDream wrote: »

I really don't get this line of thinking. You've mentioned a few times now about no Irish on board.
Does it make you feel better about the potential crash? Are we to celebrate the fact it was mainly Asians on board so we're less likely to feel a 'connection'.
Obviously nothing is confirmed but this looks to be a tragedy and the fact that no Irish were on board does not change my feelings behind it.
I hope people won't be as callous towards your family should something happen.

On topic:
How likely is it that the captain would have no time to transmit a message to ATC? Is there any recent history crashes where it wasn't known to ATC at the time of incident?

Do you read into every comment like this so much? Or are you simply fishing for likes here?

Jesus.

Thrill · 08-03-2014 4:47am

Vietnam Emergency Rescue Centre found "signal" of Malaysia Airlines plane, 9.50am 120 nautical miles SW of southernmost Ca Mau province

readytosnap · 08-03-2014 4:49am

Listening to yer woman on sky news, she's asking a pilot info about plane/route/weather etc and she laughinged at least 2 times, and asking him to speculate all sorts of crap, anyone got any suggestions where I can get proper accurate info?
terrible news that it is.

Amirani · 08-03-2014 4:50am

irishmover wrote: »

Do you read into every comment like this so much? Or are you simply fishing for likes here?

Jesus.

Probably just isn't a fan of valuing the lives of certain nationalities more than others. I'd agree really.

Kavs8 · 08-03-2014 4:51am

readytosnap wrote: »

Listening to yer woman on sky news, she's asking a pilot info about plane/route/weather etc and she laughinged at least 2 times, and asking him to speculate all sorts of crap, anyone got any suggestions where I can get proper accurate info?
terrible news that it is.

To be fair, switching over to FOX News would make you wan't to enter the studio with a hedge-cutters. Apologies.

Thrill · 08-03-2014 4:51am

Thrill wrote: »

Vietnam Emergency Rescue Centre found "signal" of Malaysia Airlines plane, 9.50am 120 nautical miles SW of southernmost Ca Mau province

Xinhua reporting signal detected off Vietnam's Ca Mau, but this just appears to be the last known location measured from different location.

Kavs8 · 08-03-2014 4:55am

Malaysian ATC have confirmed the aircraft is downed in its airspace

Stinicker · 08-03-2014 4:56am

Kavs8 wrote: »

Indeed, if this is terrorism I really feel there will be another game-changer in security in relation to aviation, we haven't had anything on this scale if confirmed since 9/11?

Lot's of possibilities, but in layman's terms 239 people have died tragically, its devastating, and equally so for the 777, the first catastrophic accident for that aircraft.

To be honest one half of me sort of hopes this was terror related because if it was then it would give me reassurance from from a safety point of view relating to the aircraft, and more importantly it is something which can be rooted out and stopped.

I have flown through Kuala Lumpur and the KL-LCC Terminal and several other asian airports over the last few years and Security standards there I feel are somewhat relaxed compared to the likes of the USA. Similarly Dubai airport for example is totally chaotic and everything is totally rushed and laptops are not removed from bags nor are you made to remove shoes etc. I seen people getting bypassed security there to get them onto flights because the long queues were delaying flights due to dozens of transit passengers missing in the long security queues.

pclancy · 08-03-2014 5:04am

Ok lets keep it clean and focus on the story at hand please

ciarriaithuaidh · 08-03-2014 5:05am

https://twitter.com/Derry_London

Following this guy on the tweet machine, is updating regularly. Terrible tragedy.

Kavs8 · 08-03-2014 5:07am

Last recorded track of MH370 shows just how accurate FR24 was, looks like the aircraft went down 150 km north east of Kuala Terengganu. Thinking of AF447, survivors would be very low and one can only hope there are some

EI-DOR · 08-03-2014 5:11am

Yea FR is looking pretty accurate!

https://twitter.com/chinaorgcn/status/442147160100859904/photo/1

jay-me · 08-03-2014 5:32am

CaliforniaDream wrote: »

I really don't get this line of thinking. You've mentioned a few times now about no Irish on board.
Does it make you feel better about the potential crash? Are we to celebrate the fact it was mainly Asians on board so we're less likely to feel a 'connection'.
Obviously nothing is confirmed but this looks to be a tragedy and the fact that no Irish were on board does not change my feelings behind it.
I hope people won't be as callous towards your family should something happen.

On topic:
How likely is it that the captain would have no time to transmit a message to ATC? Is there any recent history crashes where it wasn't known to ATC at the time of incident?

Afraid so.. There being Irish people on-board would make me and others more sympathetic.. And even in that I don't actually care.. Same way as I don't care about all the other atrocities that have little or no connection to me.. Sad but true.. Perhaps I'm desensitized to it all I dunno..

Anyway back on point... Very sad, may god rest there souls and help their grieving families.

Thrill · 08-03-2014 5:51am

Vietnam are now saying that the Malaysia Airlines jet entered its airspace near Ca Mau province for about 1 minute before contact was lost.

KevinEldon · 08-03-2014 6:00am

jay-me wrote: »

Afraid so.. There being Irish people on-board would make me and others more sympathetic.. And even in that I don't actually care.. Same way as I don't care about all the other atrocities that have little or no connection to me.. Sad but true.. Perhaps I'm desensitized to it all I dunno..

Anyway back on point... Very sad, may god rest there souls and help their grieving families.

?

drunkmonkey · 08-03-2014 6:09am

UPDATE [12:37]: Tuoi Tre, a leading daily in Vietnam, reports that the Vietnamese Navy has confirmed the plane crashed into the ocean. According to Navy Admiral Ngo Van Phat, Commander of the Region 5, military radar recorded that the plane crashed into the sea at a location 153 miles South of Phu Quoc island.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/mas-aircraft-goes-missing--says-airline-023820132.html

Ahhhhh its grand · 08-03-2014 6:20am

I was on this exact flight last August, at roughly the same time of day. Pretty surreal watching all this.

In saying that, I found the airline to be quite excellent. Comfortable and modern plane as well as really excellent staff.

Sincerely hope that there are survivors.

Kavs8 · 08-03-2014 6:43am

Survivors in a crash at sea are extremely rare considering speed and Angle of Attack (AoA) into the water, confirmation now of a terrible tragedy.

RIP

davepatr07 · 08-03-2014 7:05am

This incident reminds me of the Air France A332 crash in the S Atlantic. Forgive me if it has been mentioned before but I am curious and tend to over analyse. If an aircraft did suffer a catastrophic failure and spun out of control (dived) would there be a greater chance of you being unconscious before hitting the water? It's a horrible thought people would of gone through their last secs in such a way hurdling towards earth.

BTW 777 is a favourite aircraft of mine, hope it isn't anything structural.

Terrible for people involved and the families. RIP

rightyabe · 08-03-2014 7:29am

I'm in perth here and I flew Malaysian airlines a few times and liked flying with them because every landing was super smooth. KL is used a lot by people flying home from Australia, but with a destination of Beijing not many Irish would of been on board. 7 Australians on board, hopefully none of these were Irish who have australian citizenship and passport.

drunkmonkey · 08-03-2014 7:34am

Pham Hien, director of the Vietnam's maritime search and rescue coordination centre zone 3, told Xinhua Saturday that the information that the signal of the plane has been detected at some 120 nautical miles southwest of Vietnam's southernmost Ca Mau province is incorrect.

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/03/08/Missing-plane-vitenam-false/

Hard to know what to believe.

pclancy · 08-03-2014 7:35am

Next comment like this will earn a permaban.

Not funny.

Suasdaguna1 · 08-03-2014 7:43am

pclancy wrote: »

Next comment like this will earn a permaban.

Not funny.

The comment was disgraceful, lets not let boards stoop to the level allowed on pprune at the mo. If it was my gig he'd have been booted out the door.

RIP to those lost last night. Im just after finishing "understanding AF447" by bill palmer and it makes grimacing reading for the aviation minded...i hope this is not a similar tech issue and inability to deal with same.

lomb · 08-03-2014 8:33am

Are there terrorists out there who would want to see an airline from that carrier go down? Sounda like a bomb went off and caused a total structural failure as its just disappeared.
I saw a program a while ago where a small bomb placed in an aircraft hull caused it to peel open like a banana due to the pressure difference and sealed nature of a commercial airliner.

fits · 08-03-2014 8:37am

Must have been some catastrophic failure, whatever happened. You would immediately think of a missile or something, but then look what happened in that air France flight. &#55357;&#56862;. I flew through shanghai last Sunday so it feels that little bit closer than it usually would. RIP.

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370-Updates and Discussion

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