6 Days Until Air France Sonar Beacons Fall Silent

Six Days Until Air France Sonar Beacons Fall Silent

IHS Jane’s Aviation Analyst Chris Yates Comments

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (22nd June 2009) – IHS Jane’s Aviation Analyst, Chris Yates, explained, "Speculation earlier today that flight recorders aboard the stricken Air France FL447 may have been found on the seabed in the South Atlantic ultimately turned out to be incorrect. However, it did emphasis the importance attached to these devices and the limited time now available for their recovery. The sonar beacons will fall silent in just six days time meaning answers to the cause of this crash may be lost forever.”

Three weeks of searching, recovery of floating wreckage and the discovery and examination of some human remains, has so far yielded little that can identify with certainty the cause of this crash and horrendous loss of life from AF447.

Although there has been much speculation over the weather, automated telemetry sent from the aircraft in its final moments at altitude and whether or not its speed sensors were giving accurate readings to the cockpit crew at the time it fell into the Atlantic Ocean a huge number of questions continue to remain as to what caused the loss of one of the most modern airliners flying in the world today.

Yates continued, “The Airbus A330 is one of the most robust long-haul aircraft with a safety track record comparable, if not better, than most others in this category. Despite the many relatively minor issues that have been flagged up in the wake of AF447 disappearance, the aircraft generally remains safe and will continue to be a workhorse in airline flights the world over.

Yates concluded, “However, much analysis of the circumstance surrounding this flight must continue to be done. Whilst surface recovery activity will likely continue for more days to come, undersea searching for a debris field and recovery where possible must continue longer in order to provide definitive answers and also closure for those who lost loved ones on the flight.”

IHS Jane’s is an IHS (NYSE: IHS) company.

To interview IHS Jane’s Aviation Analyst Chris Yates please contact Mandy Castle, Senior Manager Public Relations IHS Jane’s, (contact details at top of page).

About IHS Jane’s (www.janes.com)
IHS Jane's is the leading open source information provider and conference organiser on defence, international risk and national security to governments, militaries, industries and academia around the globe. 2009 is the 100th anniversary of Jane’s All The Worlds Aircraft. IHS Jane’s, an IHS (NYSE: IHS) company, is headquartered in London, and also has offices in Alexandria, Virginia; Singapore; Tokyo; Dubai; and Sydney, Australia.

About IHS (www.ihs.com)
IHS (NYSE: IHS) is a leading global source of critical information and insight, dedicated to providing the most complete and trusted information and expertise. IHS product and service solutions span four areas of information that encompass the most important concerns facing global business today: Energy, Product Lifecycle, Security, and Environment all supported by Macroeconomics. By focusing on customers first, IHS enables innovative and successful decision-making for customers ranging from governments and multinational companies to smaller companies and technical professionals in more than 180 countries. IHS is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2009 and employs approximately 3,800 people in 20 countries.

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