AF flight from Rio missing [merged]
#286
Join Date: Mar 2009
Programs: Miles & More
Posts: 19
We had the same rumor regarding SMS here in Cyprus hours after the fateful Helios flight back in 2005. I was asked to check this as part of my 1st week at work (i had no idea at that time), we found out that nobody sent any SMS.
#287
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Chicago
Posts: 207
Yes, there are many of them. Radar has a limited effective range for many reasons, including the curvature of the earth. So out over the oceans it is very common to not be "covered" by radar signals. When flying US-Europe there is a decent chunk of the route where even radio comms are less available and it is harder to do things like request a new altitude or otherwise alter flight plans from what you are given by the dispatchers in Canada or Ireland.
#288
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: in a cabin
Posts: 6,522
Did anyone else catch Quests piece on CNN news some 10 minutes ago?
As he did his "speculation" on what may have caused this horrific tragedy, you could clearly visibly see he had PPrune up on the monitor next to him
Once again my sincerest condolences to everyone affected.
As he did his "speculation" on what may have caused this horrific tragedy, you could clearly visibly see he had PPrune up on the monitor next to him
Once again my sincerest condolences to everyone affected.
#289
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: GIG
Posts: 137
Brazilian news site G1 has an unofficial list of passengers, compiled using information provided by companies and relatives, at http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Mundo/0...5-5602,00.html (in Portuguese).
Last edited by Curvelo; Jun 1, 2009 at 2:55 pm Reason: link points to article in Portuguese
#290
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Originally Posted by Guardian.co.uk
The aircraft had made 18,870 flights and its last maintenance check in the hangar took place on 16 April 2009, according to Air France.
[/rolleyes]
#291
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
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#292
Join Date: Dec 2007
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This is just so incredibly sad. Those poor people probably went down in the middle of nowhere. We may never find any wreckage let alone the flight recorders.
#293
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: RDU
Programs: AA GM, DL DM, DSC
Posts: 1,540
Here is the translated version: http://translate.google.com/translat...istory_state0=
I wonder if these statements are true or rumors, but that would as mentioned above that plane was within cell range.
I wonder if these statements are true or rumors, but that would as mentioned above that plane was within cell range.
#294
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: UA 1K 1MM / AA PP, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 949
Apparently this is a dumb question because no one is talking about it, but why can these overseas aircraft provide satellite phone service over the water, but the same satellite service (or another type of satellite) does not routinely track the location of overwater aircraft?
If this was a narrow body used to flying over land I could see the lack of satellite communications, but this??
If this was a narrow body used to flying over land I could see the lack of satellite communications, but this??
#295
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: UA 1K 1MM / AA PP, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 949
I can't see how when cell phone range is very limited, measured in miles (< 25). I think it is more likely that some pax sent sms messages while waiting for the door to close and they were not received until friends and family turned their phones on the next day. I often send a a text right before the door is closed, then power off my phone.
#296
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#297
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: BRU (Belgium)
Programs: UA
Posts: 318
Apparently this is a dumb question because no one is talking about it, but why can these overseas aircraft provide satellite phone service over the water, but the same satellite service (or another type of satellite) does not routinely track the location of overwater aircraft?
If this was a narrow body used to flying over land I could see the lack of satellite communications, but this??
If this was a narrow body used to flying over land I could see the lack of satellite communications, but this??
SATCOM like Iridium phone systems are indeed 2 way systems but aren't usefull for GPS.
You can't triangulate Iridium (or similar systems) calls like cellphone calls, so it's nearly impossible to find a location from a satellite phone.
#298
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: BRU (Belgium)
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Posts: 318
#299
Join Date: Oct 2007
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Posts: 949
Different systems... GPS is a one way system, which only receives information for positioning.
SATCOM like Iridium phone systems are indeed 2 way systems but aren't usefull for GPS.
You can't triangulate Iridium (or similar systems) calls like cellphone calls, so it's nearly impossible to find a location from a satellite phone.
SATCOM like Iridium phone systems are indeed 2 way systems but aren't usefull for GPS.
You can't triangulate Iridium (or similar systems) calls like cellphone calls, so it's nearly impossible to find a location from a satellite phone.
Using the Iridium example, why haven't the airlines done a simple thing like transmit location once every... minute?
Do overwater aircraft really have dead spots where the pilots cannot communicate with their operations base at world headquarters? If so, it seems unfathomable that they can let their passengers use a sat phone at their comfy seats and not have pilot sat comm with their home base?
Last edited by Clarkcc1; Jun 1, 2009 at 3:14 pm Reason: clarifing my post
#300
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