Avionics News February 2020 - 19
I
magine a wide-body airliner as a needle - a big needle to be sure, but a needle,
nonetheless. Now, working with the same scale, imagine Spaceship Earth as a gigantic
haystack, a haystack with 196.9 million square miles of surface area with two-thirds
of that area covered by water.
That leaves 57.51 million square miles above the waterline - at least until global climate
change further raises the sea level, shrinking the land area and increasing the wetted area
accordingly.
Now consider the area occupied by a wide-body airliner like the Airbus A380, currently
the world's largest passenger plane. The A380 boasts a whopping 5,920 square feet of floor
space in the fuselage and another 9,100 square feet of wing area. The total of the two areas
exceeds only slightly 15,000 square feet.
A single square mile occupies 27.88 million square feet. The Earth covers 196.9 million
square miles. No wonder that finding a missing aircraft, even knowing within 100 miles
of where it disappeared, presents such a challenge. It's a challenge on land; at sea, it's like
searching a three-dimensional area with only the top surface visible to the naked eye.
Make you feel small yet? Need more perspective? Examples of aircraft lost and, for
some, never found date back more than a century.
Well before Orville and Wilbur Wright launched the age of powered flight on Dec. 17,
1903, four lighter-than-air craft disappeared during over-water flights, three of them in the
North Atlantic and one, the hydrogen balloon Pathfinder, went down in Lake Michigan.
Together, they claimed five lives.
From 1908 and onward, the list only grows longer. In recent years, two airline accidents
vexed authorities' attempts to locate the missing aircraft.
The first vanished June 1, 2009, when an Air France Airbus A330 with the call sign Flight
447 vanished into the South Atlantic taking with it all 228 people on board. The aircraft was
en route to Paris from Rio de Janeiro. Some debris floated and was recovered within a few
days. The bulk of the wreckage, however, remained missing until finally located in May
2011, almost two years later.
The most-recent tragedy remains an unsolved mystery more than five years after its
disappearance: the fate of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, en route to Beijing from Kuala
Lumpur. The loss took the lives of 239 people aboard the Boeing 777-200ER.
The lists of small general-aviation aircraft and military machines is extensive - and
evidence of the importance of aircraft surveillance is heightened by the fact that the most
vexing missing-aircraft events occur over water, where conventional radar coverage ends a
few miles offshore.
Continued on following page
avionics news
*
february
2020
19
Avionics News February 2020
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News February 2020
No label
Avionics News February 2020 - Intro
Avionics News February 2020 - No label
Avionics News February 2020 - Cover2
Avionics News February 2020 - 1
Avionics News February 2020 - 2
Avionics News February 2020 - 3
Avionics News February 2020 - 4
Avionics News February 2020 - 5
Avionics News February 2020 - 6
Avionics News February 2020 - 7
Avionics News February 2020 - 8
Avionics News February 2020 - 9
Avionics News February 2020 - 10
Avionics News February 2020 - 11
Avionics News February 2020 - 12
Avionics News February 2020 - 13
Avionics News February 2020 - 14
Avionics News February 2020 - 15
Avionics News February 2020 - 16
Avionics News February 2020 - 17
Avionics News February 2020 - 18
Avionics News February 2020 - 19
Avionics News February 2020 - 20
Avionics News February 2020 - 21
Avionics News February 2020 - 22
Avionics News February 2020 - 23
Avionics News February 2020 - 24
Avionics News February 2020 - 25
Avionics News February 2020 - 26
Avionics News February 2020 - 27
Avionics News February 2020 - 28
Avionics News February 2020 - 29
Avionics News February 2020 - 30
Avionics News February 2020 - 31
Avionics News February 2020 - 32
Avionics News February 2020 - 33
Avionics News February 2020 - 34
Avionics News February 2020 - 35
Avionics News February 2020 - 36
Avionics News February 2020 - 37
Avionics News February 2020 - 38
Avionics News February 2020 - 39
Avionics News February 2020 - 40
Avionics News February 2020 - 41
Avionics News February 2020 - 42
Avionics News February 2020 - 43
Avionics News February 2020 - 44
Avionics News February 2020 - 45
Avionics News February 2020 - 46
Avionics News February 2020 - 47
Avionics News February 2020 - 48
Avionics News February 2020 - 49
Avionics News February 2020 - 50
Avionics News February 2020 - 51
Avionics News February 2020 - 52
Avionics News February 2020 - 53
Avionics News February 2020 - 54
Avionics News February 2020 - 55
Avionics News February 2020 - 56
Avionics News February 2020 - 57
Avionics News February 2020 - 58
Avionics News February 2020 - 59
Avionics News February 2020 - 60
Avionics News February 2020 - 61
Avionics News February 2020 - 62
Avionics News February 2020 - 63
Avionics News February 2020 - 64
Avionics News February 2020 - 65
Avionics News February 2020 - 66
Avionics News February 2020 - 67
Avionics News February 2020 - 68
Avionics News February 2020 - 69
Avionics News February 2020 - 70
Avionics News February 2020 - 71
Avionics News February 2020 - 72
Avionics News February 2020 - 73
Avionics News February 2020 - 74
Avionics News February 2020 - 75
Avionics News February 2020 - 76
Avionics News February 2020 - 77
Avionics News February 2020 - 78
Avionics News February 2020 - 79
Avionics News February 2020 - 80
Avionics News February 2020 - Cover3
Avionics News February 2020 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-10
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-9
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-1
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-12
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-11
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-10
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-9
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-02
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-01
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/52-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/52-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/52-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/52-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/52-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-1
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-12
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-11
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-10
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-9
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-1
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-12
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-11
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-10
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-9
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-1
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-12
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-11
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-10
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-9
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-1
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/48-12
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/48-11
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com