Another Airbus disappears.

[Eric Janson]

[quote author=David MacRay link=topic=3086.msg8804#msg8804 date=1463832789]
This article [url=http://news.sky.com/story/1699713/egypt ... ar-cockpit]http://news.sky.com/story/1699713/egypt ... ar-cockpit[/url] claims to have a copy of flight data sent to ground stations from the aircraft.

I presume the only reason that data does not contain position reports, is they are given by the crew and it would cost the airline to update the systems to do so.

Is that a reasonable guess? [/quote]

This data comes from the built in maintenance computer (CMC). It will automatically send any warning messages to the MCC (Maintenance Control Center). This will be done through the ACARS system. Air France 447 also sent these messages. These messages just give the time and the failure message.

My company doesn't have this system so we print out a post flight report that shows all the failures for the Engineers to look at.

[quote]I have been of the same mind set as BCPilotguy for a few years now. I know even those units are not going to be 100%, but they are probably good to change from 0 idea where to start looking, to well over 80 or 90%. The plane was here five minutes ago. Makes a much smaller area to start a search.
[/quote]

Liquid Charlie sums the issue up nicely