Germanwings A320 crashed in France :(

[Le TVR]

Asterix said:

Source?

Le Parisien said:

Cette dame habite la commune du Vernet, située à proximité des lieux de la catastrophe. «Ce matin, j’ai entendu comme un gros bruit sourd, puis j’ai vu plusieurs avions de chasse survoler notre village», témoigne-t-elle.

[SpeckledJim]

Puggit said:

SpeckledJim said:

So most commercial pilots will have a crash then? Stop making stuff up.

I don't know if the fact is true - but you're stating that commercial pilots fly every day...?

Over a career, most will do at least the equivalent of every day for 20 years. Plainly the fact isnt true.

[Mojocvh]

johnxjsc1985 said:

Watching Sky News with the presenter talking to a variety of experts hoping just one of them will mention the "T" word.

everyone seems to be avoiding THAT subject, for the time being....

and there we go.

We may be in a process of being prepared for even worse news.....

Edited by Mojocvh on Tuesday 24th March 13:56

[wolves_wanderer]

SpeckledJim said:

Puggit said:

SpeckledJim said:

So most commercial pilots will have a crash then? Stop making stuff up.

I don't know if the fact is true - but you're stating that commercial pilots fly every day...?

Over a career, most will do at least the equivalent of every day for 20 years. Plainly the fact isnt true.

They are only allowed to fly a maximum of 900 hours a year IIRC

[Puggit]

There's a French airforce C-135 stratotanker doing loops at 30,000 feet above the crash site.

Any offers as to why?

[2013BRM]

johnxjsc1985 said:

my thoughts go out to the poor sods who have to now go there and recover the bodies etc. What a job, the scene that awaits them must be beyond imagination.

Trainee airmen from RAF Halton etc were used for the Lockerbie cleanup, imagine that as a young lad straight out of school, unbelievable

[essayer]

Puggit said:

There's a French airforce C-135 stratotanker doing loops at 30,000 feet above the crash site.

Any offers as to why?

I could just about believe barrel rolls, but loops? No way.

[johnxjsc1985]

2013BRM said:

Trainee airmen from RAF Halton etc were used for the Lockerbie cleanup, imagine that as a young lad straight out of school, unbelievable

I don't know how they do it.It would be beyond my level of tolerance for gore.
looking around the internet for more information is depressing as some of the comments confirm this is a sick world.

[Munter]

Puggit said:

There's a French airforce C-135 stratotanker doing loops at 30,000 feet above the crash site.

Any offers as to why?

I would wonder if it might be a comms thing. Ping signals from the valleys up to the tanker and back to base.

[johnxjsc1985]

The Rescue team shown do not seem to be in much of a hurry?.

[2013BRM]

essayer said:

Puggit said:

There's a French airforce C-135 stratotanker doing loops at 30,000 feet above the crash site.

Any offers as to why?

I could just about believe barrel rolls, but loops? No way.

circling maybe?

[S10GTA]

johnxjsc1985 said:

The Rescue team shown do not seem to be in much of a hurry?.

Not really the time, but they are just being typically French

[Vaud]

Posted on PPRUNE:

It is a command and control aircraft (with in-air refueling capability), it would be the providing primary radar coverage and control for rescue aircraft.

[C.A.R.]

johnxjsc1985 said:

The Rescue team shown do not seem to be in much of a hurry?.

It is being treated as more of a recovery rather than a rescue they said

[sa_20v]

Very sad. As some have said, it looks like the crew may have been incapacitated, it started descending as it passed over the French coast - disappearing some ten minutes later, having not changed course, in the mountains. However, the plane did level off just before crashing. The emergency message/alert seems to have been sent after the crash and possibly from ATC and not the aircraft itself.

http://www.flightradar24.com/data/airplanes/d-aipx...

Now talk of fighter jets being seen close by...

[johnxjsc1985]

S10GTA said:

Not really the time, but they are just being typically French

they are saying no survivors is that an educated guess or a fact?.

[AlexIT]

S10GTA said:

johnxjsc1985 said:

The Rescue team shown do not seem to be in much of a hurry?.

Not really the time, but they are just being typically French

From local news, the site is about 5 hours walk from the closest road, I sadly don't think that those who won't fly in by helicopter will need to hurry...

[Rude-boy]

2013BRM said:

johnxjsc1985 said:

my thoughts go out to the poor sods who have to now go there and recover the bodies etc. What a job, the scene that awaits them must be beyond imagination.

Trainee airmen from RAF Halton etc were used for the Lockerbie cleanup, imagine that as a young lad straight out of school, unbelievable

I know a chap who was sent up there to film for TV-AM.

They are fairly able to detach themselves from emotion when required and like me have seen more people injured seriously and die in front of them than most outside the Emergency and Armed Services. That though was a genuine case of what has been seen can not be unseen.

RIP to all those who have lost their lives. Another sobering reminder that no matter how small there are always risks in any form of travel, it's just we hardly ever truly think about it.

[Cobalt Blue]

johnxjsc1985 said:

they are saying no survivors is that an educated guess or a fact?.

Heute.de are quoting 'Traffic secretary' Alain Vidalies as saying no survivors.

Also saying many German exchange schoolchildren onboard

Update: 16 children and two teachers from Westphalia were booked on the flight

Edited by Cobalt Blue on Tuesday 24th March 14:12

[johnxjsc1985]

Is anyone at the crash site yet?. Lots of vehicles parked up with people standing around.Surely it can only be a short helicpoter ride to the site.