The heaters in pitot tubes fail.  We used to check them on every pre and=20
post flight inspection.  But then we could reach them from the ground=20
without stands or ladders.

Bob

n 3/12/2014 1:19 PM, Carl Denk wrote:
> On 3/12/2014 11:24 AM, Tamas Rudnai wrote:
>>> Writing this to this list as I know quite few of you have knowledge on =
aviation. I am just thinking how could the most sophisticated airliner just=
 disappear in thin air? Ground control use radar and beacons as they trust =
in these much better than any other positioning devices, I get that.
> Over the oceans, radar coverage is not available ,generally is line of
> sight from station. Some planes report home with operational info to aid
> in prompt repair of equipment issues. Likely just pulling a main circuit
> breaker or 2 would shut down all this stuff. And then there was an
> Airbus not long ago, the Pitot tube (air speed sensor) that iced over,
> even our little home built had a heater on it. Gave incorrect airspeed
> to all systems, pilot flew too slow, no warning, just wing stalled and
> went straight down, quickly.
>>>    I also totally understand that the plane was flying in an area that =
was uncovered by radar - at least by commercial radars. But the most modern=
 airliner has no GPS at all on board? Or they do have but just could not se=
nd back the position to the ground control?
> Pilot incapacitated, maybe not voluntarily (I'll leave the
> interpretation to you)  Fire in equipment bay, all sorts of mechanical
> guesses. :(
>
> Wouldn't surprise me they never find it. It took quite a while to
> actually locate the one that went in the Atlantic off Long Island, Ny.
> And people saw that one.
>>> Tamas
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPad

--=20
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