Comments on: QF72 — chaos at 37,000 feet http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/11/14/qf72-chaos-at-37000-feet/ now with extra source Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:01:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ben@Crikey http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/11/14/qf72-chaos-at-37000-feet/#comment-570 Ben@Crikey Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-570 Bill,<br /><br />Thanks for setting us straight on the base. Later today I learned that no mechanism is know by which transmissions from the base could have caused the faults identified in this unit, but the ATSB is ensuring that no issues are left unresolved or open. The hard work, finding out how spurious data inputs could so thoroughly and suddenly corrupt a system with multiple redundancy may take many months.<br /><br />But fortunately, as in the somewhat different circumstances of the Malaysia Airlines incident, the Qantas pilots were not overcome by what I assume would have been the most hectic moments in their careers. <br /><br /><br /><br /> Bill,

Thanks for setting us straight on the base. Later today I learned that no mechanism is know by which transmissions from the base could have caused the faults identified in this unit, but the ATSB is ensuring that no issues are left unresolved or open. The hard work, finding out how spurious data inputs could so thoroughly and suddenly corrupt a system with multiple redundancy may take many months.

But fortunately, as in the somewhat different circumstances of the Malaysia Airlines incident, the Qantas pilots were not overcome by what I assume would have been the most hectic moments in their careers.

]]> By: Peter Jackman http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/11/14/qf72-chaos-at-37000-feet/#comment-571 Peter Jackman Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-571 From the second chart, the dive would appear to have been initiated by a spurious (?) "stall warning". I believe modern a/c are programed to override a pilots input until the stall condition is rectified. Perhaps this flight was very lucky the "stall" was "rectified" by the dive to increase airspeed. From the second chart, the dive would appear to have been initiated by a spurious (?) “stall warning”. I believe modern a/c are programed to override a pilots input until the stall condition is rectified. Perhaps this flight was very lucky the “stall” was “rectified” by the dive to increase airspeed.

]]> By: William L Owen http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/11/14/qf72-chaos-at-37000-feet/#comment-572 William L Owen Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-572 Thanks Ben for another very interesting and important article on the QF72 near-disaster on 7 October.<br /><br />However I must correct you on one point you made, although it is not relevant to the event on board QF72.<br /><br />You said that the US Harold E Holt base near Exmouth "keeps watch on Russian submarines".<br /><br />This is not so. Harold E Holt is a communications station and its main role is to use Very Low Frequency (VLF) radio transmissions to convey signals to submerged US, Australian and allied submarines. It is not possible to use these transmissions to locate or detect submarines.<br /><br />Bill Owen (Captain RAN retd, formerly Commander of the Australian Submarine Squadron) Thanks Ben for another very interesting and important article on the QF72 near-disaster on 7 October.

However I must correct you on one point you made, although it is not relevant to the event on board QF72.

You said that the US Harold E Holt base near Exmouth “keeps watch on Russian submarines”.

This is not so. Harold E Holt is a communications station and its main role is to use Very Low Frequency (VLF) radio transmissions to convey signals to submerged US, Australian and allied submarines. It is not possible to use these transmissions to locate or detect submarines.

Bill Owen (Captain RAN retd, formerly Commander of the Australian Submarine Squadron)

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