The ACARS transcript is already out (there were many sources capturing ACARS messages in real-time) and it looks like an underfloor fire. ACARS is a system used in modern aircraft where the airplane’s automated systems basically text or ‘tweet’ errors/problems to a world-wide network. Anyone with an ACARS subscription can see them.
Posted this earlier:
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Doesn’t work with the ACARS reporting timeline - fire was first detected inside the bulkhead under/around the right front windows. Check the timeline (I’ve annotated it):
00:26Z 3044 ANTI ICE R WINDOW - right forward cockpit window anti-ice sensor has detected elevated temperatures when the computer wasn’t expecting to see them.
00:26Z 561200 R SLIDING WINDOW SENSOR - right side cockpit window sensor has detected elevated temperatures when the computer was not expecting to see them.
00:26Z 2600 SMOKE LAVATORY SMOKE - Smoke detected in the lavatory. The front lav on an A320 is one the *left* side of the aircraft. It shares the back wall of the cockpit on the left side.
00:27Z 2600 AVIONICS SMOKE - Smoke detected in the avionics bay which IIRC is under the floor of the cockpit.
00:28Z 561100 R FIXED WINDOW SENSOR - right side cockpit window sensor has detected elevated temperatures when the computer was not expecting to see them.
00:29Z 2200 AUTO FLT FCU 2 FAULT - Autopilot module 2 has failed, probably due to fire given prior messages.
00:29Z 2700 F/CTL SEC 3 FAULT - Part of main flight controls has failed, probably due to fire given prior messages.
This reads like an underfloor fire.
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This evident fire started in areas not accessible to anyone while the plane is in flight. The cockpit smoke sensors didn’t see any smoke while the ACARS radios were still intact, so there was no fire or smoke in the cockpit where the pilots were but there seems to have been fire that spread from inside the right fuselage bulkhead, under the floor of the cockpit to the other side where the lavatory is and then it ate the underfloor avionics bay.
Mind, this doesn’t rule out an incendiary planted in the avionics bay while the aircraft on the ground, but pending the FDR and CVR recordings, this doesn’t look like ‘bomb in cockpit’ or ‘suicidal pilot’.
“Mind, this doesn’t rule out an incendiary planted in the avionics bay while the aircraft on the ground, but pending the FDR and CVR recordings, this doesn’t look like ‘bomb in cockpit’ or ‘suicidal pilot’.”
Interesting, hadn’t read any of that. Thank you.
Also, the area where the original ACARS messages covers is just forward of the galley service cart bin. A timed device on a service cart (the one that brought the Metrojet down was the size of a 12 oz drink can) soule easily have started the cascade of events.
Another thought, the forward EE bay is not locked, and has a service access door that any ground handler can get to. That electronics bay is big enough to get into and walk around in, it is not some small compartment. It has racks of equipment in it and I doubt you could find any maintenance tech that could tell what should be and should not be there. I have been in them and it looks like some science fiction space ship control. With just a little work, a device could be planted in there that looks like it belongs.
Will we ever get the truth? Egypt controls the investigation, and any cause other than mechanical failure will negatively impact their tourist industry.
Thank you for that. Could it be a bomb in the baggage area? Or do you believe it is an “innocent” technical malfunction?
I was talking about this last night with someone and he said, he’d be MORE likely to fly Egypt Air if it had been terror than if it was a plane they kept flying with known tech issues.