kaz3g Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 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 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slartibartfast Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 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. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutchroll Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 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! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Evans Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 u would think some one would heard it cross the coast ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 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/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ave8rr Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 PPQ is back up now, let's hope it is a quick get out there and find them alive session this morning 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggles Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 PPQ. Airborne again Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdarby Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 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." . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cscotthendry Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Communications Posted October 2, 2012 Author Share Posted October 2, 2012 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmick Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza 38 Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Communications Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomadpete Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 The waiting and not knowing makes it so much harder. My thoughts go to all friends and family of those on board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomadpete Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Now PPQ heading for Bris? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Communications Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bigfella Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmick Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hongie Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Agl = above ground level Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Communications Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny Fiedler Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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