[kiwiokie]

There is much media focus on recovering the flight data recorder as though it will be the Rosetta Stone for this puzzle but it seems there is a good chance it will pose more questions than it answers since from what I understand it will only report the operating parameters of the engines, control surfaces, air speed, altitude etc but cannot report why the aircraft changed course, the intent of the pilot or even the identity of the person at the controls. According to Wikipedia the typical cockpit voice recorder loops every 2 hours so the crucial time when the aircraft diverted from its original course will likely be written over???