A central area where facts, theories, questions and experiences related to the search for the Cessna 210M known simply as VH-MDX which disappeared on 9th August 1981 while traversing the Barrington Tops NSW, can be exchanged. On board were the pilot Michael Hutchins and passengers Ken Price, Noel Wildash, Rhett Bosler and Philip Pembroke. No trace of that aircraft has ever been found.
Please note the purpose of this blog as described above. Any other material or comments may be removed.
Tuesday 3 June 2014
VH-MDX on Sunday Night program
What were your thoughts on the VH-MDX segment 'Devils Triangle' last Sunday night on the Sunday Night program ?.
After watching Part One and Part Two (Part Three yet to come out) my opinion is that it is great that the story is back in the eye of the public. Over the years I've found that any publicity on missing aircraft is good publicity - even if they get their facts wrong! These stories need to be kept alive to increase the chances in finding them. If the story dies, then they are truly lost.... Whoever did the article didn't know a lot about Instrument flying as they focused on the "once the AHI and DI fell over - they had no hope" scenario, which is not true. They still had a limited panel to fly on.... more difficult, but still possible. If the pilot was properly IFR trained, he would have had no problem flying on the limited panel. The good thing in the program was laying the blame on the Air Force for the unnecessary restriction on the safer airspace, at least, the lack of a VFR corridor. If the Air Force take notice and hence wish to right the situation, they might then use some of the modern technology they have at their disposal (Synthetic Aperture Radar) and find VH-MDX to put everyone's minds at rest, and end the mystery.
Air Force to Blame? I dont think so, Pilot error pure and simple, no one would fly in poor weather , darkness falling, loss of the most common instruments generally used etc and then just expect to gain permission to change their flight plan to fly through generally restricted area, especially when there was no one to hand on the night to give that permission. My father spoke personally with the only people in the tower that night at William town, they were NOT officially trained radar operators but did see the aircraft dissappear into what they described as "the usual spot" near Barrington tops and NOT appear on the other side, the Pilot should have waited for permission OR filed the intended path flight plan a lot earlier. By the by my Dad was a very experienced light air craft pilot at the time and we have flown, with flight plan, through William town restricted air space with permission numberous times, he was also a serving NSW Police member which is why he interviewed "said" RAAF personel in the tower that night, he was also told to "but out" by a more senior Police officer who was in charge of the investigation at the time. His memory is that these RAAF guys saw it dissappear on the eastern slopes of Mt Barrington or there abouts.
Keep up the good work, someone needs to find these guys for the sake of their families at the very least.
I agree with you. I wasn't actually meaning they were to blame... just the hope that it might spur them into action with the technology they have at their disposal. If you have been following the missing 777 MH370 saga, you probably will have seen a glimpse of the technology I'm talking about: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/missing-malaysian-jet-australia-dismisses-claim-plane-wreckage-bay-bengal-article-1.1773900 although I note in this particular article that there is no mention (as there was in other news articles) of what they normally use this technology for... looking for submarines and ship wrecks...from a satellite in space!!! I was really gob-smacked that they actually admitted to having this capability. As you probably know, a lot of the problem in the search for flight MH370 was the suspicion that various militaries were limited in saying things, as if they did, they would be showing what technologies they actually have. If the Australian Air Force suddenly used it to find MDX, they would then have to admit to having technology that they don't want people to know about. Hopefully with the recent admittion in the media by GeoResonance Pty Ltd of having this capability, maybe the AAF or GeoResonance might just put it to good use in this instance. If they do, then there might also be a hope of finding the 35 (by memory) missing aviators in this Country (New Zealand)... a few of them are Australians! I know our Air Force have this technology in the Orions, but they haven't answered my emails sent in the past.
This technology is actually used to locate different substances within the oil and gas and mining market. In fact, we detect spectral signatures of certain substances, as many other technologies at the start is developed for the military, but later on goes to the commercial market.
I own a property in the Yengo National Park and there's a piece of aircraft fuselage there that has clearly been in an accident, it's torn and mangled. Who should I contact about this? Aaron
Hi Aaron, Thanks for that. I'll put you in touch with the appropriate authorities. Would you mind emailing me your contact details via vhmdx@bigpond.com ?
Hi Andrew, I went up there and met with Aaron and then viewed and photographed the wreckage. Here is a link to the images in Dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/sh/fl0av7qalmgzeo3/AAADKgVOAglVoNaREtbcta_9a?dl=0
Back to the sunday night programme.....The programme was interesting and had me glued to my seat, I noted it was Scattered Top mountain where they were looking based on the work of operation phoenix, I think.Wow they think they have found something,cant wait for the conclusion.
Hi Big Al, I don't think they found it. As noted, the National Archives material is now available for perusal. Maybe we can define 'the' area to search by looking at that.
After watching Part One and Part Two (Part Three yet to come out) my opinion is that it is great that the story is back in the eye of the public. Over the years I've found that any publicity on missing aircraft is good publicity - even if they get their facts wrong! These stories need to be kept alive to increase the chances in finding them. If the story dies, then they are truly lost....
ReplyDeleteWhoever did the article didn't know a lot about Instrument flying as they focused on the "once the AHI and DI fell over - they had no hope" scenario, which is not true. They still had a limited panel to fly on.... more difficult, but still possible. If the pilot was properly IFR trained, he would have had no problem flying on the limited panel.
The good thing in the program was laying the blame on the Air Force for the unnecessary restriction on the safer airspace, at least, the lack of a VFR corridor. If the Air Force take notice and hence wish to right the situation, they might then use some of the modern technology they have at their disposal (Synthetic Aperture Radar) and find VH-MDX to put everyone's minds at rest, and end the mystery.
Gavin
www.findlostaircraft.co.nz
Air Force to Blame? I dont think so, Pilot error pure and simple, no one would fly in poor weather , darkness falling, loss of the most common instruments generally used etc and then just expect to gain permission to change their flight plan to fly through generally restricted area, especially when there was no one to hand on the night to give that permission. My father spoke personally with the only people in the tower that night at William town, they were NOT officially trained radar operators but did see the aircraft dissappear into what they described as "the usual spot" near Barrington tops and NOT appear on the other side, the Pilot should have waited for permission OR filed the intended path flight plan a lot earlier. By the by my Dad was a very experienced light air craft pilot at the time and we have flown, with flight plan, through William town restricted air space with permission numberous times, he was also a serving NSW Police member which is why he interviewed "said" RAAF personel in the tower that night, he was also told to "but out" by a more senior Police officer who was in charge of the investigation at the time. His memory is that these RAAF guys saw it dissappear on the eastern slopes of Mt Barrington or there abouts.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work, someone needs to find these guys for the sake of their families at the very least.
Wayne. sydney.
Hi Wayne,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I wasn't actually meaning they were to blame... just the hope that it might spur them into action with the technology they have at their disposal. If you have been following the missing 777 MH370 saga, you probably will have seen a glimpse of the technology I'm talking about: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/missing-malaysian-jet-australia-dismisses-claim-plane-wreckage-bay-bengal-article-1.1773900 although I note in this particular article that there is no mention (as there was in other news articles) of what they normally use this technology for... looking for submarines and ship wrecks...from a satellite in space!!! I was really gob-smacked that they actually admitted to having this capability.
As you probably know, a lot of the problem in the search for flight MH370 was the suspicion that various militaries were limited in saying things, as if they did, they would be showing what technologies they actually have. If the Australian Air Force suddenly used it to find MDX, they would then have to admit to having technology that they don't want people to know about. Hopefully with the recent admittion in the media by GeoResonance Pty Ltd of having this capability, maybe the AAF or GeoResonance might just put it to good use in this instance. If they do, then there might also be a hope of finding the 35 (by memory) missing aviators in this Country (New Zealand)... a few of them are Australians! I know our Air Force have this technology in the Orions, but they haven't answered my emails sent in the past.
Regards,
Gavin
www.findlostaircraft.co.nz
New Zealand
This technology is actually used to locate different substances within the oil and gas and mining market.
DeleteIn fact, we detect spectral signatures of certain substances, as many other technologies at the start is developed for the military, but later on goes to the commercial market.
A couple of sites for you:
ReplyDelete"He claimed that his company used the technology initially designed to detect nuclear warheads and submarines":
http://www.ibtimes.co.in/mh370-found-in-bay-of-bengal-australian-exploration-company-says-missing-plane-possibly-crashed-5000kms-away-from-current-search-location-550077
"participated in the hunt for old warships or aircraft on the ocean floor":
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/malaysia-airlines-flight-370-georesonance-wreckage-of-a-commercial-airliner-found/
I own a property in the Yengo National Park and there's a piece of aircraft fuselage there that has clearly been in an accident, it's torn and mangled. Who should I contact about this? Aaron
ReplyDeleteHi Aaron, Thanks for that. I'll put you in touch with the appropriate authorities. Would you mind emailing me your contact details via vhmdx@bigpond.com ?
DeleteAaron has anything come of your info? Any images of what you have?
DeleteHi Andrew, I went up there and met with Aaron and then viewed and photographed the wreckage. Here is a link to the images in Dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/sh/fl0av7qalmgzeo3/AAADKgVOAglVoNaREtbcta_9a?dl=0
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBack to the sunday night programme.....The programme was interesting and had me glued to my seat, I noted it was Scattered Top mountain where they were looking based on the work of operation phoenix, I think.Wow they think they have found something,cant wait for the conclusion.
ReplyDeleteHi Big Al,
ReplyDeleteI don't think they found it.
As noted, the National Archives material is now available for perusal. Maybe we can define 'the' area to search by looking at that.