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New Theory Sees Possible Fire on Missing Jet
TIME Mag Online ^ | 03-19-2014 5:35 AM ET | Per Liljas

Posted on 03/19/2014 10:59:34 AM PDT by Red Badger

A new theory claims that a fire broke out aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and the crew was doing what it could to save passengers and themselves

As the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 enters its twelfth day, conspiracy theories and suggestions of foul play are giving way to the idea that a fire broke out onboard and the crew were simply doing everything they could to save the passengers and themselves.

That theory, first floated by Chris Goodfellow, a pilot with 20 years of experience, holds that a fire on board the aircraft caused the pilots to set course for the nearest viable airport. Heading back to Kuala Lumpur would have meant traversing 8,000-foot ridges. A much more feasible option would have been the 13,000-foot runway at Pulau Langkawi, a destination which would correspond with the new route the aircraft appeared to have followed.

Once the course had been altered, the fire could have melted electronic wire bundles, causing cyanide gas to be pumped through the cockpit and cabin, rendering everyone unconscious (oxygen masks don’t help since cyanide gas can be absorbed through the skin), and leaving the aircraft heading along its path until it ran out of fuel.

[snip]

The fire scenario could also explain the loss of communication systems. Either the pilots started killing electrical busses in order to contain the fire, or an electrical fire caused the gradual collapse of various systems on board.

“Taking busses offline is a big process, and it may leave you without computer and navigational instruments,” says Rodger, who believes it is more likely that a fire took down the aircraft’s communication systems.

(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: 2014airlinercrash; alreadyposted; autopilot; chrisgoodfellow; iran; kualalumpur; malaysia; maldives; memebuilding; mh370; notthatnew; pulaulangkawi; radar; robschapiro; timelies; vampi; waronterror
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To: QT3.14

That is not what your CNN link said:

The official, who has been briefed on the investigation, said the programmed change in direction was entered at least 12 minutes before the plane’s co-pilot signed off to air traffic controllers, telling them, “All right, good night.”

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/18/world/asia/malaysia-airlines-plane/

It had been entered into the computer 12 minutes earlier —


61 posted on 03/19/2014 1:12:22 PM PDT by Uncle Chip
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To: gandalftb

An electrical fire capable of knocking out all the comm gear and disabling the flight crew would probably preclude a 7 hour flight. I don’t agree with this theory, either.


62 posted on 03/19/2014 1:15:47 PM PDT by USNBandit (sarcasm engaged at all times)
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To: Uncle Chip
Understandable. I read both sources.

Given what FOX said, it would appear CNN had a different way of saying the same thing.

63 posted on 03/19/2014 1:31:50 PM PDT by QT3.14
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To: Aqua225

That is incorrect. ACARS is always transmitting, even in “standby” mode. They are actually quite difficult to actually turn off, short of pulling the circuit breaker.

Incidentally pulling the circuit breaker is the first step when an electrical fire is detected.


64 posted on 03/19/2014 1:31:58 PM PDT by RC51
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To: edcoil

Step number one when an electrical fire is suspected is to start pulling circuit breakers. If you do it fast enough the fire will die out and the smoke will clear. Try to fly around with electricity feeding the fires and you won’t need to pull the breakers, they will pop themselves.


65 posted on 03/19/2014 1:34:15 PM PDT by RC51
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To: Uncle Chip

I forgot to add, not a pilot, but I assume when a course is programmed into the computer, that is when the change takes effect.


66 posted on 03/19/2014 1:34:23 PM PDT by QT3.14
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To: MarMema

Iran can afford to buy a fleet of 777’s with their oil money. They don’t need to steal one, killing mostly passengers from countries that support them in the UN Security Council to boot (China & Malaysia - 1 Russian).

The theory Iran had anything to do with this very far fetched.


67 posted on 03/19/2014 1:36:56 PM PDT by RC51
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To: Qiviut

During an emergency, especially a fire, every pilot thinks... “GET THE BIRD DOWN NOW!” Turns, ridges, runway obstacles etc. All that falls by the side. You are fighting a battle and it’s 100% time based. How quickly can I put this on the ground?


68 posted on 03/19/2014 1:39:13 PM PDT by RC51
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To: Red Badger

Doesn’t explain why the plane turned 12 minutes before the co-pilot calmly radioed the “good night” message.


69 posted on 03/19/2014 1:44:09 PM PDT by Hoffer Rand (Bear His image. Bring His message. Be the Church.)
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To: GreyFriar
I still think they flew into a time vortex.

What was that movie about the USS Nimitz going back in time to right before Pearl Harbor?

70 posted on 03/19/2014 1:47:14 PM PDT by Hoffer Rand (Bear His image. Bring His message. Be the Church.)
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To: Red Badger; a fool in paradise

Belief Time: “I am certain”, “There is no other plausible explanation”, “It had to be”, etc, and so on.


71 posted on 03/19/2014 1:47:15 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Bad things are wrong! Ice cream is delicious! We reserve the right to serve refuse to anyone!)
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To: Red Badger

this one doesn’t sound too plausible to me, once you start shutting of breakers to stop electrons, you start ending all electronics, all comm, all operations of the aircraft, all systems, all control

You just do not shut off one system at a time when the avionics is in one room in the nose, it is not a panel on the wall anymore, it is the nose of the aircraft, a room full of computers and controllers and radios equipment

this one is far fetched


72 posted on 03/19/2014 1:47:48 PM PDT by RaceBannon (Lk 16:31 And he said unto him If they hear not Moses and the prophets neither will theybe persuaded)
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To: Hoffer Rand

THE OVERTONES
“Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight”

Goodnight, sweetheart, well it’s time to go,
Goodnight, sweetheart, well it’s time to go,
I hate to leave you, but I really must say,
Goodnight, sweetheart, goodnight.

Goodnight, sweetheart, well it’s time to go,
Goodnight, sweetheart, well it’s time to go,
I hate to leave you, but I really must say,
Goodnight, sweetheart, goodnight.

Well, it’s three o’clock in the morning,
And baby, I just can’t do right,
Well, I hate to leave you, baby,
I don’t mean maybe, because I love you so.

Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do

Goodnight, sweetheart, well it’s time to go,
(Do-do-do-do-do)
Goodnight, sweetheart, well it’s time to go,
(Ba-do ba-do)
I hate to leave you, but I really must say,
Goodnight, sweetheart, goodnight.

Well your mother and your father,
They won’t like it if we stay up too late
Well, I hate to leave you, baby,
I don’t mean maybe, you know I hate to go.

Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do

Goodnight, sweetheart, well it’s time to go,
(Do-do-do-do-do)
Goodnight, sweetheart, well it’s time to go,
(Ba-do ba-do)
I hate to leave you, but I really must say,
Goodnight, sweetheart, goodnight.


73 posted on 03/19/2014 1:49:02 PM PDT by Red Badger (LIberal is an oxymoron......................)
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To: Tzfat
Most of us can be completely trusted......

That leaves 49.9% untrustworthy....................

74 posted on 03/19/2014 1:50:29 PM PDT by Red Badger (LIberal is an oxymoron......................)
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To: CivilWarBrewing

“Equipment Bay?” -> You must mean the avionics bay like the 747 and older airliners have. Needed when electrics were huge and needed tons of cooling and power.

The 777 doesn’t have an avionics bay.


75 posted on 03/19/2014 1:50:47 PM PDT by RC51
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To: RaceBannon

When Hollyweird gets the rights for the movie, They’ll make it believable by anyone who has never been in the belly of a jumbo jet........................


76 posted on 03/19/2014 1:52:25 PM PDT by Red Badger (LIberal is an oxymoron......................)
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To: RC51
To clarify my remarks, here's exactly what the guy said ... guess it looked like I was emphasizing the info wrong in my comment to suggest he was choosing an airport because of terrain rather than the closest one - the turn was toward the closest airport .... it just also happened to be less problematic ... :

When I saw that left turn with a direct heading, I instinctively knew he was heading for an airport. He was taking a direct route to Palau Langkawi, a 13,000-foot airstrip with an approach over water and no obstacles. The captain did not turn back to Kuala Lampur because he knew he had 8,000-foot ridges to cross. He knew the terrain was friendlier toward Langkawi, which also was closer.

Take a look at this airport on Google Earth. The pilot did all the right things. He was confronted by some major event onboard that made him make an immediate turn to the closest, safest airport.

77 posted on 03/19/2014 1:53:06 PM PDT by Qiviut (It's hard to be a donk if you're sane & it's hard to be a pubbie if you have any integrity.)
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To: gandalftb

“The ACARS system was turned off before a normal voice sign off.”

Malaysian authorities now say they have no indications it was.


78 posted on 03/19/2014 1:53:14 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: Tzfat

Well, airplane pilots can be trusted as much as mankind itself can be trusted.

Which is why I keep my feets on the ground.


79 posted on 03/19/2014 1:55:24 PM PDT by chris37 (Heartless.)
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To: RaceBannon

Not sure if I follow you but the circuit breakers are all easily within reach inside the cockpit. They don’t look like circuit breakers in your house BTW.


80 posted on 03/19/2014 1:55:44 PM PDT by RC51
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