Fears for 228 as Air France jet vanishes

CNN ^ | June 1, 2009

[rdl6989]

Thanks, that is a very interesting article.

[rdl6989]

FERNANDO DE NORONHA, Brazil, June 3 (Reuters) - Search crews flying over the Atlantic found debris from a crashed Air France jet spread over more than 55 miles (90 km) of ocean on Wednesday, reinforcing the possibility it broke up in the air.

But Brazilian Defense Minister Nelson Jobim said the existence of large fuel stains in the water likely ruled out an explosion, undercutting speculation about a bomb attack.

“The existence of oil stains could exclude the possibility of a fire or explosion,” he said at a news conference in Brasilia. “If we have oil stains, it means it wasn’t burned.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSL334647320090603

[Cindy]

Thank you for the update rdl6989.

[MHGinTN]

But our satellites detected fire at the site.

[rdl6989]

That’s what I don’t understand.

[VaBthang4]

"But our satellites detected fire at the site."

What is the source for THAT?

I understand that a pilot flying nearby said that he believed he saw fire on the water...but other than that I have heard nothing. Especially anything regarding satellites.

???

[VaBthang4]

The last messages:

23 h: Pilot of flight AF 447 manually sends a message explaining that the aircraft is crossing a zone of turbulence. "CB" - black, electrically charged cumulonimbus clouds containing violent winds and lightning. Satellite data shows possible 100 mph updraft winds.

23h10: An automated message said the auto-pilot had disengaged and there was a fault in one of the computers flying the plane. From 0211 to 0213, faults with the Air Data Inertial Reference Unit (ADIRU:Provides altitude and direction) and the Integrated Standby Instruments System and (ISIS: shows vertical speed and altitude) were signaling a flurry of messages. Then, a system that provides the instrument readings, the Prim 1: Aircraft's Mainframe Computer, reported a fault.

23h14: Last warning. "Cabin Vertical Speed". Indicating cabin pressure loss and outside air inside the cabin.

Raw speculation here...but speculation based on some of the preliminary evidence (the electronic feedback from this particular flight and the two previous incidences with this particular airframe).

http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/...008/AAIR/pdf/AO2008070_interim.pdf

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0UBT/is_2_23/ai_n31189475/

The Aircraft type A330 has had two other serious onboard telemetry errors causing the airframe to lose and gain altitude rapidly (one that injured many passengers). If this same error occurred a third time, at night and in the midst of a storm providing serious turbulence, the possibility of straight up over-stressing of the airframe/control surfaces...or...pilot error leading to an over-stressing of the airframe/control surfaces and a perpetual catastrophic breakup....is very real.

There is NOTHING at this point to indicate terrorism and I have a hard time believing that this flight, this airframe at this altitude failed as a result of weather, or lightning etc, etc.

This airframe has real problems with its onboard computers (or updates). I think that once airbus (or the manufacturer) realized the problem, they provided a half-assed directive to remedy it and now there is a very real possibility that this problem (coupled with some very severe weather) has led to a third mishap and possibly to the loss of an entire flight/crew/passengers.