ak> I didn't read much on this account. I can only imagine what an
ak> auto-pilot can do when the fuel ends.
 
As I stated before, you seem not to know much about aviation.
 
When the above situation occurs, the autopilot automatically disconnects
and the plane is in manual control. No electricity from the generators in
the engines and the majority of the instruments including the hydraulic
control of the wing-surfaces as well as the vertical stabiliser is lost.
Even the wheels cannot be lowered as usual.
 
At that time a RAM-turbine drops from the belly of the plane which
essentially is a small power generator with a propeller which provides
enough power for some instruments ... the radio for example ... but not all
of the control surfaces.
 
ak> The plane was controllable. So,
ak> after the fuel ended the plane started to glade down. The auto-pilot
ak> controlled it until "landing" in the ocean.
 
Bollocks.
 
When the engines stop and there's no-one in the cockpit to manually fly
(glide!) the plane there will be a dramatic loss in forward momentum with
no slats nor flaps extended. The rule in aviation is that "speed is
life". With no speed, no slats, no flaps, no pilot the plane will
stall and come tumbling down from high altitude, not gentle but dramatic
steep. The stresses on the surfaces will be so bad that there will be an
in-air break-up of several portions which will cause several debris fields
later on the ocean floor which in itself, if and when they will ever be
found, will tell part of the story.
 
ak> But many things depend on the
ak> auto-pilot itself. How much was it accurate, who knows....
 
The autopilot will disconnect and the plane will go down ... nose first ...
gain momentum ... approach the speed of sound and break up.
 
Take care,
 
 \%/{at}rd

--- D'Bridge 3.99