Former Pilot Chris Goodfellow Gives the Most Plausible Explanation Yet for Missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. The left turn is the key here. This was a very experienced senior Captain with 18,000 hours. We old pilots were always drilled to always know the closest airport of safe harbor while in cruise. Airports behind us, airports abeam us and airports ahead of us. Always in our head. Always. Because if something happens you dont want to be thinking what are you going to do - you already know what you are going to do. Instinctively when I saw that left turn with a direct heading I knew he was heading for an airport. Actually he was taking a direct route to Palau Langkawi a 13,000 foot strip with an approach over water at night with no obstacles. He did not turn back to Kuala Lampur because he knew he had 8,000 foot ridges to cross. He knew the terrain was friendlier towards Langkawi and also a shorter distance.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 06:58:04 +0000