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[Sky Chief]

What about all the people on board?

I work in the airline industry and a coworker today who may understand these things said that's why they might have climbed to 45,000 feet. The plane is not supposed to fly at such a high altitude and without supplemental oxygen that could have killed all the passengers and crew. He may be full of shit but he was pretty adamant and does work in the airline industry.

 

[Calamari41]

Yeah, if this plane was indeed stolen, I'm sorry to say that the passengers are all long dead.

 

[dan2026]

I will have you know it is a well known fact that if it was painted red, and had flames on the sides it actually goes faster.

Yeh everyone knows da red wunz go fasta. Common sense innit?

 

[Flying Toaster]

As someone mentioned earlier in this thread there are probably much easier ways to harvest human organs than to hijack a plane. It's also a bad idea since you have no idea how many children or people with less than ideal organs would be on board.

I agree, I just find it extremely comical in such a dire situation. Honestly there are very few reasons to hijack a plane and the ones that come to mind have yet to even be implemented yet...

Taking hostages... Have not heard any demands yet.
Use as a weapon... Plane clearly is not going to be used as a weapon as that would have happened within it's original flight not weeks later.

 

[Cereal KiIIer]

What about all the people on board?

Beheaded and dropped into a mass grave.

 

[speculawyer]

You have played too much GTA

This.

The idea of it being stolen and painted is crazy. You just can't steal a 777 and then expect to use it. These are huge multi-million dollar items with service contracts, data services, maintenance requirements, parts requirements, pilots, software updates, etc.

You'd have to be a James Bond Villain to pull that off.

 

[Jedi2016]

What can you do with a stolen plane other than sell it for parts?

Wait until people stop looking for it. Give it a quick & dirty paint job just to hide the obvious stuff. Change or remove the transponder. Fly it into the White House.

Making the assumption that the plane was in fact "stolen", that's my theory as to why.

 

[dan2026]

Not only stealing a commercial plane but then completely vanishing said plane and all her passengers seems highly improbable, almost impossible in this day and age.

Unless we are dealing with a supervillain or aliens.

 

[raindoc]

Yeah, if this plane was indeed stolen, I'm sorry to say that the passengers are all long dead.

at this point they almost certainly are, no matter what happened.

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

Plane was landed, repainted, and terrorists will put wmd on board and use the plane as a missile.

 

[Flying Toaster]

This.

The idea of it being stolen and painted is crazy. You just can't steal a 777 and then expect to use it. These are huge multi-million dollar items with service contracts, data services, maintenance requirements, parts requirements, pilots, software updates, etc.

You'd have to be a James Bond Villain to pull that off.

Or a really really bored rich person that wants to keep it in a hanger of a third world country so that it never see's the light of day. Just get to have secret bragging rights over knowing what happened to it and also owning a very expensive, very hard to deal with passenger plane.

 

[speculawyer]

Yeah, if this plane was indeed stolen, I'm sorry to say that the passengers are all long dead.

In all probability, the passengers are all long dead. It is very difficult to conceive of a likely possibility that they survived. Perhaps failure of all communication and they plane landing in the ocean? Even that would probably kill most of the passengers. Miracle on the Hudson worked because rivers are calm . . . the ocean is rarely calm.

 

[Konka]

Wait until people stop looking for it. Give it a quick & dirty paint job just to hide the obvious stuff. Change or remove the transponder. Fly it into the White House.

Making the assumption that the plane was in fact "stolen", that's my theory as to why.

You do realize how big of a no fly zone there is around the white house and that it would be blown out of the sky long before it reached it?

 

[crozier]

This.

The idea of it being stolen and painted is crazy. You just can't steal a 777 and then expect to use it. These are huge multi-million dollar items with service contracts, data services, maintenance requirements, parts requirements, pilots, software updates, etc.

You'd have to be a James Bond Villain to pull that off.

You couldn't sit on it forever, that much is clear. You could easily park it, then fly it a few weeks later with minimal servicing and zero maintenance though.

 

[Catchpenny]

I like the idea of terrorists repainting the plane, and doing a terrible job so that it looks like Justin Bieber's graffiti. In the end, they're too embarrassed to use it as a weapon and so it just rots in a hangar somewhere.

 

[cebri.one]

How could they land a plane without nobody noticing???? is not like you can hide a 777 anywhere you want.

I believe they'll find it in the bottom of the ocean sooner than later.

 

[speculawyer]

Or a really really bored rich person that wants to keep it in a hanger of a third world country so that it never see's the light of day. Just get to have secret bragging rights over knowing what happened to it and also owning a very expensive, very hard to deal with passenger plane.

Wouldn't that be a Bond Villain?

 

[maquiladora]

This retired Air Force colonel is betting on the "shadowing" theory too.

There’s an old adage “hide in plain sight,” says Ed Pernotto, a reader of The Aviationist who is a retired AF Reserve Colonel, flew B-52Gs, FB-111s, and HC-130s from Okinawa and has flown with armed forces of Malaysia and Thailand.

As we mentioned a few days back, shadowing another plane at cruising altitude along one of the airways usually used by aircraft flying from Asia to Europe was one of the few ways the Malaysia Airlines MH370 could escape detection by ground radar.

The former radar navigator instructor and tactics officer backs this theory.

“When you fly over water or from point to point, pilots are frequently directed to change frequencies, told to turn, climb, descend, you name it. This is all “in the clear” and not privileged communications, anyone with the right radio on the right frequency would hear it. So, this pilot has planned this out to the nth degree and as he’s coming back across the Malay peninsula, he’s looking to fall in behind another airliner and shadow that airplanes flight path.”

The scenario Pernotto describes may sound unlikely (as many others) but not impossible.

By maintaining the so-called “listening watch” on the proper radio frequencies (while all the transmitting devices were silenced), MH370 pilot in command (co-pilot? hijacker?) “could simply have slipped in behind a northbound airliner and flown slightly higher and behind by a mile or two matching the speed and not exceeding the airliner in front of them.”

For those wondering: no, TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) would not trigger any alert, since it is based on transponder data and MH370 had switched it off.

“They would hear the ATC controller tell them what frequency to change to and match the flight. Now, to a ground radar controller, it would appear as one or two “blips” depending on how close they were. In fact, “ghost images” are VERY common for radar operators. A ghost image is when 1 airplane creates two or more blips because of latency of radars as they “paint” the airplane. This is how they could fool the radar operators then and now, they are hiding in the radar return of another airplane. When they get close to the field, the slip off unnoticed in the middle of China, pull the throttles back, and make a very quiet approach and landing at their destination,” Pernotto explains.

http://theaviationist.com/2014/03/18/mh370-shadowed-sia-klm/

 

[Flying Toaster]

Wouldn't that be a Bond Villain?

Jesus Christ speculawyer. Stop making sense...

Yes it would be a Bond Villain.

 

[Ravensmash]

Wait until people stop looking for it. Give it a quick & dirty paint job just to hide the obvious stuff. Change or remove the transponder. Fly it into the White House.

Making the assumption that the plane was in fact "stolen", that's my theory as to why.

What do you think would happen if an unidentified 777 just appeared in airspace?

 

[Trouble]

You do realize how big of a no fly zone there is around the white house and that it would be blown out of the sky long before it reached it?

It would take a passenger jet less than 30 seconds from breaching the no fly zone to crash into the white house. There is an international airport about 2 miles from the Whitehouse. The no-fly zones is actually pretty tiny.

That said, they heavily track airplanes in the vicinity, you aren't flying a 777 with no transponder and no scheduled route within a hundred miles of D.C. without someone taking notice.

 

[Fushin]

It would take a passenger jet less than 30 seconds from breaching the no fly zone to crash into the white house. There is an international airport about 2 miles from the Whitehouse. The no-fly zones is actually pretty tiny.

That said, they heavily track airplanes in the vicinity, you aren't flying a 777 with no transponder and no scheduled route within a hundred miles of D.C. without someone taking notice.

The DC anti aircraft network would take it down pretty hastily. It's been 12 years since 9/11, it's a whole new world.

 

[Catchpenny]

This retired Air Force colonel is betting on the "shadowing" theory too.



http://theaviationist.com/2014/03/18/mh370-shadowed-sia-klm/

Wouldn't a persistent ghost image become obvious while reanalyzing the radar data, though? I thought India and China had already done that.

 

[Konka]

It would take a passenger jet less than 30 seconds from breaching the no fly zone to crash into the white house. There is an international airport about 2 miles from the Whitehouse. The no-fly zones is actually pretty tiny.

That said, they heavily track airplanes in the vicinity, you aren't flying a 777 with no transponder and no scheduled route within a hundred miles of D.C. without someone taking notice.

Well thats what I mean. It obviously isn't going to be taking off at Dulles...

 

[Flying Toaster]

What do you think would happen if an unidentified 777 just appeared in airspace?

We would definitely send a group of people to investigate and possibly get on board. Just like what happened in Event Horizon. There is no way we would ever shoot it down. There are just too many questions to be answered.

 

[Trouble]

Well thats what I mean. It obviously isn't going to be taking off at Dulles...

D.C. National (I will never call it Reagan National) is the one 2 miles away. Dulles is considerably further out.

 

[Phthisis]

If the shadowing theory turns out to be true, in my mind that moves this from a random rogue pilot or terrorist attack to a sophisticated, multi-stage, pre-planned operation involving a team of people who clearly know and understand aerial transport to a sophisticated degree. I would think at that point it's a state-sponsored or militant organization op.

 

[Game-Biz]

Yeah, if this plane was indeed stolen, I'm sorry to say that the passengers are all long dead.

Yeah. There's some advantages to keep the passengers alive to create a hostage situation but, at this point it would be way, way too much work and money to keep these people alive. If they had hostages I think they would have let us know by now. I really don't have any good theories about this whole thing. The prime suspect has to be the pilot as he is the only person on board with the years of experience and knowledge to operate and take control of the plane in this fashion. Other than that speculation I've got nothing.

Can anyone tell me how good radar tech is today? How low would a large plane like this have to fly not to show up on radar? (I apologize if this has been answered countless times...) assuming he could fly the plane low and away from any populate area and then land it...I have to say I doubt this pilot was this incredibly skilled to accomplish such a thing undetected from anyone. Has to be in the ocean. I'm going to be bummed if we never find out anything more.

 

[Dishwalla]

D.C. National (I will never call it Reagan National) is the one 2 miles away. Dulles is considerably further out.

National has a strict traffic pattern that the planes have to follow, both for approach and for takeoff. If I remember correctly, planes are not allowed to cross over the Potomac until well after they pass central Washington/the White House.

 

[AstroNut325]

What ever happen to the people on an oil platform east of Malaysia claiming they saw a flaming jet come down? Was that proven to be BS?

Edit:

If this were even true. I think the fact that the plane went missing is nothing compared to a millitant group of people with the sophistication and skills to actually pull this off took the time and effort to do what it would take to perform this shadow theory and keep it off the record and completely secret. That is scary.

Honestly... it sounded like a military op to me close to the beginning. I even posted in this thread if there were any high profile people on the plane or if there are any significant clues suggesting a military op.

But in the back of my mind... I can't help escape the thought of this plane crashing and burning. Ocean or otherwise.

 

[Emwitus]

Prepare for first contact earthlings

 

[Flying Toaster]

If the shadowing theory turns out to be true, in my mind that moves this from a random rogue pilot or terrorist attack to a sophisticated, multi-stage, pre-planned operation involving a team of people who clearly know and understand aerial transport to a sophisticated degree. I would think at that point it's a state-sponsored or militant organization op.

If this were even true. I think the fact that the plane went missing is nothing compared to a millitant group of people with the sophistication and skills to actually pull this off took the time and effort to do what it would take to perform this shadow theory and keep it off the record and completely secret. That is scary.

 

[MIMIC]

There was no plane. There is no such thing as "Malaysia".

 

[Dishwalla]

There was no plane. There is no such thing as "Malaysia".

Where were all my childhood Hot Wheels cars made then? They all said "made in Malaysia" on the bottom.

 

[Flying Toaster]

There was no plane. There is no such thing as "Malaysia".

I am impressed it took GAF this long to go philosophical with the situation.

 

[davepoobond]

Where were all my childhood Hot Wheels cars made then? They all said "made in Malaysia" on the bottom.

Bad Asia

 

[Game-Biz]

There was no plane. There is no such thing as "Malaysia".

Malaysia is just a state of mind.

 

[Trouble]

National has a strict traffic pattern that the planes have to follow, both for approach and for takeoff. If I remember correctly, planes are not allowed to cross over the Potomac until well after they pass central Washington/the White House.

Typically they follow the river from the north, which has everything to do with noise abatement and nothing to do with security. At no point are they supposed to encroach the D.C. side. It's a pain in the ass and pilots hate that approach.

 

[Cereal KiIIer]

Tomrod should be providing pictures from where they could have landed. Not the middle of the ocean.


Also, Washington DC has a fuck ton of missiles all around the city. Good luck reaching the White House.

 

[Betta Lines]

Bad Asia

Truly Asia

 

[empty vessel]

If the shadowing theory turns out to be true, in my mind that moves this from a random rogue pilot or terrorist attack to a sophisticated, multi-stage, pre-planned operation involving a team of people who clearly know and understand aerial transport to a sophisticated degree. I would think at that point it's a state-sponsored or militant organization op.

I think if it took the northern route, then it probably did shadow, but even if that's the case I don't think it has anything to do with terrorism. If the pilot is the acting party, then given what is known about him he is probably acting alone and in retaliation against the Malaysian government, which could account for the reason why we haven't heard anything at all since the plane's disappearance. In other words, he is a skilled and knowledgeable pilot who could get from point A to point B undetected, but there's no larger plan at work.

 

[MIMIC]

Maybe the government(s) already know what happened and are just trying to see how many people have guessed the correct outcome. They gave us all of this contradictory information to see where it would lead us.

We are just part of a large social experiment

 

[Megasoum]

We would definitely send a group of people to investigate and possibly get on board. Just like what happened in Event Horizon. There is no way we would ever shoot it down. There are just too many questions to be answered.

Kurt Russell and Steven Seagal...obviously...pfff

Spoiler

I should rewatch that movie at some point...it's been a while lol

 

[AstroNut325]

Kurt Russell and Steven Seagal...obviously...pfff

Spoiler

I should rewatch that movie at some point...it's been a while lol

Still love this movie! Even to this day.

But seriously... no one knows what happened with the claims of people seeing a burning jet coming down from a oil rig?

 

[User Name Here]

Wouldn't it be completely nuts if the plane ends up appearing in the same or near the same spot it disappeared? With everyone on board in good health and acting as if nothing happened. What would you guys think about that?

 

[Ovid]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/18/w...ne-calls-from-missing-passengers.html?hp&_r=0

 

[Flying Toaster]

Wouldn't it be completely nuts if the plane ends up appearing in the same or near the same spot it disappeared? With everyone on board in good health and acting as if nothing happened. What would you guys think about that?

I would feel bad for everyone on that plane. They would spend a lot of their time in guantanamo bay being water... I mean being civilly questioned about the events of their flight and what happened.

 

[wenis]

Wouldn't it be completely nuts if the plane ends up appearing in the same or near the same spot it disappeared? With everyone on board in good health and acting as if nothing happened. What would you guys think about that?

Witches!

 

[Anticitizen One]

I asked Siri where the jet is and she said its "outta this world" :{

 

[Flying Toaster]

I asked Siri where the jet is and she said its "outta this world" :{

I don't buy it... Apple is not updating their maps program until iOS8.