The Ben Sandilands article on – Plane Talking this morning is as always worth reading, but this offering has provoked a different response. I, for one am sick of dancing around the daisies with this event. It is indeed time for some very plane talking.
Lets start at the end – this aircraft has finished it’s days in the ocean. We may, I believe safely assume this was done deliberately, by a person or persons unknown. From this end point, we may begin to work backward to the starting point, accumulate what evidence we may and then let that evidence tell the tale. To do this we must look at the wreckage provided thus far. It ain’t much but we may at least begin to think in reality, not fancy.
If and it is a purely speculative if; you intended to do the maximum damage, in the minimum amount of time during a ‘ditching’ and sink the ‘evidence’ quickly; you would thinking as a pilot, take care to alight as smoothly and gently as possible. If your intent was to disappear the wreckage, then you would want to sink the substantially intact hull as quickly as possible, to keep the debris field to a minimum. In a high velocity impact, there would be no ‘control’ of the debris, which could spread far and wide. One way to avoid this would be to configure for landing, at minimum speed. The landing weight, thus speed would be low, but hitting a brick wall of water even at 120/130 knots, the impact on the undercarriage could, conceivably tear it off; or, at least create substantial damage, weakening structure, maybe some big holes. The rapid nose down pitch would increase the magnitude of that damage, perhaps tearing the fuselage at the weaker parts. The engine fan discs rapidly following, acting like barn doors, driving the nose down even further, increasing water pressure rapidly filling the voids; once water weight became greater than buoyancy and the pressures equalised the aircraft would sink and keep sinking.
It is truly horrendous scenario and I most sincerely apologise to any who are suffering through this ordeal; but explanations are required, this involves speculation. That this event has occurred is terrible, but hiding from reality has not, thus far helped anyone.
A terrible event has occurred, we must now come to terms with the how and the why of it. ALL of it, not just certain, selected parts. The families deserve the truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth. Warts and all.
Selah.
Quote:
Things are in a mess in the search for MH370 wreckage on La Reunion island this morning, at least in terms of official statements.
The search itself is reported as orderly and thorough, with plans to begin a much better resourced beach combing operation from next Monday.
But at the executive level, Malaysia’s transport minister Liow Tiong Lai hasn’t yet produced the goods, after announcing much.
Lets start at the end – this aircraft has finished it’s days in the ocean. We may, I believe safely assume this was done deliberately, by a person or persons unknown. From this end point, we may begin to work backward to the starting point, accumulate what evidence we may and then let that evidence tell the tale. To do this we must look at the wreckage provided thus far. It ain’t much but we may at least begin to think in reality, not fancy.
If and it is a purely speculative if; you intended to do the maximum damage, in the minimum amount of time during a ‘ditching’ and sink the ‘evidence’ quickly; you would thinking as a pilot, take care to alight as smoothly and gently as possible. If your intent was to disappear the wreckage, then you would want to sink the substantially intact hull as quickly as possible, to keep the debris field to a minimum. In a high velocity impact, there would be no ‘control’ of the debris, which could spread far and wide. One way to avoid this would be to configure for landing, at minimum speed. The landing weight, thus speed would be low, but hitting a brick wall of water even at 120/130 knots, the impact on the undercarriage could, conceivably tear it off; or, at least create substantial damage, weakening structure, maybe some big holes. The rapid nose down pitch would increase the magnitude of that damage, perhaps tearing the fuselage at the weaker parts. The engine fan discs rapidly following, acting like barn doors, driving the nose down even further, increasing water pressure rapidly filling the voids; once water weight became greater than buoyancy and the pressures equalised the aircraft would sink and keep sinking.
It is truly horrendous scenario and I most sincerely apologise to any who are suffering through this ordeal; but explanations are required, this involves speculation. That this event has occurred is terrible, but hiding from reality has not, thus far helped anyone.
A terrible event has occurred, we must now come to terms with the how and the why of it. ALL of it, not just certain, selected parts. The families deserve the truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth. Warts and all.
Selah.