Author Topic: New Forum & News Updates  (Read 1804283 times)

Offline Shutter

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6300 on: October 06, 2019, 10:31:02 AM »
WARNING

If anyone is a member of Dropzone and gets an email saying someone attempted to login to your account, DO NOT click on any of the links. it's an attempt to gain your password. delete or block the email address. this is another problem with open registration. spambots or spybots seek these places out. the bot will register and then have access to your profile...
« Last Edit: October 06, 2019, 10:36:01 AM by Shutter »
 

Offline georger

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6301 on: October 06, 2019, 11:22:40 PM »
Exclusive: Inside the search for Amelia Earhart’s airplane
Many attempts have been made to discover the famed aviator's fate, but never with the technological tools at Robert Ballard's disposal.  You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
 

Offline Shutter

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6302 on: October 06, 2019, 11:24:40 PM »
If anyone is to find the plane it's that man....
 

Offline georger

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6303 on: October 06, 2019, 11:28:04 PM »
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If anyone is to find the plane it's that man....

Let's hope so! 
 

Offline 377

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6304 on: October 08, 2019, 02:08:41 PM »
Ballard's underwater search skills are huge, but using TIGHAR exec Gillespie as a source for search areas is problematic. Gillespie ties nearly every item he finds to Earhart, a shoe, a cosmetic bottle, various aluminum items, bones etc. None of the found items have been proven relevant as far as I know.

To conclude that the fuzzy distant reef photo shows an erect landing gear structure from Earhart's plane is nuts IMO. No seasoned tail dragger aviator would try that kind of landing with the gear extended. A nose-over flip would be almost guaranteed. Gillespie goes beyond reasonable speculation when he posits that Earhart successfully landed on the tidal reef gear down and the plane was later washed away leaving but one gear leg embedded.

What I like about the Cooper aviation mystery is that it can be explored and investigated without huge transportation expenses. No need to finance expeditions to remote mid-Pacific islands. No need for deep submersibles and their tenders. Bruce is living proof that wealth isn't a prerequisite for meaningful Cooper work.

Jumping again on Oct 19th with HF SSB radio gear and a trailing wire antenna. Should I be listening for Earhart and Noonan?  ;)
What a joy to still be jumping as I turn 70. Almost all of my late 1960s jumper cohorts have hung up their gear for good. That day will come for me too, but hopefully not too soon. When I step out of that door at 14,500 feet I feel like I am 18 again.

377

 
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Offline georger

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6305 on: October 08, 2019, 03:01:37 PM »
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Ballard's underwater search skills are huge, but using TIGHAR exec Gillespie as a source for search areas is problematic. Gillespie ties nearly every item he finds to Earhart, a shoe, a cosmetic bottle, various aluminum items, bones etc. None of the found items have been proven relevant as far as I know.

To conclude that the fuzzy distant reef photo shows an erect landing gear structure from Earhart's plane is nuts IMO. No seasoned tail dragger aviator would try that kind of landing with the gear extended. A nose-over flip would be almost guaranteed. Gillespie goes beyond reasonable speculation when he posits that Earhart successfully landed on the tidal reef gear down and the plane was later washed away leaving but one gear leg embedded.

What I like about the Cooper aviation mystery is that it can be explored and investigated without huge transportation expenses. No need to finance expeditions to remote mid-Pacific islands. No need for deep submersibles and their tenders. Bruce is living proof that wealth isn't a prerequisite for meaningful Cooper work.

Jumping again on Oct 19th with HF SSB radio gear and a trailing wire antenna. Should I be listening for Earhart and Noonan?  ;)
What a joy to still be jumping as I turn 70. Almost all of my late 1960s jumper cohorts have hung up their gear for good. That day will come for me too, but hopefully not too soon. When I step out of that door at 14,500 feet I feel like I am 18 again.

377

The article is here: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login I almost wish, based on the negative reaction (even involving my name choice on forums!) I hadn't posted this news. It just came to my attention and I thought people here might be interested, as opposed to "infuriated"!

I can't speak for Ballard and his choice of missions. Or the The TIGHAR group some of whom I believe are Rockwell communications engineers. The answer could be as simple as: "Ballard can do whatever he wants to do! Whether it makes sense or satisfies others, or not." 

I do know from a family member who worked for Ballard for 30+ years that 'Ballard usually chooses projects he thinks are doable or which test and expand capabilities and knowledge. Don't forget, Ballard is an academic. His home base was Yale for any years. Ballard is always looking to test and expand capabilities'. Ballard's involvement with TIGHAR may need no more explanation than that. The TIGHAR group does pose a specific theory and a rather specific search zone, whether there is actually anything there or not.

My relative explains that Ballard has been interested in the Earhart story for many years and considered searching for Earhart earlier but the lack of a specific area to search combined with costs and strategic supports and time available, made Ballard wait for a more appropriate opportunity. Ballard works with a team of people who must make joint decisions based on a series of assessments. For example, Ballard's discovery of the Titanic occurred at the end of a long arduous series of projects his team was doing for the Navy - time suddenly became available at the end of that project and the exact location of the Titanic was unknown. Ballard and his team decided to look for a debris field within a search zone. Once debris was suddenly identified they followed the debris trail ... and that lead to the Titanic itself.

Only Ballard can explain what his current reasoning is and what his future plans are. But at least he is looking. 
« Last Edit: October 08, 2019, 03:21:57 PM by georger »
 

Offline Robert99

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6306 on: October 08, 2019, 03:25:46 PM »
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Ballard's underwater search skills are huge, but using TIGHAR exec Gillespie as a source for search areas is problematic. Gillespie ties nearly every item he finds to Earhart, a shoe, a cosmetic bottle, various aluminum items, bones etc. None of the found items have been proven relevant as far as I know.

To conclude that the fuzzy distant reef photo shows an erect landing gear structure from Earhart's plane is nuts IMO. No seasoned tail dragger aviator would try that kind of landing with the gear extended. A nose-over flip would be almost guaranteed. Gillespie goes beyond reasonable speculation when he posits that Earhart successfully landed on the tidal reef gear down and the plane was later washed away leaving but one gear leg embedded.

What I like about the Cooper aviation mystery is that it can be explored and investigated without huge transportation expenses. No need to finance expeditions to remote mid-Pacific islands. No need for deep submersibles and their tenders. Bruce is living proof that wealth isn't a prerequisite for meaningful Cooper work.

Jumping again on Oct 19th with HF SSB radio gear and a trailing wire antenna. Should I be listening for Earhart and Noonan?  ;)
What a joy to still be jumping as I turn 70. Almost all of my late 1960s jumper cohorts have hung up their gear for good. That day will come for me too, but hopefully not too soon. When I step out of that door at 14,500 feet I feel like I am 18 again.

377

There is no need to listen for Earhart and Noonan and there is also no need to leave the runway lights on tonight for them either.  They are not coming back.

To state again the essence of my remarks about Dr. Ballard before they were distorted.  No one questions Dr. Ballard's accomplishments and not all of them are in the public domain.  But I think he should have checked out the organization further before joining it.  To put it another way, he should have looked further before he leaped.
 

Offline georger

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6307 on: October 08, 2019, 04:11:19 PM »
Robert Ballard is lead scientist and Allison Fundis is the expedition leader. A team of people made the decision to conduct the search.

Read more here about how and why the decision was made to conduct this search:  New York Times: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

The TIGHAR evidence at issue: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

This post made to provide facts and information versus: opinion/editorial

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« Last Edit: October 08, 2019, 04:20:14 PM by georger »
 
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Offline Robert99

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6308 on: October 08, 2019, 05:11:48 PM »
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Robert Ballard is lead scientist and Allison Fundis is the expedition leader. A team of people made the decision to conduct the search.

Read more here about how and why the decision was made to conduct this search:  New York Times: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

The TIGHAR evidence at issue: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

This post made to provide facts and information versus: opinion/editorial

See other articles: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

This post is made to correct the insinuation above that other posters here are uninformed of a certain organization's efforts to search for Earhart.  For everyone's information, more than one poster here has known what has been posted on the mentioned site over the last decade.

Further, posters here also know of additional web sites and individuals who are extremely well informed on this subject.  So the insinuation is baseless and the comment is just plain silly.
« Last Edit: October 08, 2019, 05:17:38 PM by Robert99 »
 

Offline Kermit

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6309 on: October 08, 2019, 05:36:17 PM »
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Robert Ballard is lead scientist and Allison Fundis is the expedition leader. A team of people made the decision to conduct the search.

Read more here about how and why the decision was made to conduct this search:  New York Times: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

The TIGHAR evidence at issue: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

This post made to provide facts and information versus: opinion/editorial

See other articles: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

 Great information that I’m certain not everyone was aware of ! I have nothing but admiration for the many accomplishments of Robert Ballard ! I wish him and his team well.
 

Offline 377

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6310 on: October 08, 2019, 05:37:39 PM »
Just searching in the same area TIGHAR focuses on doesn't mean Ballard adopts any or all of their highly speculative conclusions. Ballard is a very intelligent and highly accomplished person. He will figure things out.

The presentation on the "landing gear" photo is so well done, so persuasive, but I still think it's wrong. I'd bet serious odds that the object in the reef photo is not Earhart's landing gear structure. Still, that doesn't rule out Earhart's wreckage being located in the vicinity of that island. 

If Ballard is searching in the right area he will likely find the plane. He knows all the tricks and techniques. And who can argue with his record of amazing finds?

Good radio gear and operator skills could have made Cooper's job a lot easier, and it likely could have saved Earhart too. What a pity she and Noonan didn't carry better RDF gear or understand the limitations of the gear they had. You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Amelia's request for homing signals on 7500 KHz show an appalling and possibly fatal lack of knowledge since her onboard gear could not DF above about 1400 KHz. 

377
 

Offline georger

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6311 on: October 08, 2019, 05:55:02 PM »
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Just searching in the same area TIGHAR focuses on doesn't mean Ballard adopts any or all of their highly speculative conclusions. Ballard is a very intelligent and highly accomplished person. He will figure things out.

The presentation on the "landing gear" photo is so well done, so persuasive, but I still think it's wrong. I'd bet serious odds that the object in the reef photo is not Earhart's landing gear structure. Still, that doesn't rule out Earhart's wreckage being located in the vicinity of that island. 

If Ballard is searching in the right area he will likely find the plane. He knows all the tricks and techniques. And who can argue with his record of amazing finds?

Good radio gear and operator skills could have made Cooper's job a lot easier, and it likely could have saved Earhart too. What a pity she and Noonan didn't carry better RDF gear or understand the limitations of the gear they had. You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Amelia's request for homing signals on 7500 KHz show an appalling and possibly fatal lack of knowledge since her onboard gear could not DF above about 1400 KHz. 

377

I think we should wait and see what the program says. In the meantime it strikes me that if anyone has superior knowledge or wisdom in this matter they should go public and present their case. Why not!? Nothing said here matters, I think.

I did hear that a team of Rockwell experts did propagation analysis on the transmissions from Earhart in an attempt to back engineer her flight path. I have no idea what the outcome or merit of that work was, or even if its part of the TIGHAR project. Like most people I am just a pure spectator in this whole thing. Years ago I also met one person who was working with Ballard at Yale who was also interested in the Cooper case ... its a small world sometimes. That person was also a B2 stealth bomber pilot who saw action in Kosovo.  I wish I could ask him what his thoughts are on the Cooper flight path. ;)
« Last Edit: October 08, 2019, 05:59:17 PM by georger »
 

Offline Robert99

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6312 on: October 08, 2019, 07:36:26 PM »
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Just searching in the same area TIGHAR focuses on doesn't mean Ballard adopts any or all of their highly speculative conclusions. Ballard is a very intelligent and highly accomplished person. He will figure things out.

The presentation on the "landing gear" photo is so well done, so persuasive, but I still think it's wrong. I'd bet serious odds that the object in the reef photo is not Earhart's landing gear structure. Still, that doesn't rule out Earhart's wreckage being located in the vicinity of that island. 

If Ballard is searching in the right area he will likely find the plane. He knows all the tricks and techniques. And who can argue with his record of amazing finds?

Good radio gear and operator skills could have made Cooper's job a lot easier, and it likely could have saved Earhart too. What a pity she and Noonan didn't carry better RDF gear or understand the limitations of the gear they had. You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Amelia's request for homing signals on 7500 KHz show an appalling and possibly fatal lack of knowledge since her onboard gear could not DF above about 1400 KHz. 

377

Amelia didn't know how to get a DF steer either.  All that requires is a humming into your transmitter for about a minute while a ground station (a ship in this case) determines the direction.  And Amelia asked the ship to transmit to her on a frequency that she should have known the ship didn't have.

How to get a DF steer was routinely taught to novice civilian pilots up to about 1970.  Everything that there is to know about the steers can be taught in the air in less than five minutes including getting an actual steer.
 

Offline Bruce A. Smith

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6313 on: October 09, 2019, 10:13:04 PM »
302s

Has anyone read on a 302, or anywhere else, a scenario alleging that DBC shoved a few bundles of twenties into the reserve chute? I was party to a recent Coop Discussion and the subject came up. I was surprised - never heard of it before.
 

Offline Robert99

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6314 on: October 09, 2019, 10:49:12 PM »
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302s

Has anyone read on a 302, or anywhere else, a scenario alleging that DBC shoved a few bundles of twenties into the reserve chute? I was party to a recent Coop Discussion and the subject came up. I was surprised - never heard of it before.

That claim has been around for some time but no source has ever been mentioned to my knowledge.  Also, it doesn't make sense.  If Cooper put money in the reserve that he took with him, what happened to the canopy or whatever was originally in the reserve?  These 1970 era reserves were tightly packed and something had to come out before anything further could be put in it.

If Cooper wanted to put money in a reserve pack, he could have used the pack for the reserve that was left on the airliner with some of its shroud lines missing.