Malaysian airlines 777 missing

[MiloMorai]

That's complete BS.  Landing isn't done at 600 mph and no "pilot" who is attempting to do so would attempt it at that speed.

Nice way of saying crash.

[GScholz]

NASA engineers must have been fools to use a 100% oxygen atmosphere in their Mercury and Gemini pods. All those astronauts being high and docile...

[FTJR]

I saw them talking about this  on CNN last night..... Intresting theory.

Interesting, but several things are unclear. Is he saying they specifically targeted SQ68? If so, it was mastery to find it.while a flight is scheduled to leave at a certain time it can be delayed by the traffic going in the same direction for up to 30mins. So they would have to wait and or plan to be in close proximity to that flight at those waypoints at that time. Let's say they planned and achieved this. How close do they fly to the other plane? The wake turbulence would be untenable if they got too close.
If they were waiting for just any plane they would be taking pot luck, a lot of planes go only as far as India, how to choose?
For info the Max altitude of a 777 is 43000' and only when extremely light. 45000 is impossible. Also westward flight is against the winds so the range would be much reduced, especially if they went as low as 29k.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

NASA engineers must have been fools to use a 100% oxygen atmosphere in their Mercury and Gemini pods. All those astronauts being high and docile...

The first spark on launchpad proved that practice very foolish indeed. Must have been a horrible way to go, blow torched to death in pure oxygen.

[wpeters]

Here is a off the wall theory that struck me last night.

There might be a chance of China doing this.  Getting ready for some move if the US gets involved with the military in Ukraine.

[Brooke]

Why would anyone fly a 777 to Afghanistan or Turkmenistan just to end up with a grounded 777 with no fuel worth mentioning?

I think that it's for a future terrorist attack.

This was thoroughly and elaborately planned, so it probably had enough fuel to make it to the intended landing spot, and then was taken somewhere else after a refueling.

What type of terrorist attack?  Crashing it into something, of course, but perhaps loaded up as a dirty bomb first.  A 777 can hold lots of chemicals or radioactive material.  Iran, for example, has plenty of radioactive material thanks to no one stopping them from having it.  The target could be Israel (easier to get to), the US (hard to get to, but perhaps not impossible), someplace in China (but probably only if it is loaded as a dirty bomb, otherwise, why fly it out of China first, but maybe the initial pilots were willing to hijack but not crash it), maybe Russia -- any place that is subject to Muslim attacks.  My guess is highest probability is Israel or the US.  The attempt doesn't have to happen any time soon.  They could store the airliner out of the way for a while.

[rpm]

Interesting, but several things are unclear. Is he saying they specifically targeted SQ68? If so, it was mastery to find it.while a flight is scheduled to leave at a certain time it can be delayed by the traffic going in the same direction for up to 30mins. So they would have to wait and or plan to be in close proximity to that flight at those waypoints at that time. Let's say they planned and achieved this. How close do they fly to the other plane? The wake turbulence would be untenable if they got too close.
If they were waiting for just any plane they would be taking pot luck, a lot of planes go only as far as India, how to choose?
For info the Max altitude of a 777 is 43000' and only when extremely light. 45000 is impossible. Also westward flight is against the winds so the range would be much reduced, especially if they went as low as 29k.

From the article:
In addition, the TCAS system onboard MH370 would have enabled the pilot(s) to easily locate and approach SIA68 over the Straits of Malacca as they appeared to have done.  The system would have shown them the flight’s direction of travel and the altitude it was traveling which would have enabled them to perfectly time an intercept right behind the other Boeing 777.  Here is a picture of a TCAS system onboard a 777.
If they knew the approximate take off time of SIA68, synching up with them would be no problem at all. They could have checked that easily before takeoff. This is a very plausible theory.

[Arlo]

I think that it's for a future terrorist attack.

This was thoroughly and elaborately planned, so it probably had enough fuel to make it to the intended landing spot, and then was taken somewhere else after a refueling.

What type of terrorist attack?  Crashing it into something, of course, but perhaps loaded up as a dirty bomb first.  A 777 can hold lots of chemicals or radioactive material.  Iran, for example, has plenty of radioactive material thanks to no one stopping them from having it.  The target could be Israel (easier to get to), the US (hard to get to, but perhaps not impossible), someplace in China (but probably only if it is loaded as a dirty bomb, otherwise, why fly it out of China first, but maybe the initial pilots were willing to hijack but not crash it), maybe Russia -- any place that is subject to Muslim attacks.  My guess is highest probability is Israel or the US.  The attempt doesn't have to happen any time soon.  They could store the airliner out of the way for a while.

I'd venture a functional nuke. That way when it gets shot down before landing it could still do something significant in the area. Not that a dirty bomb isn't significant. I've been thinking this for awhile but was loath to voice it.

[homersipes]

I was almost thinking of someone loading it full of a bio weapons or something of that nature  could actually be pretty bad as that will hold quite a bit and fly a LONG ways.

[Puma44]

From the article:
In addition, the TCAS system onboard MH370 would have enabled the pilot(s) to easily locate and approach SIA68 over the Straits of Malacca as they appeared to have done.  The system would have shown them the flight’s direction of travel and the altitude it was traveling which would have enabled them to perfectly time an intercept right behind the other Boeing 777.  Here is a picture of a TCAS system onboard a 777.
(Image removed from quote.)If they knew the approximate take off time of SIA68, synching up with them would be no problem at all. They could have checked that easily before takeoff. This is a very plausible theory.

Interesting concept but, consider it was night time, whoever was flying the 777 was NOT proficient flying the aircraft in formation (let alone at night) not to mention joining up with another aircraft at high altitude.  

Also, how would they identify the correct aircraft on the TCAS display?

[rpm]

Interesting concept but, consider it was night time, whoever was flying the 777 was NOT proficient flying the aircraft in formation (let alone at night) not to mention joining up with another aircraft at high altitude.  

Also, how would they identify the correct aircraft on the TCAS display?

So you didn't read any of the linked Keith Ledgerwood post that explains it?

[Brooke]

I'd venture a functional nuke. That way when it gets shot down before landing it could still do something significant in the area. Not that a dirty bomb isn't significant. I've been thinking this for awhile but was loath to voice it.

I don't think it would be a nuke.  They are not easy to make and would implicate a nation, which would then receive harsh payback.  A dirty bomb could ruin whatever area it goes into, is much more within the reach of a terrorist organization, and it's easier to obfuscate the origin of material.  It could also be chemical or biological.

I hope that this is all completely wrong, but it points out how egregiously bad and dangerous the handling of Iran's nuclear program has been.

[Puma44]

So you didn't read any of the linked Keith Ledgerwood post that explains it?

Yes, I did read the article by the self admitted "hobby pilot and aviation enthusiast".  He's come up with a theory which is void of technical and hands on flying expertise.  His article is entertaining and is plausible for a Hollywood movie.  As a result, his theory is full of reality holes.

I already know the answer to my question.  Just interested if anyone else does.

[GScholz]

This is turning into a G.I. Joe plot...

Cobra did it. Only they would have the resources to pull this off. Stealing a jetliner with computer scientists on board and flying it to their secret desert base where they will refuel it and equip it with a weapon of mass destruction to use against the Joes!

I bet the captain was Zartan...

[BluBerry]

This is turning into a G.I. Joe plot...

Cobra did it. Only they would have the resources to pull this off. Stealing a jetliner with computer scientists on board and flying it to their secret dessert base where they will refuel it and equip it with a weapon of mass destruction to use against the Joes!

I bet the captain was Zartan...