MAS clarifies sticky points in MH370 report, says no contact after plane vanished from radar

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has blamed its flight-following system for putting flight MH370 in Cambodian airspace when it was actually over Vietnam on the morning of March 8 when it vanished from radar screens.

Putrajaya's preliminary report on the lost MAS jetliner was released on Thursday, revealing a chaotic four hours after communications between Malaysia air traffic controllers, the flag carrier and other regional air traffic controllers before a hunt was initiated.
The Boeing 777-200ER aircraft with 227 passengers and 12 crew members is still lost as the search enters its 57th day today.
"Malaysia Airlines clarifies that what was referred to as signals was actually the aircraft displayed on the ‘Flight Following System’ screen. This was based on the aircraft projection at that point of time and not the actual aircraft position," MAS said in a statement last night, referring to the MH370 preliminary report.
The report has been sent to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) last week but was only released to the public after orders from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
"When KL-ATCC (Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre) Watch Supervisor queried Malaysia Airlines OPS (Operations) on the status of MH370, Malaysia Airlines OPS informed KL-ATCC Supervisor that MH370 was still sighted over Cambodian airspace in the Flight-Following System, which is based on a flight-projection.
"The word 'Cambodia' was displayed by the Flight-Following System on the screen when zoomed-in, leading Malaysia Airlines to deduce that the aircraft was flying in Cambodian airspace. The Flight-Following System did not display the name 'Vietnam', even though the aircraft was over Vietnam airspace," the MAS statement said.
But the flag carrier insisted that "the responsibility of aircraft tracking monitoring resides with Air Traffic Control Centres".
"For airlines, it is normal to engage flight following systems to assist its pilots to manage in weather conditions or route diversions. Such airline flight following systems are non-primary and non-positive controlling.
"Flight following systems also do not trigger airlines of any abnormality. Such situations have to be pilot initiated.
"Unless otherwise, airlines’ operations control centres would continue to see the aircraft as flying on its normal route, based on projected or predicted positions and locations," it added.
Th airline said it was important to have visual depiction of the aircraft’s position, coupled with confirmation by air-to-ground communications, such as through ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) or Satcomm or VHF or HF radio systems to make it work effectively.
In the case of tracking MH370, Malaysia Airlines’ flight-following system indicated that the aircraft was flying, MAS said, noting that there was no communication from or with the pilot.
"Malaysia Airlines OPS attempted to communicate with MH370 after we were flagged by KL-ATCC, but was never able to make contact," it added.
MAS also said about two tonnes, equivalent to 2,453kg, of cargo was declared as consolidated under one Master Airway Bill (AWB).
"This Master AWB actually comprised five house AWB. Out of these five AWB, two house AWB contained lithium ion batteries amounting to a total tonnage volume of 221kg.
"The balance three house AWB, amounting to 2,232kg, were declared as radio accessories and chargers," it said. – May 3, 2014.