Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Mystery May 15 -16 , 2014 -Malaysian Government CANNOT be trusted - husband of MH370 passenger appeals to world leaders to stop any COVER-UP ......... NOW THERE IS MALFUNCTIONING EQUIPMENT ???? THE so far fruitless search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has suffered another setback after finding out the search equipment is faulty. The Joint Agency Coordination Centre say they have discovered a defect in the transponder mounted on Ocean Shield and that a defect may also exist in the transponder mounted on the US Navy Bluefin-21 submersible......... “Examination of the communications problem has established that a hardware defect exists in the transponder mounted on the Ocean Shield and that a defect may also exist in the transponder mounted on the Bluefin-21,” the statement said. This inhibits the ability of the two devices to communicate with each other.”

Malaysia caught lying once again......

Friday, 16 May 2014 16:57

M'SIA CAUGHT LYING AGAIN! Inmarsat refutes minister's claim, insists MH370 data already handed over to M'sian govt

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KUALA LUMPUR - Inmarsat has refuted Malaysia’s claim that it is still holding on to the raw satellite data used to lead MH370 search teams to the Indian Ocean, insisting that it has surrendered all information over to investigators here.

Hours after acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said yesterday that Malaysia does not have the raw data, the British satellite communications firm issued a statement on CNN claiming otherwise.

“Inmarsat’s raw data was provided to the investigation team at an early stage in the search for MH370,” the statement said, according to a news report by the American cable and satellite TV channel this morning.

According to CNN, Inmarsat “blames” Malaysia for failing to release the information.

The firm also went on to defend its data, which has come under heavy criticism by foreign scientists and families aboard the aircraft, saying it has “high confidence” in its analysis of the plane’s last-known location.

It was the analysis of Inmarsat’s data that led to the conclusion that the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 had ended in the southern Indian Ocean, thousands of miles away from the plane’s original flight path to Beijing.

“We have very high confidence in the analysis of this data, which was independently evaluated by the international teams accredited to the official investigation,” the British firm said in another excerpt of its statement carried by CNN.

The Boeing 777 jetliner has been missing for over 70 days since March 8 when it departed Malaysian waters with 239 people on board.

-Malaymail

Heartfelt letter from a family member .....

Friday, 16 May 2014 17:13

M'sian govt CANNOT be trusted - husband of MH370 passenger appeals to world leaders to stop any COVER-UP

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I am forced to write this letter because my wife, Kranti Shirsath, was on board flight MH370 which has been missing since the 8th March 2014.

The MH370 incident has destroyed all our dreams that my wife and I saw together. My entire life has changed as I had to give up with career and stay at home to care for our two sons. I have to play the role of both father and mother as I am now alone supporting both of my children to get educated and follow the right path in life.

However, I continue to hope that Kranti will come back to us alive, as so far I do not see any reason or evidence to lose that hope. This is the story of so many other families whose loved ones were on board MH370.

It has been over 2 months since the Malaysian Airline Flight MH370, with 239 people on board from 14 different countries went missing. Despite 24 hours satellite surveillance around the globe, wide spread intelligence network and the most sophisticated technologies at our disposal, there is still no trace of the flight and its passengers. This is more than just Malaysia’s problem. It is an international issue because it has raised several questions about air travel safety and the technological capabilities we have. It is impossible to believe that a huge Jet with 239 people on board can go missing without any trace of its whereabouts.

The Malaysian government has produced a five page Preliminary Report on MH370 which has no new information but has fuelled more questions and confusion indicative of incompetence on their part. Despite taking 8 weeks to prepare the Preliminary Report, it has failed to address fundamental questions such as; how flight MH370 has disappeared in this modern world without trace and who is behind its disappearance, what was the motive behind its disappearance, why did the Malaysian authorities fail to track their plane and delay the commencement of the search and rescue operation? The report has increased more doubts in my mind and in the minds of many other family members around the world which suggests that there is some serious cover-up going on.

The Malaysian Prime Minister has said it was deliberately diverted from its original route. If so, it was an intentional action, with a planned purpose. It took over four hours for the Malaysian authorities to initiate the search and rescue operation indicating that the Malaysian government has provided a safe passage and an opportunity to those who diverted the plane to take it to the planned destination.

Unfortunately, none of you has questioned this? None of the countries, whose nationals were on board, has demanded transparent and speedy action from the Malaysian government. But on the contrary, you are continuing to support the Malaysian government for sharing contradictory and confusing information, delayed communication, misleading the search and rescue operation and not taking timely action to save the plane and its passengers. This is absurd and irresponsible.

This is a modern and civilised era, where we talk about rights and justice and enjoyment of all rights by all people. I am a citizen of India. “Truth alone triumphs” is written on our emblem. I want the truth of what happened to my wife and to the flight MH370. There have been lots of mathematical data based on e.g. Inmarsat data that has not given my family and I any clue of where my wife and all the other 238 passengers on MH370 are.

I urge you to request the Malaysian authorities for a speedy, transparent and trustworthy investigation. I desperately want the truth about where my wife is, what has happened to her and all the passengers and what caused the plane to disappear.

Offering compensation to family members and forcing them to believe their loved ones are lost without any evidence is totally inappropriate.

I only believe justice can be done when the truth, based on evidence, is provided to my family and all the other families.

-Malaymail

Unbelievable....... I mean really !

Thursday, 15 May 2014 17:36

MH370 hits UNBELIEVABLE snag

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THE so far fruitless search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has suffered another setback after finding out the search equipment is faulty.

The Joint Agency Coordination Centre say they have discovered a defect in the transponder mounted on Ocean Shield and that a defect may also exist in the transponder mounted on the US Navy Bluefin-21 submersible.latest 

The Australian vessel, carrying the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, arrived back in the southern Indian Ocean search zone on Tuesday following a port visit to Perth after the air and sea hunt was scaled back.

The plan was for it to resume scouring the seabed where transmissions believed to have come from the plane’s black box flight recorders were heard last month.

Faulty part ... technicians tie down the Bluefin-21 autonomous underwater vehicle. Picture: Paul Kane Source: Getty Images

But the Bluefin-21 was recovered about two hours into its first mission since returning to the search area so a communications problem could be investigated.

During the recovery, Bluefin-21 was damaged but was able to be repaired expeditiously with spare parts on board the ADV Ocean Shield, JACC said in a statement today.

“Examination of the communications problem has established that a hardware defect exists in the transponder mounted on the Ocean Shield and that a defect may also exist in the transponder mounted on the Bluefin-21,” the statement said.

This inhibits the ability of the two devices to communicate with each other.”

Technical troubles have hindered a resumption of the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.

The transponder mounted on the Ocean Shield and the transponder mounted on the Bluefin-21 communicate with each other during a dive.

When communications issues were experienced on Tuesday, the Bluefin-21 was recovered.

JACC said communication between the two devices had been working effectively up until then.

“Any communications issues previously would have been immediately obvious because communications between the two transponders are closely monitored by an operator on board Ocean Shield,” a JACC spokesperson told News Corp.

This defect also had no bearing on the signals detected by the Towed Pinger Locater, which was deployed from ADV Ocean Shield, last month.

“The Towed Pinger Locator does not rely on transponders to communicate with the operating vessel.”

Still searching ... the ADV Ocean Shield on the ocean, ready to scour for MH370. Picture: Paul Kane Source: Getty Images

Spare parts for both defects will be dispatched from the United Kingdom. The parts are expected to arrive in Western Australia on Sunday.

“Ocean Shield is currently en route to Dampier, Western Australia, to receive the transponder parts. The journey is anticipated to take a number of days,” JACC said.

“At this stage, Ocean Shield is expected go alongside so engineers can make a full assessment of the transponder repairs.”

The Boeing 777 vanished on March 8 with 239 people on board after mysteriously diverting from its Kuala Lumpur-Beijing route. It is believed to have crashed far off Australia’s west coast.

Air and sea searches over vast stretches of the Indian Ocean have failed to find any sign of MH370.

Australia, which is leading the hunt, has stressed that it believes it is looking in the right area based on satellite communications from the plane.

Officials have said an intensified undersea mission will begin once new and more sophisticated equipment to complement Bluefin-21 can be obtained to search at depths of more than 4500 metres.

The ocean bed in the prospective search zone is not just deep but largely unmapped, meaning specialist sonar equipment and other autonomous vehicles are needed.

JACC said it had now established a Military Coordination and Sub-Surface Planning Cell, led by a Royal Australian Navy hydrographer and US Navy Sea Systems Command representative.

“Preparations to conduct the bathymetric survey are continuing,” it said, referring to a study of the ocean floor terrain.

“A Chinese survey ship is now in the search area and will assist in preparations for future operations.”

Meanwhile, international experts continue to re-examine satellite imagery and all the data collated so far to try to pinpoint a more precise location for the search.

JACC said vessels from Australia, Malaysia and China and an Australian aircraft remain on standby should any surface debris need investigation.

-News.com.au

Star Online......

Published: Thursday May 15, 2014 MYT 10:21:00 AM
Updated: Thursday May 15, 2014 MYT 10:25:42 AM

MH370: Companies 'battle' for share in plane-tracking services

  

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NEW YORK: In the aftermath of the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370, companies that provide satellite connections and WiFi service to airplanes are battling for a lucrative new market - selling plane-tracking services.

The United Nation's aviation agency gave industry the green light on Tuesday to improve aircraft tracking on a voluntary basis while it develops mandatory standards.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak added pressure by calling for the agency to require real-time tracking of civilian aircraft, a mandate that could create a market worth billions of dollars to companies that make the systems, such as Inmarsat PLC and Iridium Communications Inc.

Satellite providers say their systems could have easily tracked the missing Malaysian jet, had the plane's tracking equipment remained in operation.

The plane disappeared from tracking screens on March 8 during a routine flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, presumably because its transponder was shut off.

Many airlines already track their planes through status updates from the plane, a system known as ACARS. The providers say existing technology could allow for more effective monitoring of flight paths.

But authorities must ultimately make a political decision over what sort of tracking they should require, and whether equipment such as transponders should be designed so pilots cannot disable them in flight. Authorities believe that's what happened with the Malaysian flight.

By allowing industry to voluntarily improve tracking before regulations become official, the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) opened the door to the much wider use of the existing technology.

It did not indicate any leaning toward a particular technology.

A battle royal for share of the tracking market has already begun. Inmarsat, a satellite company whose data helped track the missing Malaysia Air flight, has offered to provide tracking at no cost to airlines.

Rivals say Inmarsat's offer of free service is misleading, since outfitting a jet with the system could cost more than US$100,000. The competitors say their products can track planes with existing technology and have other benefits besides.

"We think it's a bit disingenuous, what (Inmarsat) is saying," Matthew Desch, Iridium's chief executive, told Reuters.

Iridium's network of 66 low-Earth orbit satellites already receive cockpit data and cover the globe.

It is launching new satellites over the next two years to provide greater tracking ability to new generation air traffic control systems.

"If it was mandated that satellite data links needed to be on every aircraft. I think we're going to get the primary benefit of that, not Inmarsat," Desch said. "Their system is extremely expensive compared with ours."

If ICAO said only Inmarsat was mandated, then that would pose a threat, he acknowledged.

"But I just don't think that would be part of the solution," he said. "That would be an extremely expensive solution to a problem that is being solved many other ways, much less expensively -- either today through existing technologies or in the future through Aireon."

Aireon is Iridium's next-generation system to enable air-traffic controllers to see all planes moving globally in real time, he said. Canada, Ireland, the UK and Denmark are among those already signed with Aireon. The United States is considering it.

The rivalry underscores that many technologies exist to track planes.

"Today the technology exists to equip all planes with all the measures for location that are necessary and to allow us to have more information in real time than we have today," Marwan Lahoud, chief strategy and marketing officer at Airbus Group , said on France's BFM radio. "It is not a question of technology, but a political question and a question of the will of authorities.

"You have a smartphone like everyone and you know how often this sort of equipment doesn't work or else works with a delay," he said. "So what is important is that if the authorities decide to equip planes, they must be equipped with systems which are certified for aerospace and are reliable." 

Aireon and other systems are among the parts of a broader next-generation air traffic control system being rolled out this decade. With more precise location data, air traffic controllers can space airplanes more closely, allowing for more flights.

Desch said Iridium didn't design its system to find a missing aircraft. "It is designed to make air travel more efficient and safe, cutting down on fuel expense and allowing more jets in the airspace.

"And by the way it knows where every airplane is all the time."

Another avenue for better tracking exists in satellite-based Wifi systems that are increasingly being used on airplanes.

"We have the tracking information that's coming off the plane," said Don Buchman, vice president at ViaSat, which supplies connectivity to JetBlue Airways, United Airlines and others.

ViaSat's system tracks latitude and longitude of aircraft, and could pinpoint the location to between four and 10 nautical miles, the same standard that ICAO is considering, he said.

To be sure, both the Iridium and ViaSat systems are vulnerable should a pilot or hijacker shut down the transmitter during flight, severing the data link.

Airplanes generally are equipped with circuit breakers as a precaution against an electrical fire.

Satellite tracking even in remote regions is already possible. Indeed, Iridium's Desch said the variety of systems available is one factor slowing the decision by nations on which tracking system to adopt.

National aviation regulators and ICAO committees "are going to go through all different solutions," he said. "I would encourage them to use existing technologies where they can." - Reuters

and......

Published: Friday May 16, 2014 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Friday May 16, 2014 MYT 7:20:10 AM

Hisham: Other countries contributed resources to search

BY HEMANANTHANI SIVANANDAM AND NICHOLAS CHENG

  

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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has “hardly spent anything” on the search mission for the missing MH370 airliner, said Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

He said this was because other countries such as Australia, China and the United States had extensively contributed to the search mission for the aircraft – touted as the largest in aviation history.

“As far as Malaysia is concerned, the cost is for just deploying our military assets.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been with us in the earlier phase of the search,” Hishammuddin told a press conference yesterday.

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He said it has been 69 days since MH370 went missing and the search would enter a transition phase, prioritising deep-sea search beginning on Monday.

The priorities during this phase include re-analysing all data to verify a more accurate search area which will be conducted by a group of experts together with Inmarsat, to conduct a bathymetric survey involving an extensive mapping of the seabed, and to conduct the search operation by identifying and deploying the relevant towed and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) required for the terrain.

Hishammuddin said Australia’s commitment of up to US$89.9mil (RM272.3mil) towards the search for the missing plane over two years was only a ceiling amount.

“In this new phase, we have not estimated our cost and to be fair to Australia, we should share it but the actual amount has not been determined because we need to identify the exact location and the assets needed to be deployed,” he added.

Asked if the Govern­ment will provide financial aid to Malaysia Airlines, which posted a net loss of RM443mil in the first quarter of 2014, Hishammuddin said “no”.

On asset deployment, Hisham­muddin said the tripartite meeting of Malaysia, China and Australia on the specific assets needed for the search had agreed that procurement arrangements for the use of commercial contractors would be undertaken by Australia in consultation with Malaysia.

“Besides the commercial assets, Malaysia and China are also assigning specific assets for operations in this new phase,” he said.

He said Malaysia had secured one towed sonar and AUV from Petronas.

“We intend to have them in the water as soon as ocean floor mapping survey is completed. China estimates that to be 36 days from now,” he told reporters on the sideline.

The committee is also in talks with SapuraKencana for a multibeam echosounder to assist in bathymetric mapping of the ocean floor of the search area, as well as Boustead and Deftech for other assets.

“It has been agreed that Malaysia and Australia will share the cost to procure them.”

The committee will be represented by First Admiral Hanafiah Hassan and Colonel Hassan Loman, in a special team to Canberra consisting of senior officers from the four ministerial sub-committees in the MH370 search.