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Title: Missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 and MH370 share similarities according to aviation experts-another plane missing
Source:
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URL Source: http://www.news.com.au/travel/trave ... s/story-fnizu68q-1227168725873
Published: Dec 28, 2014
Author: Staff
Post Date: 2014-12-28 07:53:02 by out damned spot
Keywords: missing, flight
Views: 2125
Comments: 3
HOURS after the disappearance of QZ8501, aviation experts are already comparing the incident with the yet to be solved mystery of MH370. Like MH370, the AirAsia Indonesia flight disappeared from radars and made no further communication with Air Traffic Control early into the flight from Surabaya to Singapore. The captain of the A320 had just messaged a request to descend and deviate from its course because of bad weather. MISSING PLANE: Families wait for news on Air Asia jet FLIGHT QZ8501: Crew member’s haunting tweet In the case of MH370, the Malaysia Airlines’ Boeing 777 carrying 239 passengers and crew, disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8. All communication with the aircraft was cut between Malaysia and Vietnam before MH370 diverted south and headed over the Indian Ocean. Yesterday aviation expert Peter Stuart Smith said it was curious that if QZ8501 had struck bad weather, why no further contact was made with Air traffic control. “Even if we assume that the aircraft did encounter such incredibly adverse weather conditions that it broke up in midair or the conditions led to the pilots losing control, there are still a number of questions that need answering,” said Mr Smith. “Obviously the first priority for the pilots is to fly the aircraft but relaying a message to Air Traffic Control (ATC) about what’s happening only involves depressing a single button on the control column and simply speaking. “It would also only take a few seconds to squawk 7700 (emergency) on the SSR box which would alert ATC to there being a problem although not what the problem was.” He said severe weather was a common feature of Indonesia at this time of year, but it was almost unheard of for a modern aircraft to be brought down by turbulence at altitude. “It’s a different situation when the aircraft is close to the ground but at altitude, even if the aircraft stalled, there would be ample height for the aircrew to recover the situation and regain control,” Mr Smith said. “It seems unlikely that simple bad weather could have caused the aircraft to crash.” Fellow aviation expert Neil Hansford said even if “human factors” were responsible for the disappearance of QZ8501, it was unlikely it would take long to find. He said unlike MH370, the A320-200 was within Indonesian airspace. “You haven’t got the complications of 370 where the Malaysians fluffed the (ATC) handover to the Vietnamese,” said Mr Hansford. “They know where this one was, and if they can’t find it then Houston, we have a problem.” Despite the inevitable comparisons with the Malaysia Airlines’ disasters, the Kuala Lumpur based airline did not hesitate to publicly state its support for rival carrier AirAsia Indonesia. Hours after news broke of the disappearance of QZ8501, Malaysia Airlines urging AirAsia to “stay strong”. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all family and friends of those on board QZ8501,” tweeted MAS.
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#3. To: out damned spot (#0)
How long will it take for some producer starts up a fiction television series based on these two events?
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