WTF is it with Indonesia and airliners?

[Sailor]

AirAsia plane loses contact with air traffic control in Indonesia

The search is on for AirAsia Flight 8501, which lost contact with air traffic control in Indonesia, the airline said Sunday.

Flight QZ 8501 from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore lost contact with air traffic control at 7:24 a.m. Sunday (7:24 p.m. Saturday ET), AirAsia said

"At the present time we unfortunately have no further information regarding the status of the passengers and crew members on board, but we will keep all parties informed as more information becomes available," AirAsia said in a statement.

The plane took off with 155 passengers and crew on board, the news agency Reuters reported, citing Indonesian transport officials.

The flight, an Airbus A320-200, was on its way from Surabaya in Indonesia to Singapore, according to the airline's website.

More:
www.cnn.com/2014/12/27/world/asia/airasia-missing-plane/index.html

The A320 is a twin engine narrowbody aircraft first produced in 1987.

[Sailor]

Unlike FLT 370 they found where this one went down. Searchers are finding bodies and wreckage, and planes have sighted what appears to be aircraft wreckage on the bottom of the shallow sea. USS Sampson (destroyer) and USS Fort Worth (amphib) are either enroute or on scene to assist with the search for the data recorders. Sampson's sonar should be able to hear the pings and Fort Worth can stage divers, ROVs and subs if necessary as well as helos. Singapore has dispatched a submarine to help find the recorders as well.

EDIT: One quick correction, the USS Fort Worth is a Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) but is capable of supporting helecopters and boats.

[101ABN]

I heard that they don' have much general aviation over there so there's little opportunity to "come up" through a progressive licensing process.

Don't know if that has any bearing here.

[Sailor]

That's my understanding too. Malaysian Airline and AirAsia (budget airline) have to recruit from other nations. It may be they can't be as selective or choosie as western airlines can be, so competence is always a question. But the Captain on this flight was reported to have about 6000 hours in the A320 (IIRC). Against that is the fact that the aircraft was faced with some very serious thunderstorms (monsoon season) and was denied permission to climb over.

I'm wondering if the engines injested too much water/ice or if up/down drafts damaged wing or tail control surfaces.

Hopefully they'll find the data recorders soon so they can find some answers.