Understood and agree, the area I have difficulty is that what caused the atomization. Nothing in the tank to cause mechanical atomization, so it’d have to be thermal, but the belly gets cooler at altitude so what heated the belly tank up to cause the atomization. AIR the report does not address this. Pictures I’ve seen of the reconstruction appear it was inside/out rupture but I still don’t see how the jet fuel reached LEL.Liquid gas or jet fuel isn’t very flammable however highly atomized gas or even kerosene is highly explosive. That is after all what a fuel air explosive AKA Daisy Cutter is basically.
Understood and agree, the area I have difficulty is that what caused the atomization. Nothing in the tank to cause mechanical atomization, so it’d have to be thermal, but the belly gets cooler at altitude so what heated the belly tank up to cause the atomization. AIR the report does not address this. Pictures I’ve seen of the reconstruction appear it was inside/out rupture but I still don’t see how the jet fuel reached LEL.
I do remember the “missile video” theory too. I’m not claiming that is what happened that is all the report listed as most probable.Understood and agree, the area I have difficulty is that what caused the atomization. Nothing in the tank to cause mechanical atomization, so it’d have to be thermal, but the belly gets cooler at altitude so what heated the belly tank up to cause the atomization. AIR the report does not address this. Pictures I’ve seen of the reconstruction appear it was inside/out rupture but I still don’t see how the jet fuel reached LEL.
The NTSB official said all they needed was a spark in the tank. I don’t buy it.I do remember the “missile video” theory too. I’m not claiming that is what happened that is all the report listed as most probable.
I do. If memory serves correctly, the airplane's center tank was 'empty' and it had been sitting around all day in the heat. The one thing I have NEVER liked about airliners is that the fuel pumps are submerged in fuel to keep them cool. Electricity and fuel fumes never seemed like a good idea to me, but I'm just a dumb pilot and not a designer.The NTSB official said all they needed was a spark in the tank. I don’t buy it.
Whole website dedicated to it.
TWA Flight 800
I don't buy into the missile theory, but I always assumed they were referring to some kind of shoulder mounted deal that could be launched from a small boat.I do. If memory serves correctly, the airplane's center tank was 'empty' and it had been sitting around all day in the heat. The one thing I have NEVER liked about airliners is that the fuel pumps are submerged in fuel to keep them cool. Electricity and fuel fumes never seemed like a good idea to me, but I'm just a dumb pilot and not a designer.
I will say this about the missile theory. (I haven't looked at the website yet). The ONLY way I would buy it is it an entire ship or submarine was lost with all hands. Other than that, I guarantee you that someone onboard would have talked to their girlfriend long ago and that secret would have been out. I was in the Navy. I have seen that kind of OpSec time and time again. It is really really really hard to keep a secret in the service, and if a whole ship knew they fired a missile and an airlineer got in the way... well... the dumbest seaman can do that math.
I also read that about the tank sitting empty for 4 hours, apparently it’s bad for conductivity and vapor.I do. If memory serves correctly, the airplane's center tank was 'empty' and it had been sitting around all day in the heat. The one thing I have NEVER liked about airliners is that the fuel pumps are submerged in fuel to keep them cool. Electricity and fuel fumes never seemed like a good idea to me, but I'm just a dumb pilot and not a designer.
I will say this about the missile theory. (I haven't looked at the website yet). The ONLY way I would buy it is it an entire ship or submarine was lost with all hands. Other than that, I guarantee you that someone onboard would have talked to their girlfriend long ago and that secret would have been out. I was in the Navy. I have seen that kind of OpSec time and time again. It is really really really hard to keep a secret in the service, and if a whole ship knew they fired a missile and an airlineer got in the way... well... the dumbest seaman can do that math.