Inmarsat now saying hotspot is 28S 98.1E.
[Duncan Steel puts it at 36.02S 88.57E — big difference of 780 miles and yet neither of them are even closer]
But let’s look further:
From S4.0E93 @ 20:11 to S28E98.1 @ 24.11 is 1691 miles or
423mph.
From N7.5E96 [point of estimated turn south @ 18:29] to S28E98.1 is 2455 miles which 5.7 hours @ 430mph
Could it have hit those earlier arcs at that autopilot speed of 430mph — I doubt it.
When added to the 881 miles up to that point the total is 2455 + 881 = 3336 miles.
They are saying the plane ran out of fuel after 3336 miles but it likely had fuel for 4000+ miles.
KLA N2.73E101.71 to Beijing N40.08S116.6 is 2742 miles plus 2 hours of contingency fuel @ 550mph is 1100 + 2742 = 3842 miles.
The plane had atleast another hour of fuel left if it went down where Inmarsat says it did.
S7.5E96 [point of likely turn south @ 18:29] to the DS location of 36.02S, 88.57E is:
Distance of 3042 miles
From 18:29 to 00:11 is 5.7 hours
Average speed of 533.68 mph.
Average speed of first 1.8 hours was about 485mph
After turning south — why the hurry?????
Wouldn’t he slow down and savour the ride at slower speed conserving fuel???