Terror names linked to Air France 447

[alfred russel]

Is NJ so bad if you live one block from the Hudson River?

Sure. Even worse than living in Williamsburg, NY.

Can you explain your reasoning?

[Sheilbh]

If the plane stalled, wouldn't it have plenty of time to at least send out a mayday or something?

Don't planes fly a lot lower when they're experiencing turbulence?

[Zanza]

Don't planes fly a lot lower when they're experiencing turbulence?

Not necessarily. You can also try to fly above the turbulence.

[Malthus]

If the plane stalled, wouldn't it have plenty of time to at least send out a mayday or something?

Don't planes fly a lot lower when they're experiencing turbulence?

The problem appears to be that the type of turbulence produced by thunderstorms on occasion "extreme turbulence" - isn't something you gradually fly into, but more like a sudden, catestrophic event.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/why-did-flight-447-head-into-a-monster/article1172656/

The inside of a thunderstorm can produce what is called extreme turbulence – which bears no relation to the stomach-churning bounces that has passengers white-knuckling the arm rests.

Extreme turbulence can flip an aircraft out of control. It is defined by aviation regulators as having the potential to cause "structural damage and prolonged loss of control of the aircraft."

[Iormlund]

I know almost nothing about aviation engineering, but you'd think an airplane acts like a Faraday cage in a thunderstorm (just like a car does).

[Habsburg]

The experts I heard thought the actual chances of a thunderstorm taking down a plane were incredibly unlikely. 

This is true.  They are looking at incorrect speed (due to those stick thingys) combined with the severe storm conditions.  Plane flying at 310 mph would stall if a 75 mph down/up draft hit it.

A dozen aircraft flew through that sector almost at the same time as AF447.

Are my Euro friends hearing amymore from the pilots and the passenger of that Lima-Lisboa flight who said they saw a bright flash (then it fell to Sea)?  That sub-story has been silent this side of the Atlantic.

[Zanza]

I know almost nothing about aviation engineering, but you'd think an airplane acts like a Faraday cage in a thunderstorm (just like a car does).

I read in an article on this crash that it does work as a Faraday cage as long as it is not damaged and its internal electric systems are suitably shielded. However, if it is damaged and a lightening strikes through the fuel tanks for example, they can apparently ignite. Which would lead to an immediate loss of the aircraft.

[Caliga]

If the plane stalled, wouldn't it have plenty of time to at least send out a mayday or something?

Yes, and that's what happens 99.999999% of the time... they might not report a mayday (mayday is for when loss of life/aircraft is deemed  highly possible), but they generally report turbulence, if for no other reason than to warn other pilots in the area.

Also, just to clarify, I never said "this was a bomb" but rather "it seems like a strong possibility to me".... I was confused as to why the media/French/Brazilian governments at first seemed to dismiss the possibility out of hand.

[Caliga]

I know almost nothing about aviation engineering, but you'd think an airplane acts like a Faraday cage in a thunderstorm (just like a car does).

I read in an article on this crash that it does work as a Faraday cage as long as it is not damaged and its internal electric systems are suitably shielded. However, if it is damaged and a lightening strikes through the fuel tanks for example, they can apparently ignite. Which would lead to an immediate loss of the aircraft.

There have been cases of airliners being damaged by lightning, but IIRC the last time one actually crashed as a result was circa 1972, and there have presumably been hundreds of thousands of lightning strikes vs. airliners since then with no fatalities.

[Neil]

just keep people with Islamic sounding names off of airplanes, and they will not crash. 

I wonder if the two names they found were "Mohammed" and "Ali" or something like that. A clear match between the terrorist list and the passenger list!

Wasn't there a story a while ago about some guy named Mohammed with a bomb in his turban?

[Jaron]

So quick to pin it on Muslims.

[Habsburg]

If the plane stalled, wouldn't it have plenty of time to at least send out a mayday or something?

Yes, and that's what happens 99.999999% of the time.

The lack of any cockpit communication is what troubles me.

[Habsburg]

So quick to pin it on Muslims.

I can drum up something to incriminate the idol worshipping Papists if you'd prefer? 

[grumbler]

Also, just to clarify, I never said "this was a bomb" but rather "it seems like a strong possibility to me".... I was confused as to why the media/French/Brazilian governments at first seemed to dismiss the possibility out of hand.

Exactly.  When combined with the eyewitness accounts of a bright flash that fell into the sea at or near that location, this would seem to be the prime suspect, rather than not on the radar.

[Martinus]

Sounds like a desperate attempt to rationalize away the fear of random events.