VicMan Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Air France Flight 447, traveling between Rio de Janeiro and Paris on May 31-June 1, crashed into the sea. There were no survivors. Wreckage was found days later by search crews.This case is scary because:* The aircraft, the Airbus A330, was relatively new* Air France is known for experienced crews and is a safe airline* The deep ocean has cliffs, and it will be difficult to find the cockpit voice recorder, the flight data recorder, and any valuable wreckage.I hope the case is solved so that this will never happen again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDeb Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 The two Americans on the plane, Mike & Anne Harris, were my aunt and uncle. They were terrific people and we miss them terribly. It was the second marriage for both of them and they each had a grown son from their first marriages. My cousin (Anne's son) has had his hands full trying to grieve while dodging reporters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 sorry for your loss. abc news reported that officials believe the plane broke apart mid-air. reason is still not known. a ~20' piece was found earlier today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDeb Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 I have the most adorable picture of my then ten-month-old daughter about to fall asleep on Uncle Mike's lap. It is now even more special, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicMan Posted June 3, 2009 Author Share Posted June 3, 2009 Cdeb, I am very sorry for your loss.Haifers, I am thinking of delivering flowers or stuffed animals as condolences for the French and Brazilian consulates in Houston. If Air France has an office in Houston I would be happy to give condolence gifts to the office as well.EDIT: The Harrises are discussed here: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/06/...tims/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Your aunt and uncle sounded like wonderful people who were loved by all. My thoughts are with you, CD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff8201 Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I also want to extend my condolences, and hope a reason for this flight going down so abruptly is found so that there is closure.I heard it may be weather related? And that the aircraft sent two automatic transmissions before vanishing. The last one being electrical failure and loss of cabin pressure.This is a concern as I am going to fly across the Atlantic and back, in July. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDeb Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 The plane's last automated messages detail a series of failures that end with its systems shutting down, suggesting the plane broke apart in the sky, according to the aviation industry official.The pilot sent a manual signal at 11 p.m. local time Sunday saying he was flying through an area of black, electrically charged cumulonimbus clouds that come with violent winds and lightning.Ten minutes later, a cascade of problems began: Automatic messages indicate the autopilot had disengaged, a key computer system switched to alternative power, and controls needed to keep the plane stable had been damaged. An alarm sounded indicating the deterioration of flight systems. Three minutes after that, more automatic messages reported the failure of systems to monitor air speed, altitude and direction. Control of the main flight computer and wing spoilers failed as well. The last automatic message, at 11:14 p.m., signaled loss of cabin pressure and complete electrical failure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicMan Posted June 4, 2009 Author Share Posted June 4, 2009 The computer data from AF447 is already leading investigators in a path of a possible outcome http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/worl...icle6430398.eceFor completion's sake they need to find the FDR and CVR to get a fuller picture.From what we have here it suggests that the pilots may have slowed the aircraft down too much during the encounter with the storm, creating a high altitude stall. This may not have been purposeful, and we still need to wait for the French and Brazilian crews to collect the data and for the French to analyze the data and release the final accident report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KinkaidAlum Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 CDEb- So sorry to read about your personal connection and loss. What a horrible ordeal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDeb Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 The data provided by the plane's satellite uplink to Paris may be the only data we get from this accident. I wonder if it is technically feasible for this to be configured where all FDR info is sent in this manner, at least for trans-oceanic flights where FDR and CV recovery is more problematic. I realize that this is a ton of data, but if you limit it to just tran-oceanic routes, maybe it's do-able.Any thoughts from those of you who are familiar with this stuff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMME Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Oh my CDeb, I am so sorry. THey seemed to have lived well and happily and neither has to grieve over the loss of the other. While that may not be of comfort, it is no small thing. As an offering of consolation, when 9/11 occurred, I was working for Marsh & McLennan for which one of the floors the first plane crashed into. We lost a beloved co-worker, Jimmy Storey. Thoughts painfully went to what his last moments must have been like for us all. About a week or two after the tragedy, a low flying Southwest airlines plane flew so close to our building you could see the rivets. Two of my coworkers were in an office and saw it coming. Neither had any doubt that their life was about to end and that there was nothing they could do about it. Obviously, the plane did not crash into our building afterall, there was a low cloud ceiling and the plane flew too low to get out of it but adjusted in time. Anyway, I asked my two co-workers who I saw immediately following the incident (both completely pale and wobbly on their legs)what they experienced. Neither of them were known to be terribly spiritual people but both said without skipping a beat that they felt immediately at peace. That they thought loving thoughts of their loved ones and felt at peace like they had never felt before.I hope this helps. God bless you and your family in this time of unthinkable grief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheeats Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 CDeb, I'm so sorry. I echo EMME's very well-stated sentiment that at least they were with one another and neither have to grieve the other's passing. I hope you and your family will find comfort through grace and faith in the idea that they're at peace now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 The data provided by the plane's satellite uplink to Paris may be the only data we get from this accident. I wonder if it is technically feasible for this to be configured where all FDR info is sent in this manner, at least for trans-oceanic flights where FDR and CV recovery is more problematic. I realize that this is a ton of data, but if you limit it to just tran-oceanic routes, maybe it's do-able.Any thoughts from those of you who are familiar with this stuff?First off, sorry for your loss.I believe I heard from a news source how they WERE thinking about making the thing ejectable as a plane impacted. I've only heard it mentioned in passing, so I didn't hear what all they said (Damn TV's with no TIVO) before that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicMan Posted June 8, 2009 Author Share Posted June 8, 2009 The Brazilian search crews have discovered deceased passengers and the tail fin of the aircraft: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/06/...rash/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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