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Update  15 September 2015

Much has happened since I last wrote on this subject and we all have learnt an enormous amount more since then - especially on the complexities of the Boeing 777-200.

Quite a lot of my original assumptions have been proven wrong such as the right hand turn not long after it initially dropped off radar and the need for 9M-MRO to have landed and taken off again from an aerodrome in the Himalayas (out of sight of the satellite).

We now know that all that is needed for the satellite not to be sent a signal in the event of a landing, is for what is called the "squat switches" to be isolated from the SDU (Satellite Data Unit). These squat switches are in simple terms just a switch that is triggered when the undercarriage suspension is compressed indicating that there is weight on the suspension... Hence it could have landed anywhere on the planet and no signal would have been picked up to log it off the system.

I’ve also had a few people comment, “In this day and age, with virtually everyone the World over owning a cellphone, why is there no photos, or at least stories of where this plane is if it landed somewhere!”

Good question, but it is actually very easy to answer.... the time this plane would have landed would have been at least 2 hours before dawn and taken off again at least an hour before sunrise. It also needs to be remembered that at that time of the morning, no-one knew that there was a plane missing, so why would anyone even take notice? If they had tried to photograph it taking off or landing at that time, all they would have was a photo of some lights, so why would anyone bother?

Recently as you know, a B777 Flaperon was washed up on the beach at Reunion Island and the claim is that it is off the missing Flight MH370.

Initially, it was my belief that this flaperon could have fallen off another B777 as there was an AD (airworthiness directive) issued in January 2006 requiring certain modifications to prevent the flaperon becoming detached and then departing the aircraft!

All it would need was a cash strapped airline to sign off maintenance when in fact it was not done.

The 'jury is still out' on this one, as at this date (15 Sept 2015), the Malaysians, the French, and I believe the ATSB - have all claimed that it is in fact off 9M-MRO, yet the NTSB are still holding reservations claiming that the Malaysian Airlines Maintenance Records do not match up with a modification done on this unit.

I spent a lot of time studying every photo I could lay my hands on off the Internet, and I started having reservations when I could not explain the damage that could be observed on this flaperon.  It wasn't until the French mentioned that the flaperon was "twisted" that the penny finally dropped!

On the 9th September, I published this article on Jeff Wise's blogsite:

http://jeffwise.net/2015/09/04/guest-editorial-why-this-plague-of-false-information/#comments

Flaperon Damage Analysis
According to everything I've seen on the net, the flaperon upper and lower surfaces are made of honeycombed composite - presumably carbon fibre. Carbon fibre is extremely strong but tends to break easily if bent. Kevlar bends really well but is not as rigid as carbon although still extremely strong, tear resistant, and is very abrasive resistant. They make bullet proof vests and the skid pads (knees, elbows, etc, in motorbike jackets and pants due to this. In many parts such as the racing yachts, they use a combination of both as by combining the materials they get the best of both worlds.
....What I've just said here, is just going by memory, so check it out yourself to be sure!

Knowing the strength of these materials, (and I think you'll find Boeing use the combination) I find it very hard to believe it would break up due to flutter, but I can easily imagine the hinges breaking off as I think they appear to be made from hi-tensile aluminum. Looking at where they are broken off on the Reunion flaperon, they look like a casting and in this refurbished one, you can see the colour of the aluminum in the hinge bolt hole in this image to the right.

The leading edge is mainly made from high tensile aluminum (2024-T3) apart from the fibreglass doublers (or maybe just covers?) at each end as shown to the left.
 

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