Originally posted by Evan
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It is now being reported that the turn back towards Maylasia was programed in to the "autopilot" before the pilots left the Malaysia ATC. This update to the flight plan was sent via ACARS about 12 minutes before the sign-off.
1:07 - ACARS last transmission (thru VHF) which apparently includes notation of a WP change having been entered into system since last scheduled report at 12:37
- 1:11 - INMARSAT ping would have been received, as apparently Boeing's AHM report attempted to automatically transmit (thru Satellite)
- 1:19 - 'Alright, Good Night' at handover (supposedly by co-pilot)
- 1:22 - Transmitter goes off
- 1:11 - INMARSAT ping would have been received, as apparently Boeing's AHM report attempted to automatically transmit (thru Satellite)
- 1:19 - 'Alright, Good Night' at handover (supposedly by co-pilot)
- 1:22 - Transmitter goes off
With that, the change/addition of waypoint could have happened say at anytime between 12:37 and 1:07, say (just for the sake of it) 1:07, and 12 minutes later (1:19) the pilot is handed over, says "Good night", turns off the transponder, and the plane turns left, presumably responding to the new waypoint entered / modified in the FMS that I am guessing was added after the waypoint that would mark the change in FIR (airspace).
I don't see a flight plan being recived by the plane via ACARS nowhere (rather, the change was reported by the plane via ACARS), nor any mention to a change in the plan being made before take-off (rather, 12 minutes before sign-off which means, I gess, hand over from one ATC to the other)
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