Missing Malaysian Airlines MH-370 - Thread 6

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[TheDoctrineOfSnatch]

"What is weirder is not saying anything/ spotting anything."

Why? The only people who need to know are those running the search to give them the best chance to look in the right areas. The rest of us aren't going to be jumping into our canoes.

[TheDoctrineOfSnatch]

"Well I meant more things that were leaked, denied by the Malaysians at press conferences, so ruled out by the press, then confirmed later on."

I'm not sure what in particular you have in mind but if the press say something that hasn't been confirmed, what are the Malaysians supposed to do?

[Manchesterhistorygirl]

Reports of five aircraft sighting many bits of multicoloured items floating in the sea.

I hope this is it.

[MerryMarigold]

Well, since the search has so far entirely been based on INMARSAT findings and satellite pictures (Chinese satellite and not sure where other was from), I think we can assume they haven't shared a lot of info.

[TheHoneyBadger]

i thought this new search area was more like 600miles to the north east from what i read.

[JKSLtd]

Doctrine - others with better memories than mine will probably correct me but when it first disappeared and they were still searching near Malaysia, it was leaked that it may have turned off course, the next press conf that was denied, then it was confirmed later on.
Then the longer flying time post last contact was leaked, denied, then confirmed.

Not - we are unaware of that information at this time, or
that is unconfirmed so we will not be commenting
but actually denied.

Not sure why you're picking my comments apart so much?

[JKSLtd]

Re timings - time zones/and timings of flights - are we likely to hear confirmation today (UK time)?
Wasn't the nearest ship only getting to the new area on Saturday (their time I suppose)?

[TheHoneyBadger]

we have heard 'thai radar saw x', 'a french satellite has seen y', a chinese satellite has seen z actually. so i don't get how ridiculous it is deemed to wonder why we haven't heard of radar or satellite from U.S given they have a massive radar and satellite presence including under water systems of radar supposedly that are crazily powerful.

[TheDoctrineOfSnatch]

I'm not, particularly, JKS- I've commented on various posters' comments.

I agree that "we don't know that yet" might have been better than denial.

[helzapoppin2]

I think the US are involved because three US citizens are among the missing, and there will be a big move to "bring them home". They would, of course, use their technology, but in recent times have kept a low profile because of not wanting to be seen as the world's police.

[LouSend]

Wrt the ping: If each ping, or full handshake, is the satellite asking 'are you here?' and the plane replying 'yes I'm here' then are we assuming that the half handshake issued not long after the full handshake was the plane saying 'my pinger is no longer active. I'm now not here'?

[TheDoctrineOfSnatch]

I don't think it's been clarified what the partial handshake was and why it happened so soon after the other one. It has been stated that the one an hour later didn't complete, implying the plane didn't have engines on by then.

[TheDoctrineOfSnatch]

"Five planes have spotted "objects" in the new area of the Indian Ocean being searched for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, Australian officials say."

The Chinese ship is due to track these down on Saturday - fingers crossed.

[JKSLtd]

Sorry Doctrine - feeling over sensitive I think, tough week , ignore me!

Am impatiently mentally pushing that boat on!

[GarlicMarchHare]

Yes, Lou. I don't know whether this particular antenna does it, but it is normal for automated systems to send out a final squawk of some description when they unexpectedly go offline.

I'm still mystified by the news that the US has this amazing visual surveillance technology over the very area the plane went missing, yet doesn't seem to have got any pictures of it doing whatever it did. Possible explanations: They do not have this technology (but they do, because they brag about it when it finds a hostile nation lying about its available forces); they do but it doesn't work properly; it can't see a white plane over a dark ocean on a moonless night (unlikely); they have pictures of the plane but won't share them.

Plus, I cannot believe the plane evaded all radar tracking near land in that area. The hypothetical low-flying to avoid Butterworth radar (which did pick it up at some point) looks possible on a map, but the region is several kinds of military tinder-box. It's probably true that Malaysia & Thailand have rusty old systems, which would suggest other countries with bigger budgets would be running their own cover as well.

We're told this info doesn't exist. Just as and as ever!

[TheDoctrineOfSnatch]

I lost the link to the US satellite coverage description, would be grateful if someone could repost?

Are those satellites looking specifically at trouble spots, (which the Malaysian borders aren't at present)?

[GarlicMarchHare]

It was , Doctrine. Has a diagram of where McInerney says the satellites orbit. The satellites exist; I can't verify the orbits.

[GarlicMarchHare]

Oooh, look, Mumsnet added a still! [impressed]

[TheDoctrineOfSnatch]

Thanks!

[NumanoidNancy]

OK I'm completely lost now. I need some sort of recap of knowns and unknowns and possibilities!

What was the handshake thing again?!

[TheDoctrineOfSnatch]

Handshake - the Inmarsat satellite and the plane exchanging a ping!

[TheDoctrineOfSnatch]

Have watched it now - thank you. 15 minutes seems way too fast for an orbit but perhaps he meant there are several in similar orbits so a string of them can see a given point every 15 mins.

It didn't say how wide a field each could cover with their one inch resolution lenses - a 10 mile strip under the orbit, a 1 mile strip etc etc. So it's hard to say if the LEOs definitely had coverage of the place where the military radar last saw the plane in the relevant window.

[GarlicMarchHare]

:) Doctrine.

Whether you think of trouble spots depends heavily on how you look at the map.

map

satellite arc

[GarlicMarchHare]

map & satellite arc

[GarlicMarchHare]

I'm really not insisting it's in Somalia, Pakistan, Diego Garcia, PNG, or anywhere in particular. Just fretting over how odd the story is ... still feels like we're getting a highly edited version