Investigators Say All Of Plane Will Not Be Recovered

With no direct knowledge of the cause of the Air France Flight 447 in the Atlantic, most speculation revolves around the intense storm system it was entering and the speed sensors on the aircraft. Known as pitot tubes, there are multiple pitot tube sensors located at different places on the front of the aircraft. Redundancy is the name of the game on jets and especially these electric jets. If a system fails, then the backups will pick up the work load. In cases of a failure, the primary master control system will weigh the difference between the suspected failure and its sister systems. After the comparison, it will disregard the errant system failure.

Always a perfect world, but never a perfect solution. With electrical failures occurring and other system meltdowns bringing a domino effect of problems to the pilots, they needed to be at the top of the pyramid when it comes to pilot skill. These guys had tons of experience and the crew was staffed with an extra pilot. Extra pilots are always on these long haul flights to spell the cockpit crew during breaks. At fours hours into the flight, AF 447 sent out emergency signals via computer to its maintenance facility on the ground. This was the last communications from this aircraft. No communication from the pilots.

Airbus is fly by wire and now some Boeing models are out with fly by wire. I haven't heard of any one pilot group dismissing the excellence of either type of aircraft. Sure, with fly by wire, a computer will have the final say of whether any pilot input will be performed--this is to prevent the aircraft from being subjected to forces by a pilot that would hurt the plane. Traditional systems, Boeing, the pilot may put the aircraft into any flight position he desires. His is the final word!

By the time AF 447 ran into critical problems and disappeared, the autopilot system had already disengaged. This could have been opted by the flight management system or by the pilots themselves. Until the black boxes are found, just about everything about this crash will be speculation. Except for the wreckage! The damage to the found pieces and to the recovered remains of the passengers will serve as a tool to help determine the cause of the loss of AF 447 and its 228 souls on board... lakotahope