Maybe they want to avert fears. Saying that a plane was brought down because of a terrorist attack causes all kinds of panics around the world. Plus, I guess no one has come forward to 'claim' it as a terrorist attack which they usually do since terrorists like the exposure.
Newest theories are a mid air stall as they were going through severe turbulence. This sounds likely, but for the sake of the passengers and all on the plane I hope it was not the case. Here are the last communications with the pilot or messages automatically emitted from the plane:
QUOTE |
At 11 p.m. (10 p.m. EDT), pilot Marc Dubois sent a manual signal saying he was flying through an area of "CBs" -- black, electrically charged cumulonimbus clouds that carry violent winds and lightning. Satellite data show that the thunderheads -- towering up to 50,000 feet -- were sending 100 mph updrafts into the jet's flight path. "Such an updraft would lead to severe turbulence for any aircraft," AccuWeather said. "In addition, the storms were towering up to 50,000 feet and would have been producing lightning. The Air France plane would have encountered these stormy conditions, which could have resulted in either some structural failure or electrical failure." At 11:10 p.m., a cascade of horrific problems began. Automatic messages relayed by the jetliner indicate the autopilot had disengaged, suggesting Dubois and his two co-pilots were trying to thread their way through the dangerous clouds manually. A key computer system had switched to alternative power and controls needed to keep the plane stable had been damaged. An alarm sounded, indicating the deterioration of flight systems. At 11:13 p.m., more automatic messages reported the failure of systems to monitor air speed, altitude and direction. Control of the main flight computer and wing spoilers also failed. The last automatic message, at 11:14 p.m., indicated complete electrical failure and a massive loss of cabin pressure -- catastrophic events, indicating that the plane was breaking apart and plunging toward the ocean. |
Some engineers were discounting that the plane's systems could fail so abruptly because the plane was essentially 'lightning proof' and had a sound record for handling storms. Of course without the black box it is all speculation. I do find it strange the plane's systems would just fail within a short period of time. I also wonder why they would chose to fly through such storms, is that common procedure?
QUOTE (JB @ 4-Jun 09, 3:55 PM) |
I also wonder why they would chose to fly through such storms, is that common procedure? |