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AF flight from Rio missing [merged]

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Old Jun 1, 2009, 2:53 pm
  #286  
 
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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.
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Old Jun 1, 2009, 2:53 pm
  #287  
 
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Originally Posted by sbm12
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.
Thanks, I just always thought there were small islands or oil rig type things that would have the necessary radar/comm equipment. Apparently it's not a small world after all.
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Old Jun 1, 2009, 2:53 pm
  #288  
 
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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.
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Old Jun 1, 2009, 2:54 pm
  #289  
 
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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
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Old Jun 1, 2009, 2:56 pm
  #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.
Linkage

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Old Jun 1, 2009, 2:58 pm
  #291  
 
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Originally Posted by disneybride
Apparently it's not a small world after all.
This is the best summation I have seen of the sense that we take WAY too much for granted, both when we fly and when we don't. Thank you.
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Old Jun 1, 2009, 3:00 pm
  #292  
 
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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.

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Old Jun 1, 2009, 3:01 pm
  #293  
 
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Originally Posted by Christobal
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 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.
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Old Jun 1, 2009, 3:02 pm
  #294  
 
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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??
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Old Jun 1, 2009, 3:03 pm
  #295  
 
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Originally Posted by bwhite
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.
This plays into my message I just posted. It must have been texts sent from the plane's in-flight entertainment system. I know Swiss has this capability at every seat in over-water widebodies (assuming satellite based but I am not sure)
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Old Jun 1, 2009, 3:03 pm
  #296  
 
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Originally Posted by Petrus
Did anyone else catch Quests piece on CNN news some 10 minutes ago?
He's been on all day providing the viewer with "expert commentary", such as this one: The 330 is a very versatile airplane, it can fly from London to Madrid, and as we've seen, from Rio to Paris.
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Old Jun 1, 2009, 3:08 pm
  #297  
 
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Originally Posted by Clarkcc1
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??
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.
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Old Jun 1, 2009, 3:10 pm
  #298  
 
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Originally Posted by dimramon
He's been on all day providing the viewer with "expert commentary", such as this one: The 330 is a very versatile airplane, it can fly from London to Madrid, and as we've seen, from Rio to Paris.
I'm even certain the A330 can fly from LHR to LGW
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Old Jun 1, 2009, 3:11 pm
  #299  
 
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Originally Posted by Bralo20
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.
Understood about GPS being one way, hence I didn't mention it.

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
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Old Jun 1, 2009, 3:14 pm
  #300  
 
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Originally Posted by Bralo20
I'm even certain the A330 can fly from LHR to LGW
I actually did that in a 747... landed at LGW for fuel after holding forever for LHR... then took the (very) short flight to LHR.
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