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March 14th, 2014
10:17 AM ET
How You Turn Off a Transponder
Here a look inside the Boeing 777 cockpit to get a better understanding of what the pilots flying Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 may have experienced. CNN's Martin Savidge reports.
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Two more possibilities exist to turn off the transponder (or any piece of electrical equipment), pulling a circuit breaker; or some "fire," whether an electrical fire or an external flame burning through a key wire, such as a power cable or a related antenna cable. (Obviously, an explosion is always a possibility.)
While there would be associated "indications;" if such were to happen during a major distraction, such as a hijacking or a major electrical fire, the transponder operation could become a (presumed temporary) distant priority – in contrast. Obviously, if the "major distraction" became catastrophic, the transponder operation (or radioed emergency declaration) is almost moot.
Given the citation of a shipment of Lithium batteries (type and quantity unknown) aboard Flight 370, a catastrophic cargo fire might be a viable possibility – but not limited to just Lithium batteries.
Clearly, whatever happened caught the pilots by surprise.
Was the Boeing 777 Malaysia equipped with the Boeing remote fly capability that could have commandeered the aircraft in case of hijack?