Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370: The Theories

[greenlake]

Just listened to a news report that suggested the plane may have been hijacked by ethnic Chinese Uighurs.

However, the reporter kept on pronouncing them 'wiggers'.

[ctdctd]

Why can't they turn on when aircraft is in the air? It's crazy to have them switchable off in the air which is the time when hijack can be made.

I read on the Internet that the crew had to be able to switch power off anything in case it either affected other systems or caught fire.

Sounds feasible?

[suityou01]

I read on the Internet that the crew had to be able to be able to switch power off anything in case it either affected other systems or caught fire.

Sounds feasible?

Feasible yes. 777s have had battery fires. Rare though.

[mudskipper]

Feasible yes. 777s have had battery fires. Rare though.

Rarer than hijacking?

[AtW]

I read on the Internet that the crew had to be able to switch power off anything in case it either affected other systems or caught fire. Sounds feasible?

But hourly pings still work even when it's "turned off"

[ctdctd]

I read on the Internet that the crew had to be able to switch power off anything in case it either affected other systems or caught fire.

Sounds feasible?

Feasible yes. 777s have had battery fires. Rare though.

Rarer than hijacking?

I may not have been clear - I was trying to say that the crew have to be able to remove power from transponders etc in case they catch fire - that may be why they were able to make them stop phoning home.

[suityou01]

I may not have been clear - I was trying to say that the crew have to be able to remove power from transponders etc in case they catch fire - that may be why they were able to make them stop phoning home.

Ah. No, shutting down these systems requires expert knowledge and pulling fuses. Not easy.

[mudskipper]

Ah. No, shutting down these systems requires expert knowledge and pulling fuses. Not easy.

Not according to the beeb.

BBC News - Missing Malaysia plane: Malaysia requests countries' help

"A former 777 pilot has told me how easy it is to switch off most of the systems that track an aircraft. Most pilots would know how to do it - though traditional radar would still pick up the presence of a plane.

Firstly, most systems, like the transponder, the radio, the ACARS etc, have what is effectively an "off" switch.

Secondly, every electrical system also has a circuit-breaker, a bit like the fuse box in your house. The pilot has a panel of hundreds of buttons above his or her head; if they pull the right one, then the system switches off. The breakers are essential to isolate electrical systems if they overheat or catch fire.

But if you switch anything off, an orange warning light appears on a screen in front of the crew. So it is highly unlikely one could do it without the other noticing."

[ctdctd]

Ah. No, shutting down these systems requires expert knowledge and pulling fuses. Not easy.

Easy if you are the pilot and have been on the course? Or have the instruction book on a laptop?

Find fuses called something, pull them out, fly on to a nice sandy beach, fight the polar bear, job jobbed.

[suityou01]

Your quotes bear out what I'm saying though.