As an experienced pilot with more than 3,000 hrs of international wide-body jet time, I'll say the MOST likely scenario is that they had Air Data
Computer and other electrical problems. Then they hit severe turbulence in an embedded thunderstorm that they did not paint on their radar, especially
if they were having electrical problems that may have disabled their radar at just the wrong time.
However, on ATS, I think we try to look at the Unlikely whenever possible. So that said:
Is it possible that AF 447 happened to be at the wrong place and time when the Atlantic Anomaly area was in some sort of temporary flux?
Well obviously, anything is possible, but more evidence about that day and time would help determine if it was at all possible. Although satellites
are turned off as they pass through the Atlantic Anomaly, surveillance is possible with satellites images, such as the "Doris instrument" onboard
Jason-1 --
ironically, a joint project between the NASA (United States) and the CNES (France) space agencies. Those images may NOT be data
they want to "share" with other countries, if they were acquiring "sensitive" South American imagery data that day (like spying on Chavez).
Although other aircraft were in the area, AFAIK none on the exact path at FA 447 until several hours after AF 447 flight went missing. They were at
35,000', no where near the ionosphere -- but maybe close enough depending on the conditions.
Most of us know the earth's magnetic poles are shifting slightly and we are "overdue" for a pole reversal. As the geomagnetic field continues to
wobble and weaken, the inner Van Allen belt will get closer to the Earth, with a commensurate enlargement of the Atlantic Anomaly at given altitudes.
While the FA 447 flight path is used by commercial pilots without incidence daily, could the storm cells they were navigating through somehow have
"tapped" into electromagnetic and/or electrostatic instability of a lower Van Allen belt on the edge of space?
Normally such electromagnetic and/or electrostatic instability of the Atlantic Anomaly would be as a result of a strong Geomagnetic Storm, such as an
event that took place on Sept. 22-23, 1999. However, I'm unaware of solar flares of any significance hitting the earth at that time.
More on this unlikely, but intriguing, possibility here:
www.examiner.com...
[edit on 6-6-2009 by BugBomb]
[edit on 6-6-2009 by BugBomb]