Malaysia Airlines Flight Goes Missing En Route to China - Flight MH370

[voyager10]

TOKYO: Japanese satellite images have shown around 10 floating objects off Australia, possibly from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, media reports quoted the government as saying Friday.

The objects were spotted in waters roughly 2,500km southwest of Perth, Kyodo and Jiji news agencies said.

Japan's Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center's study showed objects up to eight metres in length and four metres wide in images captured by a satellite between 9am and 3pm (0000GMT and 0600GMT) Wednesday, Kyodo said.

A government source said they could be wreckage of the missing plane since they were found in an area overlapping the sites where debris had previously been spotted, according to the agency.

Jiji quoted a government official as saying the floating objects were "highly likely" to be part of the plane.

Japan had handed the information to Malaysia, the reports said. – AFP

https://www.google.com/search?q=Japanese+satellite+images+have+shown+around+10+floating+objects+off+Australia,+possibly+from+missing+Malaysia+Airlines+Flight+370,+media+reports+quoted+the+government+as+saying+Friday.&safe=off&hl=en&gbv=2&prmd=ivns&source=lnt&tbs=qdr:h&sa=X&ei=-9c0U6r-E6rP0gGAoIGQCw&ved=0CA8QpwUoAQ

[Oblivian]

Quite hard with all these satellite images. Still a 3-4day delay in analysis before they can go looking, by that time so much has moved/changed. Real cat and mouse game until the boats can get their hands on something themselves.

[voyager10]

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[anterian]

There are frequent suggestions in the media that this was a suicide act by the pilot, I see several problems with this. I worked for many years with the Samaritans UK (http://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can...FS2t4godnV8Asg ), this does not fit the normal pattern for several reasons. Most potential suicides like to leave a "window" open for negotiation, many "jumpers" can be talked down by trained police officers. There are usually warning signs which friends and family can detect or identify in retrospect. Most like to justify their action by leaving a message or phone call, often with the subconscious desire to be stopped in time. Apart from the fact that suicide is strictly forbidden in Islam the sequence of events seem far too complex for a suicide, if that was the pilot's intention, why fly around for hours with no communication?

[delta]

Does anyone know the frequency at which the plane pinged inmarsat satellite?

My thinking, Is it possible that someone else(e.g.radio amateur) might have captured an harmonic of this signal / tramition without realizing http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonic

[smay69]

As I've been thinking about this a little bit I have a few technical questions for anyone who might know:

1) The system that was pinging the satellite would likely the same electrical bus as the transponder/ACARS/etc correct? The transponder can be switched off from the cockpit (as I understand it) but what about ACARS? If this were a widespread electrical problem wouldn't one expect the pings to cease as well or would it be on a totally different circuit from the other non-essential avionics.

2) What data would be transmitted from the engines IF Malaysians airlines subscribed to the service? Temperature? Fuel Burn? Could altitude and speed be worked out from these types of parameters? Does something have to happen in-plane to make this data transfer happen or is it something controlled by the return handshake of a ping, which means it could be turned on centrally? If this is the case could it be standard procedure that as soon as a plane goes missing the engine manufacturer and/or Inmarsat turn on this "subscription" to get more information about a missing plane if it happens to ping? This is until maybe more mandated satellite data is achieved in the airline industry (if it ever is). If they can turn on the "subscription" centrally - nothing would have to change in terms of devices and technology to have a little more information about the missing plane....

[F-EGLF1]

As I've been thinking about this a little bit I have a few technical questions for anyone who might know:


2) What data would be transmitted from the engines IF Malaysians airlines subscribed to the service? Temperature? Fuel Burn? Could altitude and speed be worked out from these types of parameters? Does something have to happen in-plane to make this data transfer happen or is it something controlled by the return handshake of a ping, which means it could be turned on centrally? If this is the case could it be standard procedure that as soon as a plane goes missing the engine manufacturer and/or Inmarsat turn on this "subscription" to get more information about a missing plane if it happens to ping? This is until maybe more mandated satellite data is achieved in the airline industry (if it ever is). If they can turn on the "subscription" centrally - nothing would have to change in terms of devices and technology to have a little more information about the missing plane....

We don't know what data if any Malaysian airways subscribed to, my understanding is that the data was for Rolls royce not MAS, however the pings detected after it dissapered were just that, pings and NO data.

[smay69]

We don't know what data if any Malaysian airways subscribed to, my understanding is that the data was for Rolls royce not MAS, however the pings detected after it dissapered were just that, pings and NO data.

I understand the pings had no data, but early on the stories were saying its because its a service Malayasian airlines doesn't subscribe to from Rolls Royce. So the question is can Rolls Royce/Inmarsat turn it on centrally or does something have to be done in-plane to initiate actual engine data being transmitted? Presumably, because there is a handshake at all it's likely it can be turned on from the receiving side...Also do GE, P&W etc have similar systems in place?

[iazoniccc]

I understand the pings had no data, but early on the stories were saying its because its a service Malayasian airlines doesn't subscribe to from Rolls Royce. So the question is can Rolls Royce/Inmarsat turn it on centrally or does something have to be done in-plane to initiate actual engine data being transmitted? Presumably, because there is a handshake at all it's likely it can be turned on from the receiving side...Also do GE, P&W etc have similar systems in place?

I was under the impression that the individual systems (ie. ACARS, engine monitoring) were disabled or not subscribed to, but they use the same system (SATCOM) which communicates with the Inmarsat network, and that the ping's were simply the SATCOM equipment confirming its presence, is that not right? Sounds likely the systems are activated remotely.

Yes GE and P&W have similar monitoring systems.

[POR911]

When the airline was first informed of the issue, maybe the confusion between the airline, government, military, airforce and Navy...some one in the airline's technical area should have realised while they had not subscribed to Boeing/ Inmarsat, BUT make an immediate urgent request for the 'ping' handshake to be accepted and maybe then the aircraft could then download the data it was trying to.

[iazoniccc]

28th March, 2014: 1115(AEDT)
Search operation for Malaysia Airlines aircraft: Update 25

Five aircraft spotted multiple objects of various colours during Friday’s search for the missing Malaysian
Airlines flight MH370.

Search activities have now concluded. A total of 256,000 square kilometres was searched.

Photographic imagery of the objects was captured and will be assessed overnight.

The objects cannot be verified or discounted as being from MH370 until they are relocated and
recovered by ships.

A Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P3 Orion reported sighting a number of objects white or light in
colour and a fishing buoy.

A Royal Australian Air Force P3 Orion relocated the objects detected by the RNZAF Orion and reported
it had seen two blue/grey rectangular objects floating in the ocean.

A second RAAF P3 Orion spotted various objects of various colours in a separate part of the search area
about 546 kilometres away.

A total of ten planes were tasked by AMSA in today’s search and all have now departed the search area.

AMSA has tasked Chinese Maritime Administration patrol ship, Haixun 01, which is in the search area
and will be in a position to relocate the objects on Saturday.

Friday’s search area was shifted north after international air crash investigators in Malaysia provided the
latest credible lead available to AMSA.

This was on the advice of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).

Weather conditions in the area are expected to be reasonable for searching on Saturday.

[fungus]

Just a real quick report re the new search area for MH370 to the north east of original search area off west coast of Australia;

Latest AMSA briefing (No25) (time expressed in 12hr clock mode rather than 24hr for reasons unknown (should read 23:15Hrs) 28th March;

https://www.amsa.gov.au/media/documents/28032014MH370Media_Update25.pdf

Also a recent media report from 19:25Hrs 28th March;

http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/22172054/search-for-malaysian-plane-to-resume/

It's just ticked over 24:00Hrs here in Sydney, Australia (13:00UTC).

Regards,
Gregg

Looks as if I was too slow off the mark to hit the post button, thankyou Iazoniccc

Hopefully tomorrows expected weather will enable good search conditions and lead to something of help in this quest.
G'nite all.

[iazoniccc]

Picture: suspicious object spotted by New Zealand military plane on Friday.

Top picture is provided by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, bottom picture courtesy of The Times, which had a reporter on board the search flight.

Bj0MJgzCEAAEv2L.png
Bj0Xmk2CcAA-t3v.jpg

Australian Air Force preparing to send a helicopter out to the revised search area tomorrow to locate and collect the objects.

[voyager10]

MH370 PRESS BRIEFING BY HISHAMMUDDIN HUSSEIN,

MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND ACTING MINISTER OF TRANSPORT

28 MARCH 2014, 5:30PM

Introductory statement

Today, the search for MH370 has been further refined. The international investigation team continue working to narrow the search area, and shed further light on MH370’s flight path.
...
We are, as always, grateful for the continuing co-operation of our partners in this difficult and intensive search.
Whilst search operations are on-going, we continue to focus our efforts on caring for the families. In Cabinet this morning, we discussed the importance of continuing to support the relatives of the passengers and crew.

Refined search area

On Monday, the Prime Minister announced that based on new data analysis, Inmarsat and the AAIB had concluded that MH370 flew along the southern corridor, and that its last position was in the middle of the Indian Ocean, west of Perth.

On Tuesday, I confirmed that further study of this data would be undertaken to attempt to determine the final position of the aircraft. The Malaysian investigation team set up an international working group, comprising agencies with expertise in satellite communications and aircraft performance, to take this work forward.

The international working group included representatives from the UK, namely Inmarsat, AAIB, and Rolls Royce; from China, namely the CAAC and AAID; from the US, namely the NTSB, FAA, and Boeing; as well as the relevant Malaysian authorities.

The group has been working to refine the Inmarsat data, and to analyse it – together with other information, including radar data and aircraft performance assumptions – to narrow the search area.

Information which had already been examined by the investigation was re-examined in light of new evidence drawn from the Inmarsat data analysis.

In addition, international partners – who continue to process data in their home countries, as well as in the international working group – have further refined existing data. They have also come up with new technical information, for example on aircraft performance.

Yesterday, this process yielded new results, which indicated that MH370 flew at a higher speed than previously thought, which in turn means it used more fuel and could not travel as far. This information was passed to RCC Australia by the NTSB, to help further refine and narrow the search area.

The Australian authorities have indicated that they have shifted the search area approximately 1,100 kilometres to the north east. Because of ocean drift, this new search area could still be consistent with the potential objects identified by various satellite images over the past week.

This work is on-going, and we can expect further refinements. As the Australian authorities indicated this morning, this is standard practice in a search operation. It is a process of continually refining data which in turn further narrows the search area. With each step, we get closer to understanding MH370’s flight path.

Searches must be conducted on the best information available at the time. In the search for MH370, we have consistently followed the evidence, and acted on credible leads. Our search and rescue efforts have been directed by verified and corroborated information. This latest refinement of the search area is no different.

Satellite images

Last night, Japanese authorities announced they had satellite images which showed a number of floating objects approximately 2,500 kilometres southwest of Perth. Early this morning we received separate satellite imagery from the Thai authorities which also showed potential objects.

These new satellite images join those released by Australia, China, France, and Malaysia, all of which are with RCC Australia. The range of potential objects, and the difficulty in re-identifying them shows just how complex this investigation is. We remain grateful to all our partners for continuing to assist in the search operations.

Concluding remarks.

The new search area, approximately 1,680 kilometres west of Perth, remains in the Australian area of responsibility.
Australia continues to lead the search efforts in this new area, and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority gave a comprehensive operational update earlier today. As more information emerges, they will be issuing frequent operational updates, including on assets deployed.

I would like to echo their statements that the new search area, although more focused than before, remains considerable; and that the search conditions, although easier than before, remain challenging.

For the families of those on board, we pray that further processing of data, and further progress in the search itself, brings us closer to finding MH370.

ENDS

[voyager10]

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