Nautile & Victor deployed

[Michael H. Standart]

From MSNBC:

Probe: Doomed Flight 447 fell intact into sea

quote:

Life vests weren’t inflated; search for black boxes to continue until July 10

LE BOURGET, France - French investigators said Thursday that Air France Flight 447 was not destroyed in mid-air, but rather plunged intact in the middle of the Atlantic a month ago, prompting one of history's most challenging plane crash investigations.

More at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31707331/ns/world_news-europe/

Comment: It didn't disintigrate in mid air, it just plunged intact into the ocean. How reassuring.

Oh, waitaminute...planes aren't supposed to do that either?

One has to wonder if Nautile and Victor will score the bullseye on this. That's a mighty big underwater mountain range the plane sank into, and the search now has a definate cutoff date.​

 

[Steven Hall]

Michael I somehow doubt they'll find the plane.
I dearly hope they do, but I don't think they will.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

For whatever it's worth, you're probably right. Finding bits and pieces of the plane wasn't the problem. Finding the bulk of the wreckage, particularly the tail section where the black boxes would normally be located, that's the problem. It's also the Holy Grail of the investigation since it won't go far without them.

I'll let you all know as soon as I hear something.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From MSNBC:

Ships end search for Air France black boxes

quote:

RIO DE JANEIRO - Two ships using U.S. listening devices to search for the black boxes of Air France Flight 447 were ending their hunt Friday, an American commander said.

A French nuclear submarine, however, will continue to look.

More at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31850950/ns/world_news-americas/

Comment: It's up to the submarines now.​

 

[Arlene Forconi]

That's too bad. It sounds like the end, I hope not. But it sounds like it.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

The French haven't given up as yet. I don't know if that really means an awful lot. It's been over a month now and the battaries in the Black Boxes are very likely on their last legs. If they don't find the things soon, then barring the wildest stroke of good luck, they never will.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From The Star Tribune:

French ship scans Atlantic seafloor in hunt for Air France Flight 447's black boxes

quote:

PARIS - A French oceanographic survey ship has begun scanning the Atlantic Ocean floor, a new phase in the hunt for Air France Flight 447's black boxes now that they are no longer emitting signals, investigators said Thursday.

More at http://www.startribune.com/world/52070802.html?elr=KArksCiUBcy7hUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

Comment: Like I said, the French haven't given up, and both the Nautile and the Victor 6000 are still involved. I wish them luck. They'll be needing it.​

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From MSNBC:

French end search for Flight 447 black boxes

Story at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32490939/ns/world_news/

 

[Michael Cundiff]

Thanks for the update Michael. I am certain the French, aided by Nautile & Victor, did the best they could when you consider the underwater terrain in the vicinity of the crash.

Michael Cundiff
NV, USA

 

[Michael H. Standart]

They definately went above and beyond the call with this one Mike. Just wish they scored because there are going to be a lot of nagging questions left unanswered which would have had a chance of being answered if the black boxes had been found.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From MSNBC:

French investigate turbulent Air France flight

quote:

PARIS - French aviation investigators are examining an emergency distress call from an Air France flight hit by turbulence last month, saying it could shed light on the June crash of a plane heading from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.

More at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34362054/ns/travel-news/

Comment: Just a little bit of follow up here. With the failure to find the black boxes, the investigators will have damned little to go on.​

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From Bloomberg Business Week:

Air France Black Box Zone Identified by Submarine (Update1)

quote:

May 6 (Bloomberg) -- A French submarine has identified the zone where the flight recorders from the crash of Air France Flight 447 may be located and will now see if they can be recovered, the government’s spokesman said.

More at http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-06/air-france-black-box-zone-identified-by-submarine-update1-.html

Comment: Mike Cundiff, I figured you might take an interest in this. While I think this announcement is premature, at least the French haven't given up.​

 

[Michael Cundiff]

Part 2 will continue in Feb. '11 in search of the black boxes from Air France flight 447. Being aware that Nautile has already narrowed down the search field, I am certain that a second attempt will be fruitful.

Michael Cundiff
NV, USA

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>I am certain that a second attempt will be fruitful.<<

I hope you're right. This accident demands an explaination and the black boxes are the key. As it stands, they'll be looking for a very small needle in an unbelievably huge haystack.

 

[Michael Cundiff]

And now that a signal is no longer emitting will it be a "for your eyes only" search via the cameras and viewports of the R.O.V. and submersible?

Michael Cundiff
NV, USA

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>And now that a signal is no longer emitting will it be a "for your eyes only" search via the cameras and viewports of the R.O.V. and submersible?<<

Yep. If they hope to find it, they'll have to see it with their own eyes. That's a lot of mud these guys will spend time staring at.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From The New Scientist:

Titanic team locate missing Air France plane

quote:

UPDATE 17.40 BST: Bleached by the camera flash, this ghostly picture is one of the first taken of Air France Flight AF447 in its final resting place, lodged at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

The images, which have just been released, show part of the stricken plane's landing gear and wheels.

More at http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/onepercent/2011/04/wreckage-of-missing-jet.html

Comment: Paydirt! Hopefully, this will lead to finding out what happened to this plane.​

 

[Michael Cundiff]

Thanks Mike. I just finished viewing more B & W images of the wreck's find...very haunting & remarkably clear. See Yahoo news for more.

Michael Cundiff
NV, USA

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>very haunting & remarkably clear.<<

Yeah, I was noticing that. The question now is what if anything might be attempted in the way of recovery. For obvious reasons, the Black Boxes have to take pride of place but there still remains the question of dealing with the bodies which have been seen.

 

[Michael Cundiff]

Many of the families expressed that they did not want their loved ones remains recovered, it was tough enough for them to accept the initial notification of the disaster and loss...tantamount to opening old wounds.
However, we need to know the cause of the crash, and perhaps human remains may hold clues.

Michael Cundiff
NV, USA