Airbus lost over atlantic

[Namreg]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8076848.stm

i hope they're alright, but i have a feeling they're not so alright anymore... RIP.

Mr Borloo said the airliner would already have run out of fuel.

"Nothing on Spanish radar, nothing on Moroccan radar, nothing on French radar - we seriously have to fear the worst," he added.

 

[bazza599]

shit not good at all that is a massive area to do a search . can only hope for the best fingers crossed

 

[Jagger69]

As someone who flies very frequently, these types of incidents hit me right to the bone. The prospects don't sound good....the only good thing is that everyone would have been instantaneously killed with (hopefully) no fire. Horrible tragedy.

 

[Kingfisher]

Oh crap!

 

[Facetious]

First RIP to all aboard the Air France Airbus A - 330-200.

The sources have cited that turbulence and / or lightning as being among two possible reasons why this particular aircraft disappeared, yet they ruled out
"Hi, Jack" ! i.e. TERRORISM to be among the reasons . . .

:spin: For why not say that it is not known why the aircraft disappeared at this time - investigation is pending ? :updown:

Will the "real" truth ever be known ?

 

[thebear247]

i was just reading that hear ... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31040692/?GT1=43001

they think lighting but who knows very sad indeed my thoughts are with the famillys invold

 

[Jagger69]

It is highly unlikely that lightning would bring down a commercial airliner. I have been on flights that have been struck by lightning before without it becoming a major problem. Weird and a bit scary yes but not enough to cause the crash.

 

[Baill Inneraora]

^^ Thats what I was thinking.

 

[mrtrebus]

First RIP to all aboard the Air France Airbus A - 330-200.

The sources have cited that turbulence and / or lightning as being among two possible reasons why this particular aircraft disappeared, yet they ruled out
"Hi, Jack" ! i.e. TERRORISM to be among the reasons . . .

:spin: For why not say that it is not known why the aircraft disappeared at this time - investigation is pending ? :updown:

Will the "real" truth ever be known ?

"real" truth?!?

 

[Neutron66]

Because of the crash in the Hudson a few months ago people are clinging to the hope they may've been able to set it down and get everyone into the rafts in time.

Awfully high bar Mr. Scully set for the rest of the pilots out there.

 

[Facetious]

^ ^ :grin: yea, "real" there's several variants, you know.



"and here we have 35,000' elevation lightning . . no wait ! Turbulence. . that's the ticket . . wait !''

Out of respect for the presumed deceased, I will speculate no further.

:bows out: :hatsoff:

 

[Namreg]

Because of the crash in the Hudson a few months ago people are clinging to the hope they may've been able to set it down and get everyone into the rafts in time.

Awfully high bar Mr. Scully set for the rest of the pilots out there.

airbuses have an emergency button that can make the plane watertight, but that is not the problem here. the hudson landing was from low speed, from a low altitude, whereas this plane was at its cruising altitude (anywhere between 35000 feet and 41000 feet), and flying at its cruising speed (mach 0.8 or so). also, it is believed tat the plane lost electrical power, which could indicate a problem with the engines or wit the electrical systems.
it would be hard to get a plane safely to the ground if that is the case, nevermind landing safely on water. i do wish them luck, but i don't believe there will be survivors.

 

[Namreg]

according to a time magazine web article,

Air France chief executive Pierre-Henri Gourgeon said that at 11:00 pm the plane encountered stormy weather and strong turbulence, and shortly thereafter it sent out an automatic message reporting "a loss of pressure and a failure of the electrical system."

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1902151,00.html

 

[Namreg]

i don't think he meant Davia Ardell...

 

[Member2019]

As someone who flies very frequently, these types of incidents hit me right to the bone. The prospects don't sound good....the only good thing is that everyone would have been instantaneously killed with (hopefully) no fire. Horrible tragedy.

It is highly unlikely that lightning would bring down a commercial airliner. I have been on flights that have been struck by lightning before without it becoming a major problem. Weird and a bit scary yes but not enough to cause the crash.

I've been flying throughout this decade twice a week, if not more. But given my former 70+ mile/day commute, meaning 350+ miles/week, I was still far less likely to crash driving 350+ miles/week than flying over 2,000 miles/week.

As far as lightning, it depends on the conditions. Losing electrical and hydrolics in a great amount of turbulence would be horrendous. Finding the black box with its recorded attitudes and altitudes would tell a lot about what happened. Storms over the ocean can be extreme and reach great altitudes. Pilots have no idea how the plane "feels" in turbulent weather when the instruments are useless.

As far as dying instantaneously, that commonly happens when an airline and/or its falling passengers slams into anything, even water, from high altitude. The worst would be to slow into it low speed, and then die from drowning (possibly exhaustion) or dehydration (in salt water, well before lack of food).

 

[Jagger69]

Here's the latest info on Air France Flight 447. They are now speculating that the plane possibly stalled out at 35,000 feet in heavy turbulence....certainly a recipe for disaster:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6430398.ece

This is the second fatal commercial air crash in recent weeks where pilot error regarding maintaining adequate airspeed while flying in hazardous weather conditions may well have figured into the accident (the other being Continental Express Flight 3407 which crashed during heavy icing conditions back in February while making an approach into Buffalo International Airport). If the plane ceased to maintain any kind of lift at that altitude.....OMG what a nasty, terrifying high-speed plunge into the Atlantic Ocean that must have been!!! :eek: