MH370
On March 8th 2014, a passenger jet carrying 239 people including crew members mysteriously disappeared in the midst of a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Beijing, China. Ever since, no trace of the Jet has been found, leaving the families of the passengers in total despair while growing into one of the most mysterious aviation incidents in history. How did that plane equipped with multiple GPS systems vanish without a trace? How did such a large object simply vanish into thin air in an era where acutely developed technologies makes it almost-impossible for one to get lost?
On March 8th 2014, a passenger jet carrying 239 people including crew members mysteriously disappeared in the midst of a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Beijing, China. Ever since, no trace of the Jet has been found, leaving the families of the passengers in total despair while growing into one of the most mysterious aviation incidents in history. How did that plane equipped with multiple GPS systems vanish without a trace? How did such a large object simply vanish into thin air in an era where acutely developed technologies makes it almost-impossible for one to get lost?
Data analysis made by experts came to the conclusion that the transponder, the device that capture signal and helps locate the plane, was purposely shut off by someone inside the cockpit of the plane. Some problems with the transponder might force the pilot to turn it off, namely:
- The Transponder is not perfect and it sometimes gives incorrect readings
- Another drawback of the GPS that could have forced someone to turn off the transponder is that it could have had an electrical short. Pilots would want to shut it down rather than risk a fire spreading to the rest of the cockpit or airplane.
-But the biggest flaw is that the transponder is easy to turned off; a simple ON and OFF button is what's required to completely lose track. This facilitates the job of hijackers and other terrorists...
Accuracy and Update
A GPS receiver can easily be fooled by the naming of new roads if not updated. This is particularly concerning as the device can go out of control and send you in the wrong way for example. These updates may come at a financial cost, depending on your specific GPS. Updating an automotive navigation CD may cost more than purchasing a portable device.
Privacy issues(social impact)
Reduced privacy is the main drawback of cellphone tracking. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, "Location information collected by cellphone companies can provide an extraordinarily invasive glimpse into the private lives of cellphone users." Even if its possible to prevent this kind of barging into your privacy, tracking information remains available to phone providers and emergency services, however.
These are just some very concerning aspects that stain the perfectness of the Global Positioning System. Every technology have their amazing and not-so amazing side but the world knows that the good sides of the GPS overwhelms its dark sides...
- The Transponder is not perfect and it sometimes gives incorrect readings
- Another drawback of the GPS that could have forced someone to turn off the transponder is that it could have had an electrical short. Pilots would want to shut it down rather than risk a fire spreading to the rest of the cockpit or airplane.
-But the biggest flaw is that the transponder is easy to turned off; a simple ON and OFF button is what's required to completely lose track. This facilitates the job of hijackers and other terrorists...
Accuracy and Update
A GPS receiver can easily be fooled by the naming of new roads if not updated. This is particularly concerning as the device can go out of control and send you in the wrong way for example. These updates may come at a financial cost, depending on your specific GPS. Updating an automotive navigation CD may cost more than purchasing a portable device.
Privacy issues(social impact)
Reduced privacy is the main drawback of cellphone tracking. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, "Location information collected by cellphone companies can provide an extraordinarily invasive glimpse into the private lives of cellphone users." Even if its possible to prevent this kind of barging into your privacy, tracking information remains available to phone providers and emergency services, however.
These are just some very concerning aspects that stain the perfectness of the Global Positioning System. Every technology have their amazing and not-so amazing side but the world knows that the good sides of the GPS overwhelms its dark sides...