The Mystery of Air France Flight 447

Air France Flight 447 disappeared off the coast of Brazil Sunday evening and is presumed to have crashed somewhere in the Atlantic. During a press conference, President Nicolas Sarkozy said, ?we are facing a very dramatic event, an accident, a tragic accident. The chances of finding survivors at this point are very little.? Search and rescue crews have been trying to locate the plane, which was carrying 228 passengers and apparently lost electrical power after being struck by lightning.

To explain the mechanics and electronics of the Airbus A330-200 is Graham Warwick, Senior Technology Editor for Aviation Week.