Well, well, well ...............
I never thought that the ATSB would ever agree with any of us, on anything, let alone me.
My initial thoughts on becoming aware of the existence of the "drifterons" (model flaperons) was this (posted on Jeff Wise net). Ge Rijn thought it was a good idea, no one else did, apparently.
![[Image: attachment.php?aid=183]](http://auntypru.com/forum/attachment.php?aid=183)
I must say I am surprised that the ATSB intends to adopt this strategy.
![[Image: attachment.php?aid=184]](http://auntypru.com/forum/attachment.php?aid=184)
So, I think that what they need to do, starting as soon as possible (do not wait until March 2017), is this:-
1. Since we only have 5 drifterons (note to ATSB - you really do need a couple of dozen at least) seed them as 5 sets of "mated pairs", i.e. (a drifteron and a Global Drifter Buoy) together, as stated above, on the arc, at intervals of 5 degrees of latitude, ie, at 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 degrees south, and track them for a month.
2. During the month, the drifteron will obviously diverge from it's "spouse" GDB.
3. At the end of 30 days, "Let the drifteron drift", and go and grab it's spouse GDB, and bring it back to it's mated drifteron, and drop it in beside it again.
4. Repeat the process every month.
5. Over "x" months, we will get an actual drift track for each of the drifterons themselves, plus, hopefully, they will also be able to build up a reasonable idea of how to calibrate the existing database of GDB's.
That will give us (assuming they start in October 2016), 5 months of data to work with up to March 2017.
By that stage, the drift models of GDB's should have been calibrated well enough to have a pretty good idea of where the "actual flaperon" entered the water.
Therefore, in March 2017, drop all 5 pairs in a 5 star pattern centered on that point, with a radius of 60 nautical miles, and "observe".
I never thought that the ATSB would ever agree with any of us, on anything, let alone me.
My initial thoughts on becoming aware of the existence of the "drifterons" (model flaperons) was this (posted on Jeff Wise net). Ge Rijn thought it was a good idea, no one else did, apparently.
I must say I am surprised that the ATSB intends to adopt this strategy.
So, I think that what they need to do, starting as soon as possible (do not wait until March 2017), is this:-
1. Since we only have 5 drifterons (note to ATSB - you really do need a couple of dozen at least) seed them as 5 sets of "mated pairs", i.e. (a drifteron and a Global Drifter Buoy) together, as stated above, on the arc, at intervals of 5 degrees of latitude, ie, at 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 degrees south, and track them for a month.
2. During the month, the drifteron will obviously diverge from it's "spouse" GDB.
3. At the end of 30 days, "Let the drifteron drift", and go and grab it's spouse GDB, and bring it back to it's mated drifteron, and drop it in beside it again.
4. Repeat the process every month.
5. Over "x" months, we will get an actual drift track for each of the drifterons themselves, plus, hopefully, they will also be able to build up a reasonable idea of how to calibrate the existing database of GDB's.
That will give us (assuming they start in October 2016), 5 months of data to work with up to March 2017.
By that stage, the drift models of GDB's should have been calibrated well enough to have a pretty good idea of where the "actual flaperon" entered the water.
Therefore, in March 2017, drop all 5 pairs in a 5 star pattern centered on that point, with a radius of 60 nautical miles, and "observe".