Malaysian Flight 370

[Dave Ross Wilkinson]

The question of how the patch separated from the plane, is definitely intriguing, as is, possibly, how patch is the only potential Elektra part found by TIGHAR on Nikumororo,  (In this sense, the patch is to the Elektra as the flaperon is to MH370.)

But i am more interested, at the moment, in MH370, and the issue of Lithium-Ion batteries being shipped as cargo on passenger airliners, as discussed in the Daily Beast article I sited.  It is (IMHO) a potentially dangerous practice, and it is surprising (to me) that there is any controversy, as there has been for years. In many parts of the world, it is common practice.   In parts of the world without air cargo service, the cargo hold of a passenger jet is seen as the best (or only) alternative.

Based on its tests, the FAA wants to ban the practice until adequate safety standards can be devised:

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/travel/faa-backs-ban-shipping-lithium-batteries-commercial-airlines-n441096   

Boeing has warned its customers of the hazard, as noted in the first paragraphs of the Daily Beast article.  Yet, the battery industry resists the recommendation (from Boeing, the FAA, and Airbus), insisting that the airline is the better judge of what it can safely carry. 

Continuing on the sillier note, Amelia's plane carried two Exide 85 Amp-Hr batteries. the kind she warned FN to 'look out for' in Betty's notebook.  See forum post : http://tighar.org/smf/index.php/topic,252.msg2222.html#msg2222. 

Connecting the silly to the tragic: If heaving that battery at the patch might dislodge it from AE's plane, is it not possible that a flaming pallet of Li-Ion batteries could burn through the cargo liner and into the electronics of a Boeing 777?

[Craig Romig]

Does anyone have any thoughts about the new wreckage found in Thailand?

[Monty Fowler]

Yes. It's not from MH 370.

[James Champion]

News articles speculate that it is debris from the first stage of rockets that India has launched recently. In the pictures on the news links it really looks like rocket debris with the curvature and small rounded/numbered ports that may be for pressurization. It doesn't quite resemble aircraft construction.

[Craig Romig]

Yes. It's not from MH 370.

thank you

[Craig Romig]

News articles speculate that it is debris from the first stage of rockets that India has launched recently. In the pictures on the news links it really looks like rocket debris with the curvature and small rounded/numbered ports that may be for pressurization. It doesn't quite resemble aircraft construction.

thank you

[Bob Smith]

Since Amelia and Fred probably left their iphones at home due to the weight, it's probably not relavent to talk about NR16020 in the same breath as MH370 and the theory of batteries being a part of its demise. Yet there is some interesting similarities and comparisons to be made. It's interesting to me that if MH370 was a "crashed and sank" victim, parts like the wing were still together enough to float and wash up on a beach (anybodies beach) somewhere in that great expanse of an ocean! So far they haven't found the landing gear, or seats (don't they make seats out of kapok anymore?) or anything else that would also float. Maybe later! I'm waiting to see what they may have found off the east coast of Malaysia this week.

[Dave Ross Wilkinson]

More on lithium ion batteries carried as cargo in airliners.

The  International Civil Aviation Organization has banned the transportation of Lithium-ion batteries as cargo in airliners, effective April 1, 2016.  The action was taken at the urging of Boeing and other airliner manufacturers.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-airlines-safety-batteries-idUSKCN0VW04Y 

[Bob Smith]

Maybe not soon enough for MH370.

[Bob Smith]

One of the latest pictures of supposed debris from MH370 that showed a large round hunk of metal leaning up against a tree had a ring around the outer edge and was riveted to the hunk in a familiar manner, like the "honeycomb" seals used in jet engines and steam turbines, etc. used for sealing of hot air and gases in the turbine area. (and sometimes in the compressor area) The honeycomb ring material, which may be attached to a stationary member and fits closely to the tips of the rotating blades, is actually allowed to be worn in slightly by the rotating part, as it expands from heat and centrifugal force, into a slight "ditch" in the honeycomb part, thereby providing a more tortuous path for the gas.
Also it appears there is a radially rough edge that may have been a torch cut, like they wanted to cut it up into smaller piece for ease of moving or disposal.

[Dave Ross Wilkinson]

Bob, I missed this 'discovery'.

Is this, and 3 other photos with it, the item? 

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/24/asia/thailand-debris-mh370-investigation

[Bob Smith]

Hope this shows the object as an attachment, Dave

[Bill Mangus]

I'm pretty certain that's a section of what's called and 'inter-stage', a coupling, if you will, between the first and second stages of a missile or space launch vehicle.

[Bob Smith]

You may be right Bill. I think if anybody investigated the object to find out what it is and how it got there it would be very interesting. Somebody somewhere has more of this piece and matching parts.

[James Champion]

A possible second part of MH370 was reported last week on a ocean/river tidal sandbank in Mozambique last week. From the posted pictures, it appears to be a piece of external surface skin, is roughly triangular in shape, about 3-1/2 feet x 2 feet, appears to be composite in construction with composite honeycomb underneath, has printed on it "NO STEP", all edges are fractured except a few pulled rivet holes along part of one edge, and has no marine growth. Articles speculate that it is from the horizontal stabilizer. No official analysis yet. Finding debris on the Mozambique coastline with the possible crash location in the Indian ocean west of Australia fit with ocean current models.

Additionally a possible third part of MH370 is reported this week. Roughly a foot square external skin, white with some blue paint consistent with MH370 colors, appearing to have underlying composite honeycomb, with no marine growth. This piece was found on Reunion island by the same person, a member of a beach cleanup crew,  who discovered the first piece (the flaperon) in July 2015.