Does Vietnam have large runways?

[Texasgal]

From the war? Enough to handle a large plane?

I know it sounds weird but this whole story is weird. Is there a possibility that the plane landed somewhere in Vietnam?

Yes, I know... tin foil. Be nice here.

[kentauros]

1. I don't believe that it did land anywhere,

but it is a good question, nonetheless

[quinnox]

2. Not sure

If it is like other places, it depends on how many airports they have. Its possible they have an airport with a really long runway, while others might have short runways. It just depends on how much air traffic they get.

[kentuck]

3. Yes, there were several along the coast.

I suppose they are still operational?

[Texasgal]

4. My ears have gone up here.

I may be totally out of the park... but... is it possible?

[dylan33]

5. Yes

I think it is possible things do not just vanish. Probably no UFO involved here.

[Texasgal]

8. heh!

Okay.. gotcha. I know I am being weird... Thanks.

[rdharma]

7. No. It's probably in little pieces in the ocean.

[Texasgal]

10. I agree.. just thought that MAYBE.

anyway.. I agree... it;s most likely a crash. Just thought I'd bring up some weirdness.

[Keefer]

13. Why

is NOTHING floating? No fuel spill found? If it blew to pieces mid-air, SOMETHING would be floating. Seat cushions, for example, are designed to float.

[rdharma]

21. It's a big ocean..... hard to find even with modern search aircraft.

Debris will probably be found eventually.

[Lasher]

6. I think that is a perfectly reasonable question.

[Texasgal]

9. Bite me Lasher!

[Lasher]

12. Heh heh.

Sorry, I can't resist an opportunity for a little fun. Or a lot.

[Agschmid]

11. Awww kitty!

[Lasher]

15. That is one of my very favorite internet pictures.

I don't have the words to explain it, except it's just fun. Now where's that Skittles? I haven't annoyed her in awhile.

PS sorry for highjacking the thread. I'll try to be good.

[jsr]

14. Tan Son Nhat handles 25 million passengers a year

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_airports_in_Vietnam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tan_Son_Nhat_International_Airport

Vietnam Airlines Boeing 777-200/ER taxiing at Tan Son Nhat International Airport

[FarCenter]

16. Tan Son Nhat International Airport at Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Doubt that he could have made Vietnam if he had lost power. The glide ratio would be between 15 and 20, so he could have gone 75 to 100 miles.

Tan Son Nhat is a busy international airport -- an errant 777 would be noticed.

[longship]

17. One would presume that it crashed.

The only way one is going make the argument that it somehow landed safely is with a fair bit of special pleading.

The simple assumption is the flight did not make it. There is no information, other than not finding evidence, that the plane did not crash.

Searching at sea is extremely difficult, especially when little is apparently known about precisely where the flight was when contact was lost.

I understand people's desire for closure here. But this may take some time.

The hypothesis that the flight somehow landed safely is not backed up by what few facts that are known. If it did land, it would be reported as such.

[Travis_0004]

18. There are at least 10 it could land safely in Vietnam.

Probably 15 or so if you count runways that are technically a bit too short. If you want to add the extra 5, you better dump the fuel to save weight, touch down early, give it full reverse thrusters, and use the brakes as well. If you add the extra airports, its probably not safe, you may not be able to take off, but if it was your only option, I guess you give it a try.

The problem is, if you landed it Vietnam, it would show up on radar. You would probably show up on Radar in China and Laos.

You would have to bribe air traffic control, hundreds of employees, ground control, and a bunch more people to keep a plane hidden.

Plus where do you hide a plane in an international airport. You can put it in a hanger, but hundreds of people would have spotted it.

[Texasgal]

23. Yes.. true.

Just had a weird thought about is.

[Control-Z]

19. I've wondered the same.

Looking for a little hope, I guess, for everyone involved.

[undeterred]

20. You might want to visit this discussion board

which is for professional pilots and read their thread on Malaysian Airlines MH370.... Their speculation is probably worth more than all the rest of us put together.

http://www.pprune.org/

[jsr]

24. +1

[drm604]

22. Could it have crashed on land somewhere; maybe in some remote region?

That would explain the lack of ocean debris.

[gerogie2]

25. If it would have landed in Vietnam...

the planes ACARS system would have notified ATC towers in Vietnam that it was in or near the country.

[Turbineguy]

26. Shades of

Mariscal Estigarribia?

[Niceguy1]

27. I heard that it disappeared

In the Asian version of the Bermuda triangle.

[HipChick]

28. Not for a 777

unlike the small planes, they just can't land anywhere...

[Travis_0004]

29. There are still plenty of places in Vietnam to land.

Probably 10-12. You can land a 747 at Tan Son Nhat International

[HipChick]

30. and land undetected?

doubt it..

[jmowreader]

31. Tan Son Nhut, Vietnam's most important airport, can handle a 747

This is the same airport that was the US government's biggest airbase during the war.

If the plane needed to land in Vietnam, it could have.

[cntrfthrs]

32. Geez..maybe I'm naive but

Doesn't the US, Russia, China, etc all have these spy satellites that can see objects down to one meter or something like that and could possibly have video of it on perhaps the periphery of frames???