Topic: Flight Altitude

Technical data from Flightradar24.com suggests the Germanwings aircraft's altitude setting was manually changed from 38,000 feet to 96 feet. This ADS-B data indicates someone twirled the altitude dial on the Flight Management Computer rather than simply pressing a button. The lack of authentication in the ADS-B "extended squitter" system is discussed as a potential security vulnerability.

Analysis of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crash focuses on reports of a Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jet flying within five kilometers of the airliner. Technical specifications regarding the Su-25's service ceiling and max operating altitude are compared against the airliner's descent from 35,000 to 33,000 feet.