Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Recursion

(56,582 posts)
Fri Oct 2, 2015, 08:24 AM Oct 2015

Passenger plane reported as missing in Indonesia

Source: The Independent

A passenger plane has been reported missing in Indonesia.

The Twin Otter aircraft is carrying 10 people, including three children, Associated Press reported.

Seven passengers and three crew members were flying through the South Sulawesi province when they lost radio contact roughly 30 minutes before it was due to land in the provincial capital of Makassar.

Transportation Ministry spokesman Julius Barata confirmed a search crew had been dispatched for the passenger plane – owned by airline Aviastar Mandiri.


Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/passenger-plane-reported-as-missing-in-indonesia-a6676666.html

6 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Passenger plane reported as missing in Indonesia (Original Post) Recursion Oct 2015 OP
What is up with planes missing in Asia? davidpdx Oct 2015 #1
Lots of remote land Travis_0004 Oct 2015 #2
True, plus the problem with the ocean floor not being mapped davidpdx Oct 2015 #3
Even in the continental US planes get lost Major Nikon Oct 2015 #4
Is that anything like awoke_in_2003 Oct 2015 #5
Sounds like you're referring to ACARS Major Nikon Oct 2015 #6

davidpdx

(22,000 posts)
1. What is up with planes missing in Asia?
Fri Oct 2, 2015, 08:35 AM
Oct 2015

It seems Indonesia and Malaysia have a serious problem with losing planes. I hope this one is found and the people are ok, but based on the past it certainly doesn't look good.

 

Travis_0004

(5,417 posts)
2. Lots of remote land
Fri Oct 2, 2015, 08:54 AM
Oct 2015

In the US ADS-B coverage (radar) covers about 99% of the US.

If a plane goes down we could see its last location and have a very small area to search. Most plane crashes in the US go down where there is coverage and the plane would be found instantly.

If a plane flies out of radar coverage for an hour or more, then the search area is much larger and takes longer to find.

And of coure if it lands in the ocean there is no coverage, and it could sink making it nearly impossible to find.

I would also assume different standards for plane maintenance, and the NTSB has better resources than anybody else to find a downed plane in America.

davidpdx

(22,000 posts)
3. True, plus the problem with the ocean floor not being mapped
Fri Oct 2, 2015, 09:12 AM
Oct 2015

It is amazing in this day and age with the technology that we have that it hasn't been done. Then again, maybe that's a good thing because Exxon, Shell, BP, and the rest of the oil conglomerates would be using them to drill for oil.

Major Nikon

(36,814 posts)
4. Even in the continental US planes get lost
Fri Oct 2, 2015, 09:27 AM
Oct 2015

There's no requirement to file a flight plan. In the western US especially there's vast areas that are very remote. Emergency beacons don't always go off. Sometimes planes go down and search crews can't find them and they aren't found till months or even years later by hikers. That's exactly how they found Steve Fosset 2 years after his crash despite hundreds of hours flown by search aircraft.

ADS-B will eventually greatly improve this situation because instead of anonymous 1200 squawk codes, every aircraft will be tracked by a unique serial number, but very few aircraft are equipped.

 

awoke_in_2003

(34,582 posts)
5. Is that anything like
Fri Oct 2, 2015, 08:31 PM
Oct 2015

the new DataLink systems that are finding their way into business jets? Not only are they always reporting their position to satellites, the tower can send out messages to individual airplanes instead of blasting the airwaves. It does more than this, but these are two important things.

Major Nikon

(36,814 posts)
6. Sounds like you're referring to ACARS
Fri Oct 2, 2015, 08:46 PM
Oct 2015

ACARS is a commercial product that provides a datalink that gives pilots all sorts of information. The communication to the tower is just for issuing pre-departure clearances. I think they do oceanic clearances with it also. It also allows airline dispatch to communicate with their planes.

ADS-B is a government provided product. As long as you have the equipment, the service is free. It's not satellite based, but rather communicates via ground stations installed all over the US. Eventually they are going to add pre-departure clearance just like ACARS, but it's not available yet.

Some of the services overlap between the two systems, but ADS-B also includes traffic uplink, and if you are ADS-B in and out equipped, your position is reported to ATC (and other ADS-B equipped aircraft) via a WAAS GPS in the plane.

Right now my plane is ADS-B in (only) equipped. Within a year or two I'll have both ADS-B in and out, but that's a much more expensive installation (~$5K) as the equipment has to be certified.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Passenger plane reported ...