I don't consider Victor's explanation a good one because you can turn off the sat phone from the cockpit without having to resort to such extreme shenanigans as isolating an entire bus.
As for the A/P being available when the Left A/C bus is isolated, I think we covered this in Season 2 Episode 1; we found that actually almost everything …
I don't consider Victor's explanation a good one because you can turn off the sat phone from the cockpit without having to resort to such extreme shenanigans as isolating an entire bus.
As for the A/P being available when the Left A/C bus is isolated, I think we covered this in Season 2 Episode 1; we found that actually almost everything is still available when the Left AC bus is isolated, in contrast to the extreme loss of function that occurs when the entire electrical system is isolated, which to my mind made MenTour Pilot's scenario really ridiculous.
Not so say that a suicidal pilot isolating the left AC bus makes very much sense, either; as Ron Rogers made clear, isolating the left AC bus is something a 777 would never contemplate without a checklist telling him or her to do it.
I can't go find you the chapter and verse right now but I think it's pretty widely accepted that the pilot can deselect the Infllight Entertainment System, which the satphone is a part of, from the panel.
The issue isn't that a suicidal pilot would care about checklists; it's that pulling circuit breakers is anathema for 777 pilots (and airline pilots in general), for reasons that I think Ron Rogers laid out quite compellingly.
BTW I don't fault you for getting stuck on this point, I feel like it's a core idea to the MH370 mystery that I've really struggled to convey effectively. I think a lot of people who assume that the pilot must have done it hear that the SDU was rebooted and jump straight to, "No big deal, clearly Zaharie must have figured out how to do it," overlooking the fact that this is actually strong evidence that Zaharie couldn't have done it.
Ok, if you get confirmation that the satphone can be disabled from the cockpit, please let me know. I'll also ask on the IG blog (see link above), in case you are interested in their answer.
Re checklists: I understand that pulling circuit breakers is anathema for pilots as it puts everyone at risk and also there just isn't any need to do so unless instructed by a checklist. Both points don't apply to a suicidal pilot. Even your co-host Andy pointed this out in S1E30. I'll have to relisten to the part, because I am not sure you really refute his argument there.
I think you do a very good job in second-guessing how the depowering/repowering of the SDU fits into the suicide-theory, because as you rightly point out, their proponents tend to gloss over this fact and it really is a strange part of the MH370 story. But in the link I posted above, I think the IG gives reasonable answers. Andrew (himself a B777 pilot) says it's very easy for a pilot to find out how to disable the SDU, all the more so for an an experienced B777 Type Rating Examiner. So what is "actually strong evidence that Zaharie couldn't have done it" ?
I think there is a question mark over what exactly he did (in this theory) and why. But what makes you say, he COULDN'T HAVE ?
I don't consider Victor's explanation a good one because you can turn off the sat phone from the cockpit without having to resort to such extreme shenanigans as isolating an entire bus.
As for the A/P being available when the Left A/C bus is isolated, I think we covered this in Season 2 Episode 1; we found that actually almost everything is still available when the Left AC bus is isolated, in contrast to the extreme loss of function that occurs when the entire electrical system is isolated, which to my mind made MenTour Pilot's scenario really ridiculous.
Not so say that a suicidal pilot isolating the left AC bus makes very much sense, either; as Ron Rogers made clear, isolating the left AC bus is something a 777 would never contemplate without a checklist telling him or her to do it.
How can the sat phone be turned off from the cockpit ?
If this is indeed possible, then I agree with you that this doesn't explain why the SDU lost power as well.
I agree with everything else you say (except that a suicidal pilot would not care for checklists).
I can't go find you the chapter and verse right now but I think it's pretty widely accepted that the pilot can deselect the Infllight Entertainment System, which the satphone is a part of, from the panel.
The issue isn't that a suicidal pilot would care about checklists; it's that pulling circuit breakers is anathema for 777 pilots (and airline pilots in general), for reasons that I think Ron Rogers laid out quite compellingly.
BTW I don't fault you for getting stuck on this point, I feel like it's a core idea to the MH370 mystery that I've really struggled to convey effectively. I think a lot of people who assume that the pilot must have done it hear that the SDU was rebooted and jump straight to, "No big deal, clearly Zaharie must have figured out how to do it," overlooking the fact that this is actually strong evidence that Zaharie couldn't have done it.
Turns out you were right about the satphone, too!
see: https://mh370.radiantphysics.com/2024/03/05/ocean-infinity-proposes-new-search-for-mh370/#comment-36979
Good to know, thanks!
@jeffwise : I asked about the satphone here:
https://mh370.radiantphysics.com/2024/03/05/ocean-infinity-proposes-new-search-for-mh370/#comment-36967
Ok, if you get confirmation that the satphone can be disabled from the cockpit, please let me know. I'll also ask on the IG blog (see link above), in case you are interested in their answer.
Re checklists: I understand that pulling circuit breakers is anathema for pilots as it puts everyone at risk and also there just isn't any need to do so unless instructed by a checklist. Both points don't apply to a suicidal pilot. Even your co-host Andy pointed this out in S1E30. I'll have to relisten to the part, because I am not sure you really refute his argument there.
I think you do a very good job in second-guessing how the depowering/repowering of the SDU fits into the suicide-theory, because as you rightly point out, their proponents tend to gloss over this fact and it really is a strange part of the MH370 story. But in the link I posted above, I think the IG gives reasonable answers. Andrew (himself a B777 pilot) says it's very easy for a pilot to find out how to disable the SDU, all the more so for an an experienced B777 Type Rating Examiner. So what is "actually strong evidence that Zaharie couldn't have done it" ?
I think there is a question mark over what exactly he did (in this theory) and why. But what makes you say, he COULDN'T HAVE ?