Boeing MH370 disappears in flight with 239 passengers

[Hervé]

Maybe this will give up some clues to electronics and flying specialists:

Special Conditions: Boeing Model 777-200, -300, and -300ER Series Airplanes; Aircraft Electronic System Security Protection From Unauthorized Internal Access

A Rule by the Federal Aviation Administration on 11/18/2013

PDF DEV Print Public Inspection
Publication Date: Monday, November 18, 2013
Agencies:Department of TransportationFederal Aviation Administration

Action
Final Special Conditions.

Summary
These special conditions are issued for the Boeing Model 777-200, -300, and -300ER series airplanes. These airplanes, as modified by the Boeing Company, will have novel or unusual design features associated with the architecture and connectivity of the passenger service computer network systems to the airplane critical systems and data networks. This onboard network system will be composed of a network file server, a network extension device, and additional interfaces configured by customer option. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.


Table of Contents Back to Top

• DATES:
• FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
• SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
• Background
• Type Certification Basis
• Novel or Unusual Design Features
• Discussion
• Applicability
• Conclusion
• List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25
• The Special Conditions

DATES: Back to Top
Effective Date: The effective date of these special conditions is November 18, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Back to Top
Varun Khanna, FAA, Airplane and Flight Crew Interface Branch, ANM-111, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone 425-227-1298; facsimile 425-227-1149.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Back to Top

Background Back to Top
On August 21, 2012, The Boeing Company applied for a change to Type Certificate No. T00001SE Rev. 30 dated June 6, 2012 for installation of an onboard network system, associated line replaceable units (LRUs) and additional software functionality in the Boeing Model 777-200, -300, and -300ER Series Airplanes. The Boeing Model 777-200 airplanes are long-range, wide-body, twin-engine jet airplanes with a maximum capacity of 440 passengers. The Boeing Model 777-300 and 777-300ER series airplanes have a maximum capacity of 550 passengers. The Model 777-200, -300, and -300ER series airplanes have fly-by-wire controls, software-configurable avionics, and fiber-optic avionics networks.

The proposed architecture is novel or unusual for commercial transport airplanes by enabling connection to previously isolated data networks connected to systems that perform functions required for the safe operation of the airplane. This proposed data network and design integration may result in security vulnerabilities from intentional or unintentional corruption of data and systems critical to the safety and maintenance of the airplane. The existing regulations and guidance material did not anticipate this type of system architecture or electronic access to aircraft systems. Furthermore, regulations and current system safety assessment policy and techniques do not address potential security vulnerabilities, which could be caused by unauthorized access to aircraft data buses and servers.

Type Certification Basis Back to Top
Under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 21.17, The Boeing Company must show that the Model 777-200, -300, and -300ER series airplanes meet the applicable provisions of 14 CFR part 25, as amended by Amendments 25-1 through 25-128.

If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness regulations (i.e., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for the Boeing Model 777-200, -300, and -300ER series airplanes because of a novel or unusual design feature, special conditions are prescribed under § 21.16.

Special conditions are initially applicable to the model for which they are issued. Should the type certificate for that model be amended later to include any other model that incorporates the same novel or unusual design feature, the proposed special conditions would also apply to the other model under § 21.101.

In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and proposed special conditions, the Boeing Model 777-200, -300, and -300ER series airplanes must comply with the fuel vent and exhaust emission requirements of 14 CFR part 34 and the noise certification requirements of 14 CFR part 36 and the FAA must issue a finding of regulatory adequacy under § 611 of 92, the “Noise Control Act of 1972.”

The FAA issues special conditions, as defined in 14 CFR 11.19, under § 11.38, and they become part of the type-certification basis under § 21.17(a)(2).

Novel or Unusual Design Features Back to Top
The Boeing Model 777-200, -300, -300ER series airplanes will incorporate the following novel or unusual design features: An onboard computer network system, and a network extension device. The network extension device will improve domain separation between the airplane information services domain and the aircraft control domain. The proposed architecture and network configuration may be used for, or interfaced with, a diverse set of functions, including:

1. Flight-safety related control and navigation systems,
2. Operator business and administrative support (operator information services),
3. Passenger information systems, and,
4. Access by systems internal to the airplane.

Discussion Back to Top
The integrated network configurations in the Boeing Model 777-200, -300, and -300ER series airplanes may enable increased connectivity with external network sources and will have more interconnected networks and systems, such as passenger entertainment and information services than previous airplane models. This may enable the exploitation of network security vulnerabilities and increased risks potentially resulting in unsafe conditions for the airplanes and occupants. This potential exploitation of security vulnerabilities may result in intentional or unintentional destruction, disruption, degradation, or exploitation of data and systems critical to the safety and maintenance of the airplane. The existing regulations and guidance material did not anticipate these types of system architectures. Furthermore, 14 CFR regulations and current system safety assessment policy and techniques do not address potential security vulnerabilities which could be exploited by unauthorized access to airplane networks and servers. Therefore, these special conditions are being issued to ensure that the security (i.e., confidentiality, integrity, and availability) of airplane systems is not compromised by unauthorized wired or wireless electronic connections between the airplane information services domain, aircraft control domain, and the passenger entertainment services.

For the reasons discussed above, these special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

Applicability Back to Top
As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the Boeing Model 777-200, -300, -300ER series airplanes. Should The Boeing Company apply at a later date for a change to the type certificate to include another model on the same type certificate incorporating the same novel or unusual design feature, the special conditions would apply to that model as well.

Conclusion Back to Top
This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features on Boeing Model 777-200, -300, -300ER series airplanes. It is not a rule of general applicability.

The substance of these special conditions has been subjected to the notice and comment period in several prior instances and has been derived without substantive change from those previously issued. It is unlikely that prior public comment would result in a significant change from the substance contained herein. Therefore, the FAA has determined that prior public notice and comment are unnecessary, and good cause exists for adopting these special conditions upon publication in the Federal Register.

Full article: https://www.federalregister.gov/arti...ctronic-system

[SilentFeathers]

I finally found something I actually agree with! lol!

Investigations into missing Malaysia jet appear stalled

[chocolate]

LOL SilentFeathers.

I was thinking, Amzer Zo, may be you can create a separate thread out of your post # 721. It is quite informative!, and it will be a bit lost floating in this sea of information of a missing airplane.
... just a though, nothing more.

[Hervé]

Nah... from what I understood of the "improvement" that's relevant is that such modified plane could be turned into drones by the military, no-one else.

Which brings me to the FauxNews-"officialized" official story:

Retired Air Force general stands by theory Malaysian Airlines flight could have landed in Pakistan

12:48 AM 03/19/2014

Jamie Weinstein
Senior Editor

Retired Air Force General Thomas McInerney isn’t backing away from his thriller novel-like suggestion that the missing Malaysian Airlines flight could have very well landed in Pakistan — and he says his theory is based on more than mere conjecture.

“General, I’ve known you a long time, I know you too well to know that you’re not just making this up, this is not something you’ve concocted. You’ve spoken to a number of people, am I correct?,” Sean Hannity asked McInerney during Tuesday night’s episode of “Hannity” on Fox News.

“Yes, but that’s all I want to say, Sean, please,” McInerney responded.

McInerney said that while he has reason to believe the plane landed in Pakistan, he has no idea about the fate of the passengers.

“I don’t know anything about their status,” he said.

McInerney pointed to the way the U.S. and Israeli militaries have acted in recent days to suggest that much more is known about the missing flight than has so far been revealed.

“First of all, let me say, when the U.S. Navy quits their search — their ship search — they must know something in the Indian Ocean,” he said. “When the Israeli Defense Forces, when they increase their air defense alert, they must know something.”

“My concern is, if this airplane could be used as a bearer of a weapon of mass destruction or even conventional munitions that could attack a carrier, the Israelis, other allies, American Forces, for instance,” he added. “We have to be very alert until we know exactly where this airplane is.”

McInerney said he believes “both pilots may have been complicit” and that the U.S. knows much more than it is letting on.

“I think they want to be very cautious because they don’t want to embarrass certain other nations that we’re working close [with],” he said.

---------------------------------------------------------------

So, I guess that Diego Garcia at the opposite direction to Pakistan is the best fit to look for that phantom plane...

[SilentFeathers]

Posted by Amzer Zo (here)
Nah... from what I understood of the "improvement" that's relevant is that such modified plane could be turned into drones by the military, no-one else.

Which brings me to the FauxNews-"officialized" official story:

Retired Air Force general stands by theory Malaysian Airlines flight could have landed in Pakistan

12:48 AM 03/19/2014

Jamie Weinstein
Senior Editor

Retired Air Force General Thomas McInerney isn’t backing away from his thriller novel-like suggestion that the missing Malaysian Airlines flight could have very well landed in Pakistan — and he says his theory is based on more than mere conjecture.

“General, I’ve known you a long time, I know you too well to know that you’re not just making this up, this is not something you’ve concocted. You’ve spoken to a number of people, am I correct?,” Sean Hannity asked McInerney during Tuesday night’s episode of “Hannity” on Fox News.

“Yes, but that’s all I want to say, Sean, please,” McInerney responded.

McInerney said that while he has reason to believe the plane landed in Pakistan, he has no idea about the fate of the passengers.

“I don’t know anything about their status,” he said.

McInerney pointed to the way the U.S. and Israeli militaries have acted in recent days to suggest that much more is known about the missing flight than has so far been revealed.

“First of all, let me say, when the U.S. Navy quits their search — their ship search — they must know something in the Indian Ocean,” he said. “When the Israeli Defense Forces, when they increase their air defense alert, they must know something.”

“My concern is, if this airplane could be used as a bearer of a weapon of mass destruction or even conventional munitions that could attack a carrier, the Israelis, other allies, American Forces, for instance,” he added. “We have to be very alert until we know exactly where this airplane is.”

McInerney said he believes “both pilots may have been complicit” and that the U.S. knows much more than it is letting on.

“I think they want to be very cautious because they don’t want to embarrass certain other nations that we’re working close [with],” he said.

---------------------------------------------------------------

So, I guess that Diego Garcia at the opposite direction to Pakistan is the best fit to look for that phantom plane...

It's also interesting to note that in the video interview with Sean Hannity that this General nonchalantly blurts out and discredits the possible Maldives sighting.....once again trying to divert attention away from this jet flying this far south and west, or in other words, anywhere near the vicinity of the Diego Garcia location....

[SilentFeathers]

They'll get to the bottom of this mystery! lol!

WASHINGTON - The FBI is reviewing the hard drive on the flight simulator taken from the home of the pilot of missing Malaysian Airlines flight 370.

Malaysian officials say some of the files on Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah's simulator were deleted last month.

Attorney General Eric Holder, during a press conference Wednesday, verified the U.S. is lending its expertise to the investigation.

http://www.mychamplainvalley.com/sto...CUyEV0G5O9Ls3Q

PS: Get ready for an even more ridiculous theory to emerge!

[Elainie]

Here is Ed Dame's describing his RV session on C2C:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=SM6-PhC85TE

[Redstar Kachina]

..........

[Gardener]

They seem to be doing everything possible to place it in the north with the pilots complicit, so my guess is Diego.

AZ---->So, I guess that Diego Garcia at the opposite direction to Pakistan is the best fit to look for that phantom plane...

[Atlas]

777 PILOT: I’m Sorry, But I’m Just Not Buying The SmokeThe-Cockpit Theory

I am a professional pilot with type ratings in the DC-9 (MD88, MD90), B757, 767 and 777 and I served as a Captain at a major US international airline. I feel I have some insight to add to the discussion about MH370.

[...]

I do not believe, based on what we know now, that there was smoke or a fire. Why? Because there is no indication of fire, or smoke in the cockpit, during the time the aircraft was still in contact, and there is no indication of “fire” behavior in the aircraft’s flight path. Additionally, normal emergency protocols train the crew to immediately don and wear full face O2 masks (the B777 is equipped with them), and designate one pilot to fly and talk to everyone (Aviate & communicate) while the other pilot runs the checklist and fights the problem. The plane made a sharp left turn, towards land, soon after ATC communication was lost. This was shown to have been pre-programmed into the FMS by the pilots.

The “flying pilot’s” job in an emergency such as this would be to point the airplane at the closest acceptable runway, announce to the world the nature of the emergency (ATC) and request help, and begin a descent so that at some point during the process, an attempt to vent the smoke from the cabin could be done.

Basically, none of this was done. This leads me to believe that there was no emergency of this type. For this type of emergency to be in play, it indicates that the cockpit crew would have had to willfully refused to follow their training and checklists to combat the emergency.

Airborne smoke and fire emergencies are extremely serious, and are trained for by every airline crew in the world. In the wake of SwissAir 111, which crashed off the coast of Nova Scotia, we know that a flight crew has a very limited period of time in which they must land the plane before disaster… only 14 minutes in the SwissAir tragedy… yet MH370 continued to fly for more than 7 hours after contact was lost. This is yet another clue that points away from an in flight physical, mechanical or other type of emergency.

There is evidence that Malaysia Air crews often allowed passengers onto the flight deck during flight, which is an indication both of lax safety and security procedures to my western way of thinking, but may be totally permissible at Malaysia Air. The FO had allowed some pretty girls to sit in the cockpit during a flight last year. His Captain did not protest. This anecdotal info could lend credence to the idea of hijackers gaining access to the flight deck after takeoff.

To my eye, a fire/smoke emergency does not fit what we currently know.

Neither does a missile, engine failure, structural failure, loss of pressurization or any other kind of “accidental” failure. This looks and sounds like a “planned event,” not an “unforeseen emergency.” Mistakes can occur, and the sad truth is that we don’t know what we don’t know… but until something comes to light that supports an “emergency” situation, the simplest and most logical explanation is that someone took control of that airplane and diverted it from it’s planned course and destination.

[Gardener]

Addsub--->Tomorrow is the anniversary of the Iraq campaign. Diego Garcia was one of the locations in the Malaysian pilot's simulator - see

They have already said 'officially' that the data was deleted from the simulator in early February.

[Cidersomerset]

19 March 2014 Last updated at 18:58

White House says FBI 'aiding MH370 investigation'A man watches a large screen
showing different flights at the departure hall of Kuala Lumpur International Airport 13 March 2014


Teams from 26 countries are trying to find flight MH370
Continue reading the main story
MH370 mysteryWhat we know
Military at fault?
Search logistics
Armchair hunters

The FBI is aiding the Malaysian government's search for a Malaysia Airlines jet
missing for more than a week, the White House has confirmed.The US investigators
are believed to be helping the Malaysians examine a home flight simulator
belonging to one of the pilots of flight MH370 for clues.The pilot is said to have
deleted some files from the computer simulator.

Teams from 26 countries are trying to find flight MH370, which went missing on 8
March with 239 people on board.

The flight was headed from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Dragged away

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=2Gt3mcclZ50

Relatives were forcibly removed while trying to speak to journalists

On Wednesday, White House spokesman Jay Carney confirmed the FBI was
assisting the investigation and said Malaysia was also speaking to US aviation and
transport accident investigation agencies.

"We are finding that the level of cooperation with the Malaysian government is
solid, and we are working closely with the Malaysians as well as our other
international partners in this effort to find out what happened to the plane and why
it happened," he said.

A US law enforcement official told Reuters the Malaysian officials gave the FBI
access to data generated by both pilots including data from a hard drive attached to
the captain's flight simulator and electronic media used by a co-pilot.

But the official stressed there was no guarantee the FBI analysis would lead to
further clues.

Malaysian police chief Khalid Abu said some data was deleted on 3 February from
the simulator found at Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah's home and that investigators
were trying to recover the deleted files.

The acting transport minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, stressed the captain should
be considered innocent until proven guilty and that members of his family were co-
operating with the investigation. Deleting files would not necessarily be suspicious,
particularly if it were done to free up memory space.



Chinese relatives of passengers from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 are
escorted away by Malaysian police from entering the media centre before the start
of a press conference at a hotel near Kuala Lumpur International Airport The
relatives of passengers on flight MH370 kicked and shouted as they were being
escorted out by police and other staff

The Malaysian authorities have said the evidence so far suggests the Boeing-777
was deliberately turned back across Malaysia to the Strait of Malacca with its
communications systems disabled. They are unsure what happened next.

Investigators have identified two giant arcs of territory spanning the possible
positions of the plane about seven hours after take-off.

This is based on its last faint signal to a satellite - an hourly "handshake'' broadcast
even when communications are switched off. The arcs stretch up as far as
Kazakhstan in central Asia and deep into the southern Indian Ocean west of Australia.

Investigators are considering the possibility of hijacking, sabotage, terrorism or
issues related to the mental health of the pilots or anyone else on board.

Earlier on Wednesday, frustration with the lack of progress boiled over into chaotic
scenes as Chinese relatives were dragged away from journalists in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia's capital.They were attempting to speak to Chinese journalists outside the
daily press conference.A BBC reporter was pushed away from the relatives, who
were carrying banners criticising the handling of the case.One of the relatives, a
middle-aged woman, cried: "They give different messages every day! Where's the
flight now? Find our relatives! Find the aircraft!"

The Malaysian government said later it regretted the scenes and ordered an
investigation, saying "one can only imagine the anguish they are going through".

Map showing search area for MH370



More on This Story

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-26649690

[Harley]

Remember the "Shift in the investigation" that I pointed out early on?

I'd be very wary of what I hear through the MSM. Lots of nonsense being broadcast by the "Officials".

Time is running out - Battery life is diminishing on the "Black Box" Locator Transmitters.

I will not be surprised if soon they "Officially Announce" the wreckage has been discovered.


Have we learned yet?

[SilentFeathers]

Posted by Harley Hawkins (here)
I will not be surprised if soon they "Officially Announce" the wreckage has been discovered.

Sadly, this would be better news to hear than some of the other possible scenario's.....

[Redstar Kachina]

..........

[Atlas]

Posted by addsub (here)
Pilot probably landed in Pakistan thinking he was a hero, then was killed. Someone else (unless the flight is completely automated...not an expert on 777-200 capabilities) would be flying from wherever the plane is now to Diego Garcia

Why would you fly the plane to Pakistan first and then to Diego Garcia ? Why wouldn't you fly the plane directly to Diego Garcia ?

Posted by Czero 101
The article is just putting itself out there as a clearing house for other people'es theories, not advancing anything of its own. I have doubts about the credibility of the site and author of the article, too...

from the About page:

The mission of this site is to help preserve the America we grew up in for the sake of future generations. We are devoted to an America that promotes free enterprise and ingenuity, and does not encourage a nanny state under the causistic banner of “the common good.” The common good is best served by freedom for each individual.

A free press is a path to an independent and free society. The mission of this e-paper is to provide the news that is not available through the mainstream media so readers can make well-informed decisions. The site is leaning right because of what is happening in D.C. but the information is factual. I hope to have some fun on the site.

Let others be heard!
Submissions are welcomed.

Sara Noble
Admin

B.A. English Literature, St. John’s University, Jamaica, N.Y.
M.A. Educational Administration, M.S. Special Education/Elementary Education, Hofstra University, Uniondale, N.Y.
I have published educational articles, short stories for children and was a copy editor for This Week Magazine.

The name Sara Noble is a nom de plume.

Actively avoids putting his / her own name on their work.... ok... (source)

Here is the Pakistani statement:

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid on Tuesday dispelled the western media reports regarding presence of missing Malaysia passenger plane (MH370) in Pakistan, saying that the missing plane was not in Pakistan and no unusual activity was reported on the air traffic control system in this regard:

The missing plane, which left Kuala Lumpur for Beijing on March 8, could not have landed in the country as only a few airports including Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore have the air-strips for landing of 747 Plane. Pakistan's airspace is safe and secure, and as far as disappearance of the Malaysian plane is concerned, the traffic control system of the country has not observed any unusual activity, all the data of our air traffic control system is available and nothing is hidden.

http://www.brecorder.com/general-news/172/1164143/

[Redstar Kachina]

..........

[Atlas]

I don't think the plane was loaded with explosives in Pakistan and then flown to Diego Garcia. It makes no sense.

Posted by Zarvan
Fox News idiots are trying their level best to proof that this plane is in Pakistan Man but the only problem is neither its a stealth plane and if it had been flying that low our coastal line is full off population several would have seen it so Fox news you are idiots and you will remain so

Posted by Pakistanisage
Not to forget that fuel consumption is many times more and ground speed much less when flying at low altitude so that even with a full tank this aircraft would not have ever made it to Pakistan. The general is a FOOL.

http://defence.pk/threads/retired-ai...kistan.305245/

[Redstar Kachina]

..........

[Atlas]

Posted by addsub (here)
Correct...it hasn't been flown to Diego Garcia or any other target...yet. The suggested target is Diego Garcia from the information posted above...

Pakistan does not need to steal a plane from Malaysia to load it with explosives, it can use one of his own. There is no proof of MH370 being in Pakistan at the moment.