Quote:
Originally Posted by widgeon13
Would NOT turning off the transponder made any difference?
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Absolutely.
If all else remained the same, the transponder would still show the plane on ATC radar. The turn would be seen on ATC radar in Malaysia and Vietnam. Contact would try to be made. When that failed, surrounding countries would be notified that a plane was flying off course and not responding and to look for it and track it. Planes would be sent up to find the airliner and try to figure what's going on.
Basically, the plane would not be missing and it's fate would be known. It might even have to have been shot down and we'd have a completely different mess to deal with.