Yeah, definitely. Both flightaware and flightradar24 rely on volunteers with receivers to get their data, in this case ADS-B data, and so often they'll only track the aircraft as far as those receivers (which are mostly consumer-level hardware) and publically-available data will allow. They also can only track flights with filed plans and their software assumes that the aircraft is flying as filed.

That rough map location seems reasonable though, because reports say the plane never contacted the Vietnam ARTCC.

And I am concerned because even with engines out or other similar failures, at least one of their communication systems should've given a report. Even Air France 447 was sending automated ACARS reports as it was going down (though there was no engine failure there, to be fair). The fact that nearly 7 hours after losing contact the airline still didn't know where the aircraft was is very troubling to say the least.

I'd think there were so many Eyes on flights in that area of the Globe that someone has a pretty good clue.
:hmmm:

How long can the bird stay in the air fully fueled? If nothing is heard from her when that time is up THAT'S when you should really start worrying.

Well for one, it's unlikely to have been fully fueled - doesn't make sense economically (carrying extra fuel makes you burn more fuel), and usually airlines plan fuel carefully and have very good tools for getting it loaded right. Typically you just have the required fuel, plus 1 hour (or a little more) in reserve.

The last MAS statement was more than 4 hours after the flight was scheduled to arrive in Beijing and more than 8 hours after lost contact. It would be on the ground by now one way or another.

Huh, latest statement from the airline includes...

I wouldn't bet too much on it, but it is a glimmer of hope in a dim situation at least :(

Well that sucks. Only thing I can really says is thank god it wasn't an A380. Just one of those crashing with all souls lost would be worse then Tenerife disaster.

My prayer is out and I have a few more to go. The news will have more information for us soon.

Assuming they were on someones radar screen for it to just suddenly go away screams catastrophic circumstances which occurred suddenly.

consider this though, flying through a volcanic ash cloud ( There are current eruptions in the area) could have eroded off various comm and transponder antennas to a point of rendering them incapable of transmitting.

something to think about

It would have been dark... and ash does not show up on radar. The first indication of entering it would likely be static discharges and st elmos fire

Well as CCIP stated above even if the thing was fully fueled it would already be on the ground one way or another by now. Also aren't flights supposed to be routed around Volcanic ash and even be grounded if the circumstances call for it?

All the way to the crash site.

as there is no moisture in volcanic ash, it is invisible to radar, thus it has to be tracked visually or by satellite. in the dark this is tough to do without infra red.

its all academic until they find pieces

i'd suppose it exploded

http://my.news.yahoo.com/mas-aircraf...023820132.html

If they are in fact picking up the ELT the transmitter cannot be far from the surface of the water... they are close to closing in on the location of the crash i think.

Yeah, I'm also seeing reports that the Vietnamese navy possibly saw it go down near an island.

ccip

fsx? noticed the virtual airline sig

i was ironically downloading a 777-300 for fsx when i saw this thread

I'm just browsing pprune, which is really the place to go for updates and information in a time like this, according to one member who alledgedly flew the area at around the same time:

Apparently the aircraft involved suffered a scrape in 2012 with another aircraft which resulted in the following wing damage:

http://pic.feeyo.com/pic/20120810/20...0951017177.jpg

There are also reports that Chinese state media has censored the name of a Muslim Chinese artist who had been at an art conference, and reports that an italian man called Luigi Maraldi who is on the published passenger list was not actually on the flight and had reported his passport stolen in Thailand in 2013.

Given that the weather conditions in the area were good, there were no other reports of volcanic ash and the crew had no time to broadcast a distress signal, we're likely looking at a sudden airframe disintegration.
This is either caused through deliberate or non-deliberate means, however at the moment, given the recent attack in Kunming, as well as the passport information that has come to light...I'm going to put my foot out there and say that we're looking at a terrorist incident.
I can't completely rule out an accidental loss of airframe through a previously unknown structural defect, but something about this just keeps bringing me back to a terrorist attack.