aircraft missing from Monto

[kaz3g]

I recently spent a few days down that way... I found myself marvelling at the dense forestry and the hilly terrain. It could be potentially very hard to get a positive fix on an aircraft right under their nose, especially considering the conditions if they still haven't improved. If they haven't picked up on a heat source last night I imagine that would not be an option 12 hours later.

The thermal source from a body can be picked up for a very long time after death, and imaging is used to find recent hidden graves for this reason.

 

Kaz

 

 

[winsor68]

The thermal source from a body can be picked up for a very long time after death, and imaging is used to find recent hidden graves for this reason.Kaz

I guess that is what they call the gruesome truth.

Thanks Kaz... at least adding to our knowledge of how these things work may allow us to take something positive from watching this tragedy unfold over the last couple of days.

 

 

[slartibartfast]

Also, this was a DH-84 Dragon.

 

The Dragon Rapide was the DH-89.

 

Australia continued using the DH-84 because it used the same engine as the Tiger Moths we already had.

 

Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Dragon

 

I'm still holding hope they put down in a valley without reception.

 

They'll be a tad cold and hungry, but in my world they're safe. The EPIRB simply ran out of battery.

 

I left on Sunday and it was already challenging. Heading to Kingaroy I had to fly through lots of light rain and 3 levels of cloud.

 

Very weird and moist atmosphere.

 

 

[dutchroll]

Don't want to be overly pessimistic here, but at some point you have to start preparing yourself for the reality of this situation. An old, very lightweight designed plane has disappeared in poor weather over extremely rugged terrain, with no trace.

 

 

[Tomo]

Really thinking outside the box here, but what's the chances it went out to sea? Reports were estimating he was in cloud for 2 hours or so... so at 100kts cruise (?) that's a fair distance.

 

I'm sure they would have thought about that, but it's really starting to get frustrating to hear no trace has been found yet!

 

 

[Doug Evans]

u would think some one would heard it cross the coast ?

 

 

[Admin]

The Dornier isn't out there yet and it is 8am...wonder if they have elected to just use the 15 odd choppers from now:

 

http://www.recreationalflying.com/pages/flight_radar/

 

 

[ave8rr]

Really thinking outside the box here, but what's the chances it went out to sea? Reports were estimating he was in cloud for 2 hours or so... so at 100kts cruise (?) that's a fair distance.I'm sure they would have thought about that, but it's really starting to get frustrating to hear no trace has been found yet!

Thats a possibility Tomo however, if an aircraft goes into that heavily wooded area with very tall trees then the canopy would close over and unless you were right on top of the area would never be seen. There are a number of aircraft both here and across the tasman that have never been located. I am still wondering WHY the PLB (if that is what it was) was not on for longer. Maybe it was tuned on while still flying then stopped on any impact with the ground or water?? Does anyone know what type of beacon (fixed or portable) was fitted to this aircraft?

Cheers

 

 

[Admin]

PPQ is back up now, let's hope it is a quick get out there and find them alive session this morning

 

 

[biggles]

PPQ. Airborne again

 

Bob

 

 

[rdarby]

Does anyone know a lot obout beacons that could write a guide somewhere on the forum, that could be a sticky, to help people decide on what is best and how they actually work? Just what I have read in this thread has made me realise they are not all equal, and really just may save our lives.

 

 

[Mick]

Maybe it was tuned on while still flying then stopped on any impact with the ground or water?? Does anyone know what type of beacon (fixed or portable) was fitted to this aircraft?

As per my post #113 -

 

"Channel 7 news showed an interview with someone from the rescue operation. They said it was a personal type EPIRB that they received a short signal from."

 

.

 

 

[cscotthendry]

Does anyone know what type of beacon (fixed or portable) was fitted to this aircraft?Cheers

The statement on the AMSA website says that the EPIRB was a non-GPS type.

Watching this unfold, I'm now glad I spent the extra on an EPIRB with GPS.

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

From what I have heard the Dornia flys a pattern and is the airborne command and control for the choppers directing them from a airborne control/search office and that would explain the loops it did late yesterday and now this morning...it is east of Gympie airport at the moment doing the same loop

 

 

[Cosmick]

Really thinking outside the box here, but what's the chances it went out to sea? Reports were estimating he was in cloud for 2 hours or so... so at 100kts cruise (?) that's a fair distance.I'm sure they would have thought about that, but it's really starting to get frustrating to hear no trace has been found yet!

Hi Tomo,

 

If she went out to sea you'd think Maroochy or Brisbane would have tracked her. She would have been a blip on the radar even if not fitted with a transponder. Having said that I believe our Hi-tech systems don't like bad weather either.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Don't want to be overly pessimistic here, but at some point you have to start preparing yourself for the reality of this situation. An old, very lightweight designed plane has disappeared in poor weather over extremely rugged terrain, with no trace.

I agree. I have flown over Mt Superbus a few times.In good weather and knowing where the RAAF Lincoln Aircraft wreckage is. It is hard to see at times. Finding a aircraft in rugged, dense terrain is going to be very difficult. Nearly impossible. If Des put it down somewhere as a out landing.They would have been located by now.

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

123.100 mhz seems to be the SAR frequency...I have been listening for about 5 mins and this seems to have the traffic for the search area

 

 

[nomadpete]

The waiting and not knowing makes it so much harder. My thoughts go to all friends and family of those on board.

 

 

[nomadpete]

Now PPQ heading for Bris?

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

Sounds like they have picked up a signal on 121.5....they have asked all search aircraft to check their own radios to make sure that their own radios are not radiating

 

 

[Guest Bigfella]

Heading in the Bris direction, just looks like they've changed they're search area again.

 

Out of interest PPQ is flying at 10,000ft, what is this AGL?

 

No doubting they're efforts in searching for the missing plane but seems a bit like a needle in a hay stack scenario, good luck guys keep up the good work.

 

Cheers,

 

Bigfella

 

 

[Cosmick]

I asked a question of a friend

 

Q. I have in the past recd a proximity warning just sth of gympie I had a transponder. Do you need a transponder to be seen. Down to what alt over tiger country NW glasshouse - gympie. Does cloud showers affect accuracy

 

A. Yes to the transponder generally but we do have primary out to 60nm they would have to have been high for that though. WX does not affect transponders.

 

Gympie is 68nm from YBBN

 

 

[Hongie]

Agl = above ground level

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

PPQ and PPG is going to take over staging point is Maleny they said also looks like PPG has been searching the coast just in case

 

 

[Denny Fiedler]

Looking at the radar tracks of PPQ and PPG I'd say they have not the slightest idea where the aircraft might have crashed.

 

I think I'll have to change the way I plan my x-country flights, a forced landing away from a populated area in some rugged terrain

 

could easily result in some injuries and all of a sudden your life depends on some cheap PLB working properly.