Air France Jet Disappears on Flight From Brazil to Paris

[firstdown]

With all the tracking devises now days it really surprises me they dont have a better idea of where the plane went down. I mean on my boat I have two devises to transmit and emergency signal giving my location. One is mounted on the boat (usless when the boat sinks) the other is hand held devise that floats.

[hooskins]

Originally Posted by firstdown

With all the tracking devises now days it really surprises me they dont have a better idea of where the plane went down. I mean on my boat I have two devises to transmit and emergency signal giving my location. One is mounted on the boat (usless when the boat sinks) the other is hand held devise that floats.

Apparently the black box on the plane transmits an electronic signal for a limited time when in water.

I do agree, however, that it is surprising we don't know what happened. It's kinda scary too.

[MTK]

The ocean is big, really big

Finding downed jet in open ocean is a tall order - CNN.com

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by firstdown

With all the tracking devises now days it really surprises me they dont have a better idea of where the plane went down. I mean on my boat I have two devises to transmit and emergency signal giving my location. One is mounted on the boat (usless when the boat sinks) the other is hand held devise that floats.

That's what I was thinking. How can they not have a 100% waterproof/crush proof homing beacon or GPS locator?

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

The ocean is big, really big

Finding downed jet in open ocean is a tall order - CNN.com

I know the ocean is really big but with all the tracking devises on the market it just seems strange that these planes are not better equiped. Have you ever watched Deadlest Catch when a boat sinks they know where the boat sanks its more of a matter of getting to them. The devise used on boats is called an Epirb and sends out a distress signal that anyone with radar can pick up right away. Thats what I don't get about plans having a simiular type devise. What would happen if the plane went down with survivors?

[MTK]

You're obviously on to something FD, you should call up the FAA and get on that.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

You're obviously on to something FD, you should all up the FAA and get on that.

How do you all up the FAA or do I want to know?

[MTK]

Now that's funny, busting on me for a typo

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Now that's funny, busting on me for a typo

Funny thing is you took the time to go back and correct the typo. If I did that it would take me hours just to post something.

[Zerohero]

That is sad and scary, my sis and her two kids will be flying here next month from france.

[Beemnseven]

Originally Posted by wolfeskins

absolutely. seems like in a car it would be driving along just fine then suddenly... CRASH!! in a airplane you already have that fear while your in the air then something goes wrong and as your plane is falling to the ground you have the terrifying and ufortinate realization that your going to die.

I think in some plane crash situations, the sudden drop in pressure has caused the passengers to black out as the plane plummets out of the sky. So in that case, you aren't conscious anyway. If I remember correctly, that was what happened to golfer Payne Stewart when he was killed.

If you're going to die in a plane crash, that would be the way to go.

[MTK]

If a plane decompresses at 40k feet you're not going to be awake for very long unless you can get that oxygen mask on in about 5-7 seconds.

[mredskins]

^ Oh yeah good point! See the plane crash is looking much better then the car accident.

On some show last week when I was fliping the channel some guy died in a car crash and he was crushed by a truck carrying pigs. They weren't sure if he was screaming or just the pigs when they were trying to get to him, by the time they did he was dead. Now that would suck!

[MTK]

Air France pilots battled for 15 minutes to save doomed flight AF 447 - Telegraph

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

If a plane decompresses at 40k feet you're not going to be awake for very long unless you can get that oxygen mask on in about 5-7 seconds.

Remember what happened to Pain Stewart:


But in October of that year, Stewart's life ended. He was on board a plane taking off from Orlando, Fla., and heading to Texas. Somewhere along the way, the plane took an unexpected turn and began heading north, up through the Midwest. Air traffic controllers could get no response from the plane.
An F-16 fighter jet pulled alongside and tried to contact the crew. There was no response and the windows were fogged over. It was determined later that a cabin leak had caused the plane to slowly lose air pressure, rendering the crew and passengers unconscious. In a bizarre scene played out on television news channels, the plane continue to fly on autopilot. Air Force pilots were authorized to shoot it down if it appeared headed for a populated area, but it finally ran out of fuel and crashed in a field outside Aberdeen, South Dakota. Stewart and the five others on-board were already dead from hypoxia - lack of oxygen - before the crash.