Reply #17: I don't follow you.

[spooked911]

Ballinger fairly clearly says what the time-stamps mean. I'm not sure why you think it is so "screamingly obvious" that he hasn't given the "authoritative" version of what the time-stamps mean. Because you don't like the clear conclusion of what his explanation means? Or are you playing semantics with "authoritative"?

"Mr. Ballinger stated that the ACARS messages have two times listed: the time sent and the time received. He stated that once he sends the message it is delivered to the addressed aircraft through AIRINC immediately."

Then you write: "But if he doesn't really differentiate between when the message was sent and when the plane received it, then how can we use his comments to make that distinction?"

Didn't he just differentiate between when the message was sent and when the plane received it by saying there were two time-stamps???? I don't know if you are just purposefully obfuscating here, or you are making some really subtle point that doesn't seem to be critical to understanding this story.