Satellite images behind the current search (2500km SW of Perth). There are SAR aircraft in the area and more on their way.

FAA was concernd about cyperjacking of 777 models last year. Special Conditions: Boeing Model 777-200, -300, and -300ER Series Airplanes; Aircraft Electronic System Security Protection From Unauthorized Internal Access. However, this did not cover the -200ER. Does anyone know if the -200ER is different from the other models?

I’m a maintenance engineer and I would have no problem accepting a lower wage to work with something I love. Of cause the wage needs to be realistic at some level (what people used to call a living wage), but I would certainly accept wages a good bit lower than standard airline pay. That said, I wouldn’t work cheap for someone who could easily afford to pay decent wages – so technically the offer is only extended to a minority of warbird operators.

In other words: in the right situation I would care little about wages, as long as I could cover the basics.

The lack of fire may have been a combination of factors. As others have mentioned GG had an evaporation cooling system and ADI so carried a lot of water. The other factor was the foam in the tanks that is designed to prevent fire in the case of accidents. Some of the photos show this foam coloured blue has scattered far and wide well beyond the fatal zone. Many who where there report being covered in avgas and or water.

The other hard to quantify comments that I have picked up is that Mustangs have a reputation for not burning. We saw this at first hand this year at Duxford, but whether it is fact or not is for others with more knowledge to enlighten us.

What ever we must be thankful there was no fireball as that could have mad this tragic situation much worse.

I read that on WIX, but I have never seen it anywhere else. I have also seen plenty of WWII pictures of burning Mustangs. Any Mustang experts care to comment: do they indeed have a reputation for not burning?

A terrible accident.

With regard to the trim tab – there was an incident where ‘Voodoo’ lost a trim tab at speed, with similar initial results; a fast climb to 9000 feet. Fortunately, there was no loss of life in that case. The tab acts as a control surface; with it gone, whatever it was doing before it left, it suddenly wont be. At speed, the aircraft will either climb or descend, depending on the position of the tab.

That the pilot cannot be seen suggests he may be hunched over the controls, or otherwise incapacitated. It has also been suggested that this is a doctored image, but I’m not so sure.

Thanks everyone for keeping the speculation to a minimum. I realise that I’m adding to it slightly with the above, but not, I hope in any way that could be misconstrued.

Bruce

AFAIK the fast climb is a default maneuver if the pilot experience technical problems – to bleed off speed.