2strokerfun
There are so many conspiracies about that flight. There was a known terrorist on a 747 flight that was just ahead of TWA800. Of course that info didn't come out for well over a year. The people that swore they saw a missile tried to pin it on the Government attempting to shoot down that plane. Evidently the Navy was doing drills out there that evening. There are several books out that are interesting in there own way. What else can a guy do on a 5 hour cross country flight... ;)
I'm a commercial airline pilot and have been for the past 18 years. I'm type rated on the following aircraft, BE350, BE1900, EMB120, DHC8, B737, A320. This experience gives me some insight to aircraft fuel systems. The claim that a center tank fuel pump caused the explosion? maybe. Seems weird that the system had operated fine since the early 60's on the 707, 727, 737, 747. Other manufacturers actually copied Boeing's design. I suppose that anything is possible and accidents do happen.
There has been several AD's, (airworthiness directives) issued to modify the fuel systems in several aircraft models since the accident. Boeing would have cried fowl if it wasn't necessary, after all it's their design. Even the Airbus that I fly now has a limit on center tank temps while running the air condition system on the ground, the PAK's, (pneumatic air condition kit) generate a lot of heat and they're right against the center fuel tank, go figure.
In closing, I was just kidding about the missile comment. I wouldn't want W's group to pull my out of bed in the middle of the night... :yikes:
