Malaysia airplane - gold speculation
secondrepublic
Posts: 2,619 ✭✭✭
Speculation over at Zerohedge about whether the Malaysia Air flight that disappeared may have been carrying cargo of gold. Pure speculation since we don't know what the plane was carrying. But it was, after all, a flight to China, which has been importing thousands of tons of the stuff. An interesting angle which, if true, might explain a lot of things:
Instead of merely looking at the passenger manifest, perhaps it is time to look at the cargo manifest as well. Was there anything on board the plane, one serving the all-important Beijing route, that may have made the stealthy theft of the plane a sufficiently attractive risk/return proposition to the pilots?
Purely hypothetically, a 777 has a cargo hold that, in addition to passengers and baggage, can hold somewhere between 20 and 25 tons. 25 tons of gold, on a less than public Malaysia-China "official import-bypassing" route, would have a value of a little over $1 billion, four times more than the value of a new Boeing 777. So perhaps instead of robbing the cargo from the plane, some more enterprising thought would be to get the pilots in on the play, and steal the entire plane, mid-flight.
Of course, all of the above is purely hypothetical, and we are confident once the plane is uncovered safe and sound (or not as the case may be) and with all the cargo accounted for, that yet another crazy conspiracy theory can be disproved.
Link to Zerohedge article.
Instead of merely looking at the passenger manifest, perhaps it is time to look at the cargo manifest as well. Was there anything on board the plane, one serving the all-important Beijing route, that may have made the stealthy theft of the plane a sufficiently attractive risk/return proposition to the pilots?
Purely hypothetically, a 777 has a cargo hold that, in addition to passengers and baggage, can hold somewhere between 20 and 25 tons. 25 tons of gold, on a less than public Malaysia-China "official import-bypassing" route, would have a value of a little over $1 billion, four times more than the value of a new Boeing 777. So perhaps instead of robbing the cargo from the plane, some more enterprising thought would be to get the pilots in on the play, and steal the entire plane, mid-flight.
Of course, all of the above is purely hypothetical, and we are confident once the plane is uncovered safe and sound (or not as the case may be) and with all the cargo accounted for, that yet another crazy conspiracy theory can be disproved.
Link to Zerohedge article.
"Men who had never shown any ability to make or increase fortunes for themselves abounded in brilliant plans for creating and increasing wealth for the country at large." Fiat Money Inflation in France, Andrew Dickson White (1912)
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<< <i>why don't these planes have battery powered transponders like freight containers have? I track a freight container anywhere in the world, but I can't track a plane? >>
Maybe they don't want to clog up the system by including all the grounded planes.
"Interest rates, the price of money, are the most important market. And, perversely, they’re the market that’s most manipulated by the Fed." - Doug Casey
<< <i>
<< <i>why don't these planes have battery powered transponders like freight containers have? I track a freight container anywhere in the world, but I can't track a plane? >>
Maybe they don't want to clog up the system by including all the grounded planes. >>
For something worth $250M, I would want to know where it was at all times even including on the ground. There are more freight containers than airplanes so I can't see how this would clog the system.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>why don't these planes have battery powered transponders like freight containers have? I track a freight container anywhere in the world, but I can't track a plane? >>
Maybe they don't want to clog up the system by including all the grounded planes. >>
For something worth $250M, I would want to know where it was at all times even including on the ground. There are more freight containers than airplanes so I can't see how this would clog the system. >>
You can track planes at flightaware.com.
At our Memphis hub there are trackers on everything from tugs to crew buses. The (freight) cans...not so much. Why? They have bar codes which get scanned and sent to the respective aircraft. So there's no need. This will probably change. The pilots go through all sorts of security and background checks...many, many times during their career. An event like this will have negative repercussions on the pilot force. I suspect we will be subjected to extra deep cavity searches and reevaluated for pre-crimes.
On a serious note, a lot has changed in our business in the past few years to counter terrorism but how do you counter the enemy that is within? It's usually done by the pilots themselves. We have gone through "special" training and are made aware of "threats" almost daily. Unfortunately, every once in a while, one gets through the system like was the case back in 1994 at our Co.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>why don't these planes have battery powered transponders like freight containers have? I track a freight container anywhere in the world, but I can't track a plane? >>
Maybe they don't want to clog up the system by including all the grounded planes. >>
For something worth $250M, I would want to know where it was at all times even including on the ground. There are more freight containers than airplanes so I can't see how this would clog the system. >>
You can track planes at flightaware.com.
At our Memphis hub there are trackers on everything from tugs to crew buses. The (freight) cans...not so much. Why? They have bar codes which get scanned and sent to the respective aircraft. So there's no need. This will probably change. The pilots go through all sorts of security and background checks...many, many times during their career. An event like this will have negative repercussions on the pilot force. I suspect we will be subjected to extra deep cavity searches and reevaluated for pre-crimes.
On a serious note, a lot has changed in our business in the past few years to counter terrorism but how do you counter the enemy that is within? It's usually done by the pilots themselves. We have gone through "special" training and are made aware of "threats" almost daily. Unfortunately, every once in a while, one gets through the system like was the case back in 1994 at our Co. >>
flightaware.com uses the transponder which can be turned off. I am talking about an external mounted, battery operated transponder. Same used as in intermodal containers. A company called id-systems.com sells this kind of stuff
The plane is going to show up eventually - just a matter of where and when. Hopefully it won't take years like the AF-447.
<< <i>Even an external transponder isn't going to do much if the plane is resting in a chasm at 12000-15000 under the ocean. The Air France 447 back in June 2009 had voice and data recorders that were not located for two years because of where the aircraft was situated. And they were only found because the aircraft was found with side scan radar that picks up visuals on objects - ie the tail of the aircraft.
The plane is going to show up eventually - just a matter of where and when. Hopefully it won't take years like the AF-447. >>
But they would have had a fix on it until the moment it crashed. So they would be searching a 10 sq mile area instead of 10,000,000 sq miles. WalMart has 50,000 trailers equipped with this and it costs them less than $5M/yr.
<< <i>
But they would have had a fix on it until the moment it crashed. So they would be searching a 10 sq mile area instead of 10,000,000 sq miles. WalMart has 50,000 trailers equipped with this and it costs them less than $5M/yr. >>
We all know Wal-Mart has sophisticated means of tracking it's trailers and customers as well - when it is about dollars and cents you can bet someone is going to want to track it - a missing plane - not something most people think about until it actually happens. And it used to happen a lot more - back in the 1940s several US and British aircraft disappeared over Lake Michigan, the Bermuda Triangle and in S. America as well as Alaska. Some of the planes like Northwest 4422 and the British Stardust were found many many years later, but others like Northwest 2501 in Lake Michigan have never been found.
<< <i>
<< <i>
But they would have had a fix on it until the moment it crashed. So they would be searching a 10 sq mile area instead of 10,000,000 sq miles. WalMart has 50,000 trailers equipped with this and it costs them less than $5M/yr. >>
We all know Wal-Mart has sophisticated means of tracking it's trailers and customers as well - when it is about dollars and cents you can bet someone is going to want to track it - a missing plane - not something most people think about until it actually happens. And it used to happen a lot more - back in the 1940s several US and British aircraft disappeared over Lake Michigan, the Bermuda Triangle and in S. America as well as Alaska. Some of the planes like Northwest 4422 and the British Stardust were found many many years later, but others like Northwest 2501 in Lake Michigan have never been found. >>
It's not for just tracking lost planes, it for redeploying after snow storms, maintenance, and such. A plane is at least $100M. You wouldn't spend $100/yr to track it? The FAA should mandate it.
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Good to know that this suicide pilot was flying over my neighborhood with live bombs.
<< <i>
It's not for just tracking lost planes, it for redeploying after snow storms, maintenance, and such. A plane is at least $100M. You wouldn't spend $100/yr to track it? The FAA should mandate it. >>
They don't turn up missing nearly as often as trailers full of imported Chinese electronics do though. But I agree that aircraft should be tracked - especially post 9-11.
<< <i>almost time for the tin foil hat song. >>
The fact that the plane hasn't been publicly located only feeds the theory that at least one nation might very well be involved with it's disappearance. Surely all the high tech gadgetry out there told someone where it is. Based on what we do and do not know, I'm guessing it at least stopped in Diego Garcia, something that would never be revealed.
"Interest rates, the price of money, are the most important market. And, perversely, they’re the market that’s most manipulated by the Fed." - Doug Casey
<< <i>
<< <i>almost time for the tin foil hat song. >>
The fact that the plane hasn't been publicly located only feeds the theory that at least one nation might very well be involved with it's disappearance. Surely all the high tech gadgetry out there told someone where it is. Based on what we do and do not know, I'm guessing it at least stopped in Diego Garcia, something that would never be revealed. >>
I happen to know for a fact, that "Aliens" commandeered this plane ... It's posted on the Internet and you can't post anything that's not true on the Internet.
<< <i>
<< <i>almost time for the tin foil hat song. >>
The fact that the plane hasn't been publicly located only feeds the theory that at least one nation might very well be involved with it's disappearance. Surely all the high tech gadgetry out there told someone where it is. Based on what we do and do not know, I'm guessing it at least stopped in Diego Garcia, something that would never be revealed. >>
its either too deep in the Indian ocean for the pings to be picked up or its in the hands of bad people. But I doubt it has to do with gold cargo
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>almost time for the tin foil hat song. >>
The fact that the plane hasn't been publicly located only feeds the theory that at least one nation might very well be involved with it's disappearance. Surely all the high tech gadgetry out there told someone where it is. Based on what we do and do not know, I'm guessing it at least stopped in Diego Garcia, something that would never be revealed. >>
I happen to know for a fact, that "Aliens" commandeered this plane ... It's posted on the Internet and you can't post anything that's not true on the Internet.
"And a lie, Mr. Mulder, is most convincingly hidden between two truths"
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>why don't these planes have battery powered transponders like freight containers have? I track a freight container anywhere in the world, but I can't track a plane? >>
Maybe they don't want to clog up the system by including all the grounded planes. >>
For something worth $250M, I would want to know where it was at all times even including on the ground. There are more freight containers than airplanes so I can't see how this would clog the system. >>
You can track planes at flightaware.com.
At our Memphis hub there are trackers on everything from tugs to crew buses. The (freight) cans...not so much. Why? They have bar codes which get scanned and sent to the respective aircraft. So there's no need. This will probably change. The pilots go through all sorts of security and background checks...many, many times during their career. An event like this will have negative repercussions on the pilot force. I suspect we will be subjected to extra deep cavity searches and reevaluated for pre-crimes.
On a serious note, a lot has changed in our business in the past few years to counter terrorism but how do you counter the enemy that is within? It's usually done by the pilots themselves. We have gone through "special" training and are made aware of "threats" almost daily. Unfortunately, every once in a while, one gets through the system like was the case back in 1994 at our Co. >>
BZ
"Interest rates, the price of money, are the most important market. And, perversely, they’re the market that’s most manipulated by the Fed." - Doug Casey
<< <i>How about another conspiracy theory. The plane landed in Sympheropol airport with "20 tonnes of of still unknown cargo" were printed in Malaysia ballots to annex Creamea to Russia. With a few passeners to head the new government in "independent" Creamea on board. >>
The mystery is solved ... Courtney Love knows where the plane is
Link to story
Found:
"Interest rates, the price of money, are the most important market. And, perversely, they’re the market that’s most manipulated by the Fed." - Doug Casey
Knowledge is the enemy of fear
<< <i>Found:
Ha!
I was reading the Gaurdian this morning and saw this the rise of anti-journalism
This story has some serious legs in the media considering there are almost no facts.
What our forum pilots think about it? Does it make sense from a pilot standpoint?
<< <i>Found this: A Startlingly Simple Theory About the Missing Malaysia Airlines Jet
What our forum pilots think about it? Does it make sense from a pilot standpoint? >>
It is not far out there as you might believe - a lot of the newer Boeing jets have had battery initiated fires - especially the B-787.
<< <i>Found this: A Startlingly Simple Theory About the Missing Malaysia Airlines Jet
What our forum pilots think about it? Does it make sense from a pilot standpoint? >>
I'm not a pilot, but someone with common sense that has a tendency to dismiss all preposterous conspiracy theories. That article makes sense. That's my take.
"Interest rates, the price of money, are the most important market. And, perversely, they’re the market that’s most manipulated by the Fed." - Doug Casey