Could MH370 Have Been ‘Swapped’ Mid-Air?
March 18th, 2014Via: Yahoo!7 News:
Could the aircraft have been ‘swapped’ mid-air?
Generally air traffic radars use something called a “Squawk” code – this is 4 digits, say ‘1234’ – that is then used to transmit information to the ground radar of the aircraft’s position and other relevant detail. This is very easily disabled – it is operated with a simple on/off switch. The Boeing 777 has two separate systems for safety in the event of failure.
There is another angle which I think might be a possibility that the MH370 switched codes. If MH370 had a code of, say 4376, then it would be pretty easy to get another aircraft, say a Gulfstream 5 private jet, to fly up behind it and swap codes. The Gulfstream sets its squawk code to the same as MH370’s code of 4376 then the B777 takes on the Gulfstream’s code, and they then split… It would certainly make it easier for the B777 to continue on undetected.
Well, it’s easier than that. They don’t even need to swap codes. They just needed to mask their radar signature.
I have it from a 1st hand source, that during the cold war pretty much everyone practiced flying into “enemy” airspace undetected. They liked military aircraft, as they could fly straight into an enemy base for a bombing or electronic recon run.
Basically, you’d come in directly behind and just below the aircraft they wanted to ghost, and shut down their transponders. You wouldn’t want to sit directly behind them,because of the wake turbulence. If you sat high, you’d be visible through the canopy of the person you’re shadowing. The low rear position was also generally blocked by the fuselage and wings.
If they ghosted behind a cargo or heavy commercial aircraft, they have poorer visibility to the rear in all directions (high/low/left/right).
For the military, they’d habitually make turns, speed up or slow down, so the other aircraft in the formation could get a good visual on the blind spot.
Transponder based tracking would show one aircraft. Radar based tracking would show one radar signature. The difference in size would not be noticeable.
I’m still leaning to two theories.
1) Electrical fire, pilots disconnected all unnecessary/damaged electronics. Since they didn’t land somewhere obvious, it means they crashed.
2) Pilots intentionally changed course, descended below the radar horizon in the area, and landed somewhere where the plane and possibly passengers could be taken by the new owners. Since we haven’t heard anything about hostages either means this is totally wrong, or the passengers weren’t the intended target and were disposed of.