Malaysia Airlines loses contact with plane carrying 239 people

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Malaysia Airlines says it has lost contact with a plane with 239 aboard enroute from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

The airline said in a statement early Saturday it was attempting to locate the Boeing 777 after it lost contact with Subang Air Traffic Control at 2:40 a.m. It was scheduled to land in Beijing at 6:30 a.m.

China's state-run news agency Xinhua reported the plane was lost in airspace controlled by Vietnam, and did not make contact with Chinese air traffic controllers.

The plane is carrying 227 passengers, including two infants, and 12 crew members. The airline said it is working with authorities to locate the plane.

Boeing said on its Twitter account it is monitoring the situation, and "our thoughts are with everyone on board."



http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/03...ing-23-people/









Malaysian jet probe sharpens focus on passengers, crew as new clues emerge


http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/03...-indian-ocean/

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by alnorth

There's a large sea in between, though. What you described is common in the US, but in a situation like that, you have to go a short time with no air traffic control, and THAT is when things happen, not before or after?

You have that out over the Gulf of Mexico, spots in the Caribbean and some parts of Mexico.

At that point you do position reporting, but the receiving controller will still expect you at a certain Zulu time. IF not with in the tolerances of that Zulu time then they should of started calling, searching, etc...

But with position reporting you are in contact with other aircraft out in those areas...

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by Sully

Is it just a matter of not having a smooth enough ride, or what? This is fascinating (especially for someone afraid of human flight).

Its hard to control a jet at that speed and altitude smoothly.. Yes passenger comfort, but we only have 1000 ft separation of other traffic.

Auto pilot is a better pilot at cruising than humans... Besides if I am flying, I cant read the paper, eat and play games on my phone...

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

Can the pilot turn off the flow of oxygen to the passenger cabin?

I'm going with murder suicide. One of the pilots kills the others in the cockpit, turns off the oxygen to kill everyone in the back, then flies somewhere far off his flight plan and sets it down in the water as gently as possible to minimize debris. Just to get the last laugh.

I don't think so.. I could be wrong, but on our jet, we cant... Its a built in safety feature to supply the passengers...

Not sure on the 777

[Sully]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

Its hard to control a jet at that speed and altitude smoothly.. Yes passenger comfort, but we only have 1000 ft separation of other traffic.

Auto pilot is a better pilot at cruising than humans... Besides if I am flying, I cant read the paper, eat and play games on my phone...

...And i immediately think of the punchline, "Don't forget the coffee!!!"

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

Normally the when the AP is engaged or disengaged passengers never hear it.

99.9% of Airliners have rules and regs about autopilot... Most require AP to be on and engaged 100% of the time above 3000 feet.

Trust me you don't want to be in a jet doing 450 kts at 35000 ft with a person hand flying it. Passengers would not be happy.

I'm absolutely fine with the computer flying the plane.

I found out about the triple tone thing years ago. I was late for my flight, so my carry on got shoved in an overhead at the back, so I was waiting in the galley for the crowd to clear. The pilot came out and we started chatting, so I asked him what the noise was and I always hear it on approach. He seemed surprised and said, "You can hear that?" and then said it was when they turn off the autopilot.

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by Sully

...And i immediately think of the punchline, "Don't forget the coffee!!!"

and peanuts.... LOL!

[Sully]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

Its hard to control a jet at that speed and altitude smoothly.. Yes passenger comfort, but we only have 1000 ft separation of other traffic.

Auto pilot is a better pilot at cruising than humans... Besides if I am flying, I cant read the paper, eat and play games on my phone...

So when a plane hits nasty turbulence, and I begin to wonder how tight my sphincter actually is, it's still all auto-pilot?

I posted a thread on here a few years back on being on a plane with a couple of aborted landings, right above the runway... would that have been pilot decision, or some computer telling him?

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

Besides if I am flying, I cant read the paper, eat and play games on my phone...

Don't forget "watching for traffic."

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by Donger

Don't forget "watching for traffic."

TCAS does that for me... It lets me know when I need to look outside...

One thing to let the radar tell you its out there. Sometimes trying to find the traffic even know you know the altitude and direction from you.. Its harder than hell to see jets at times...

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by Sully

So when a plane hits nasty turbulence, and I begin to wonder how tight my sphincter actually is, it's still all auto-pilot?

I posted a thread on here a few years back on being on a plane with a couple of aborted landings, right above the runway... would that have been pilot decision, or some computer telling him?

AP handles the turbulence better than we do. It can process and calculate the corrects at the speed of super computers. We on the other hand have to feel and see whats happening before we make changes...

No that was the pilot doing the go arounds. AP wont tell the pilot not to land.

[Sully]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

AP handles the turbulence better than we do. It can process and calculate the corrects at the speed of super computers. We on the other hand have to feel and see whats happening before we make changes...

No that was the pilot doing the go arounds. AP wont tell the pilot not to land.

How common are those aborted landings? We were literally no more than 150 feet above the ground on one, and even lower on the other.

[Stewie]

I'm now blaming Myanmar (Burma). There are a bunch of kooks running that place with nothing better to do.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Sully

How common are those aborted landings? We were literally no more than 150 feet above the ground on one, and even lower on the other.

You had two go around on one flight? Wow. I've only been onboard for one, and that was a runway incursion (snowplow).

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by Sully

How common are those aborted landings? We were literally no more than 150 feet above the ground on one, and even lower on the other.

Depends? Did something run out in front of them? Winds? Another plane enter the runway... Too much speed?

Many different variables... I would rather go around then put it down knowing I will have a serious issue to deal with if I do...

[Sully]

Originally Posted by Donger

You had two go around on one flight? Wow. I've only been onboard for one, and that was a runway incursion (snowplow).

Flying into Dallas.
There was a storm.
Pilot comes over the intercom and says, (paraphrased) There's a storm down there, we're gonna go into a pattern and wait for a window."
Less than two minutes later, "I think we've found one, so here we go."

We were low enough that I could count blades of grass, and suddenly he accelerates and climbs. The thing that scared the shit out of me was that during the climb, I could feel that weightless feeling at times, like we were actually dropping.

"Folks, it was raining so hard, I actually couldn't see the runway, we'll go around and try again."


So we're coming down a second time, even lower this time, and the wind hits us, and I swear to God the plane turned slightly sideways and one wing dipped way down.

Ended up flying to Tulsa, and then back... all to get from Austin to KC.