• Question: Ive heard in the news that an areoplane has recently dissapeared, how is it possible for it to go without a trace, even with all the new technology we have?

    Asked by katiemcgorryy to Aled, Ellie, Fiona, Kev, Willem on 13 Mar 2014.
    • Photo: Willem Heijltjes

      Willem Heijltjes answered on 13 Mar 2014:


      Hi Katie!

      Strange, isn’t it! Even with all our current radar stations, satellites, and mobile phones, something as big as a plane can still disappear!

      I think that is because the sea where it disappeared is actually very big. Radar stations can’t really see all that far (like you and me, they can’t see *through* the earth, and are limited by the horizon), and they are only on land. Satellites don’t have radar, and those for GPS don’t actually know where you are (it works because the GPS device knows where the *satellites* are). And mobile phones have the same problem as radar: they only work near a GSM tower, which are on land!

      So the puzzling thing is, why didn’t the airplane send out an alarm signal? I guess that whatever happened just happened too quickly…

    • Photo: Eleanor Parker

      Eleanor Parker answered on 13 Mar 2014:


      Hi katiemcgorryy,
      When a plane is a long way from land, it is tracked by the plane sending it’s own signal by satellites. This signal is not constant and is sent once a minute or so. It also only sends when the plane is above a certain height. So the plane could have lost height very quickly or the signalling system could have lost power/electrical damage or it could have been turned off. I guess if there was a sudden power failure this would explain why there was no emergency signal sent, why the system stopped and the plane would go down. That’s my best guess anyway, but I guess we will never know until the plane is found….

    • Photo: Aled Roberts

      Aled Roberts answered on 18 Mar 2014:


      Hi Katie!

      It looks like the plane has been deliberately hidden from view! This is going to be something very interesting to see develop! The best place for information is: http://avherald.com/h?article=4710c69b&opt=0 They have the latest information with pictures and maps!

      I didn’t think it was possible to vanish! but if you have someone on the inside turning things off anything is possible!

      🙂

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