Kyiv, July 24, 2014. Experts will be able to identify and track all the data modifications, if any were made until the MH17 “black box” was given to the experts for investigation, told US Boeing 777 Pilot, George Patrick Mills III at his press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
It will not take much time to get the preliminary information on the details of the catastrophe; however the complete official report, may take up to two years to complete. Reportedly, after the MH17 was taken down, the “black box,” containing all the flight data mysteriously disappeared until the Russia-lead terrorists voluntarily delivered it to the Malaysian experts four days later. The initial data, stored in the “black box” will only tell if the plane was taken down by a missile, with no indication of who and from where launched it. The data will also portray if there was communication between pilot-ATC-passengers before the plane touched the ground. Additionally, (in case it was a missile, which hit the plane) cockpit ultra-sensitive microphones could detect the noise, which was simultaneously recorded onto the “black box.”
At the very start of the press briefing, American expert brought a few clarifications into aircraft’s structure, operation and the role of the “black box.” Interestingly, all modern aircrafts, including Boeing 777 have only one “black box;” in previous models there were two – for recording voice communication and data indications separately. The expert also told about the massive size of the plane making an emphasis on the size of its engines. The diameter of Boeing 777 engine is as big as the fuselage of Boeing 737 (it has two rows of three seats, plus a corridor in between). According to George, even if one engine is hit and could not operate, the second engine and a rudder would keep the airplane cruising until the safe emergency landing.
The airplane expert mentioned that there are no systems, installed on commercial aircrafts, which would indicate that the plane is being “targeted” by a missile. Answering a question, whether ATC radar could detect any flying object, getting closer to the plane – the expert told, that “this depends on the distance away from the aircraft, radar frequency and the size of a flying object.”
As one of the possible methods of preventing the collision with a missile, expert pointed out the installation of anti-missile missiles on board of all commercial aircrafts.