Tom Duhamel wrote:

James Robinson wrote:

a wrote:

One has no idea how true this is, but for what it's worth, read on:.

It's sensationalist garbage.

The fact that the maintenance system transmitted for four minutes
says that not only was the aircraft more or less in one piece during
that time, but that the electrical systems were still functioning.
If the tail snapped off as suggested, the aircraft wouldn't have
lasted more than a few seconds at that altitude and speed.

Indications are stronger that the failure of the vertical stabilizer
was a consequence rather than a cause of the accident.

Would it be possible that four minutes is how long it took the
aircraft (or the remains of hit) to hit the water? That would be a
8750 feet per minute vertical speed, which seems a realist figure to
me. Furthermore I am on the impression that the system is autonomous,
thus could still function once the aircraft was broken apart (if so
was the case).

Anything is possible, however, the communication link depends on a
relatively stable aircraft, since the satcom antennas mounted on the top
of the fuselage have to be directed at the satellites. If the aircraft
is banked more than something like 70 degrees, or pitching or rolling
wildly, the communication link would be broken. It certainly wouldn't
work if the aircraft wasn't in one piece.

Further, the messages indicate that while many things were going wrong on
the aircraft, the fact that the communication took place at all suggests
that electrical system was more or less functional for the four minute
period.