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This is hardly the biggest issue on the dinner plate. But that said, I thought we were going to eradicate swamp-like antics. President-elect Donald Trump has chosen billionaire New York Jets' owner Woody Johnson, one of his campaign’s top fundraisers, to serve as the US ambassador to the UK. Johnson was vice chairman of the Trump Victory Committee, helping to raise millions of dollars for Trump's campaign. As many here know, big political donors, fundraisers and "friends" of successful presidential candidates have frequently been given US ambassador posts around the world, rather than people who are actually “qualified” to be ambassador in particular countries. A football team owner is not remotely qualified to be an ambassador. Johnson has never even lived in the UK. He is a spoiled rich kid always with money to burn, the great-grandson of the co-founder of Johnson & Johnson. Trump couldn't have chosen a more unqualified individual.

Ross tells Canada that U.S. will open NAFTA negotiations Automotive News / January 18, 2017 Canadian officials say billionaire Wilbur Ross, the nominee for U.S. commerce secretary, has indicated to them that a formal-notification letter to open negotiations on NAFTA will be sent to Canada and Mexico within days of Friday's inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. The U.S. wants to discuss country-of-origin rules, which govern how much content from outside NAFTA a product can contain and still qualify to be shipped duty-free. Country-of-origin rules affect automakers in North America. Under NAFTA, the country-of-origin threshold for preferential treatment for assembled vehicles is 62.5 percent. The Trump administration is expected to take a harder line on exactly what can cross the border duty-free. The U.S. also wants to discuss independent dispute tribunals, which the U.S. views as unaccountable and says give too much power to Canada and Mexico. Ross is on record as having called NAFTA the “poster child for unbalanced trade and investment.” However, Ross said in October 2016 that “in the case of the trade between the U.S. and Canada, it is relatively much better-balanced than is the trade between the U.S. and Mexico” so “Canada doesn’t have a lot to fear” with Trump as president. Already contacted Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland has already contacted Ross about NAFTA. When she was Minister of International Trade, Freeland helped seal the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) in late 2016. She was recently named Minister of Foreign Affairs during a cabinet shuffle, but remains active on the NAFTA file. “The Minister looks forward to working very closely with the new U.S. administration, and with the United States Congress on issues of mutual interest, including trade and investment in various sectors,” said Freeland’s press secretary Chantal Gagnon on Tuesday. “We are clearly a pro-trade government and our deep people-to-people ties and strong integrated economies provide the basis for advancing our strong and prosperous partnership with our southern neighbour.” Gagnon said Canada has also discussed Trump’s proposed “border tax” with his transition team. “We have a constructive working relationship with the Trump transition team, and discussions are ongoing. This particular proposal is something that has been floated for quite some time, and is opposed by at least as many American lawmakers as support it,” Gagnon said, “but at this stage, we are going to continue to work with the incoming administration on the interconnectedness and to the mutual benefits of our two economies.”

Big Rigs / January 18, 2017 Early in 2016, Daimler Truck & Bus Australia/ Pacific lifted the skirts for a little for a peek at new models and new direction under new management. At the time Mercedes-Benz Truck and Bus general manager Michael May talked about improved Australianisation of Benz product and told me "we know we can do better”. Since then Benz's curtains of secrecy were ripped apart to expose the full line-up of Actros models in late October 2016. So just how have those plans for Daimler Truck eventuated? In the middle of the silly season, Big Rigs had the opportunity to interrupt play at the Australia versus Pakistan test at the MCG and ask the director of Daimler Truck & Bus, Daniel Whitehead, exactly that question. He told Big Rigs that the company certainly had set high expectations. "I can cautiously say those expectations have been far exceeded and as more customers get (Actros) vehicles on the road I think we are looking forward to having our truck in the market as mainstream product,” he said. Earlier in the year, Mercedes-Benz product boss, Mike May, told me that there was now a corporate realisation that the Aussie market is different to Europe, saying Mercedes- Benz product must adapt to Australian conditions. He said with the development of the new Actros line-up it was necessary to change the corporate mindset. "Rather than being an engineering company driving our products down into the market, it is now about making the application and the customer as starting points,” May said. He said his people need to spend more time in the customers' shoes, trying to understand the needs of an operator running up and down the West Coast, or wherever. Beside Mercedes-Benz, Whitehead's purview covers, among other product lines, Freightliner and Fuso products and even with the receding viability of the resources sector and the impact that has had on US sourced trucks, he is upbeat about Freightliner's performance. "Freightliner was the only American truck that grew market share in 2016. With the dollar and everything it has been a tough market but you can only compete against your competitors and as I said Freightliner was the only brand that grew market share in 2016 and we are very pleased with that.” And with the Japanese wing of the global truck builder, Whitehead said he was pleased with the 2016 performance. "Fuso had 10% growth, over 4000 units for the first time in a long time. Our Fuso dealers are very enthusiastic and a lot of them showed good growth this year and we've got new product coming later in 2017,” he said. But it is the Actros that has the Daimler Benz marketers excited. "I don't want to over promise and under deliver but so far everything we have seen and what we have done has over exceeded our expectations.” He reckons customers are "over the moon” with the truck's performance. "Our customers are seeing some amazing fuel figures. We can always tell you that but when our customers are telling us how good the truck is and how it has exceeded what we told them, that's what we want to hear,” he said. While Whitehead agreed there was a lot of hard work to be done to get the Mercedes-Benz product into the market as a mainstream competitor, he said: "We will get Mercedes-Benz to where it should be.”

UD Trucks Press Release / January 18, 2017 .

Hino Motors Finishes Dakar Rally 2017 at 8th Position Overall, Their First Finish in the Top 10 in Five Years. ―Team Also Makes its 8th Straight Victory in the Under 10-litre Class and Ups Its Own Record to 26th Finishes in the Rally― Hino Motors, Ltd. (Hino) raced in the trucks category of Dakar Rally 2017, which was hosted in Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina from Jan. 2 through Jan. 14 (local time), making its first top 10 finish in five years since 2012. The team also won its 8th straight championship in the Under 10-litre Class, and upped its own record to 26 finishes since first entering the rally [*1]. After the original Paris-Dakar Rally―starting in Paris and finishing in Dakar―was called off due to political instability in 2008, organizers relocated the event to South America in 2009 and renamed it Dakar Rally. Since then, the rally has been gradually transforming from an exploration-oriented one on the roadless roads of Africa into a high-speed rally where contestants vie for speed over rough terrain. As Hino's rivals, most of whom were based out of Europe, pushed forward by increasing the power of their trucks that ran on engines with displacements of over 10 litres, and drew on their material might sending in larger contingents of staff and supplies, Hino has been steadfastly committed to racing the rally on its "HINO500 Series" trucks with engines smaller than 10 litres. This commitment was based on the team's motto "Softness overcomes hardness [*2]" and the handpicked team of the best and brightest has been working to strengthen their teamwork through the spirit of "valuing harmony." For the past few years, the team has been carefully studying the work of its rivals, and making thorough tunings to its racing trucks based on the uniquely Japanese version of "production craftsmanship." The team also sent all of its members on a month-long training camp to further strengthen the team's overall capabilities. As a result, driver Teruhito Sugawara (44 years of age) finished this year's rally in 8th overall among the 50 entrants in the trucks category, making this the team's first top 10 finish in five years since its 9th place finish in 2012. He also won his 8th straight championship in the Under 10-litre Class. Driver Yoshimasa Sugawara (75 years of age) finished 29th overall and 2nd in the Under 10-litre Class, giving the father and son duo their fourth straight 1-2 victory in the class since 2014. By continuing to take part in the world's top level race, Hino aims to share the excitement of racing with customers and motor sport fans around the world, and build on the spirit of challenge and technological capabilities honed through this experience to deliver products and services that benefit our customers around the world. *1: This was Hino's 26th finish in the race since 1991, not including 2008 when the race was canceled due to political instability. *2: "Ju yoku go wo seisu" is a phrase that is often used in jujitsu and other martial arts which explains how the soft and flexible will overcome the powerful and hard, and by extension how the feeble will overcome the strong. Comments Masakazu Ichikawa (Chairman of the Board, Hino Motors): We have been supporting the team all the while, and Mr. Teruhito's single-digit finish in the category was truly admirable. Mr. Yoshimasa did very well too. I am very happy of these results. Yoshimasa Sugawara (Team director and driver of Car 1): I'm very happy with Teruhito's finish in 8th place overall. We raced as we had planned and were able to win with a 1-2 finish. I am still full of energy. Thank you very much for your support. Mitsugu Takahashi (Navigator of Car 1): The rally seemed zip by in a blink of an eye, and I'm happy to have finished in good shape. The last SS didn't require any navigation, but in terms of the rally overall, there were many areas where navigation was quite difficult so it was tough. Teruhito Sugawara (Driver of Car 2): I'm glad that we were able to finish in 8th position overall. Besides the fact that our trucks have been vastly upgraded, I think the fact that there were many canceled stages and navigation was difficult this year worked to our advantage. That said, this outcome was not a fluke but the result of our hard work. We are looking to upgrading our trucks even more for the next rally. Thank you very much. Hiroyuki Sugiura (Navigator of Car 2): The SS today was set on agricultural roads with right angle turns appearing one after the other. Some sections had turned into muddy swamps and were quite risky as we had trouble bringing the truck to a full stop. In any case, I'm glad that we were able to finish the rally without any problems. This was the first single-digit finish for me so I'm very happy with these results. Seiichi Suzuki (Mechanic leader): I'm glad that we were able to finish without any major problems. I am happy about Car 2's 8th place finish, but I'm certainly not satisfied. We can do much more. Masaki Nakamura (Mechanic sub-leader): I'm relieved that the rally is over. It's great that we were able to achieve the single-digit finish that we were all aiming for. I'd like to give the mechanics a pat on the back for putting in such great work under harsh conditions such as high altitudes, the cold and heat. Hiroyuki Azuma (Mechanic): I'm glad that both trucks were able to finish without anybody getting injured or sick. That was a big thing for me. And I'm ecstatic about these great results. Koji Nakamura (Mechanic): Time just zipped by and it was over even before I knew it. The toughest thing for me was the little amount of sleep we got. That said, I'm glad that we didn't have any major problems. I am very happy with these amazing results. Junya Inoue (Mechanic): Two weeks just flew by. And I'm happy that the truck I was in charge of finished with great results. Kenji Kunimoto (Mechanic): While we didn't encounter as many problems as we did in our test run in the Silk Way Rally, but to be honest, things were much more hectic with two trucks. I think we did pretty well in terms of servicing work. It has been a great experience. Kohei Shimazaki (Support member): Driving the assistance car this year, it really hit me how you can't win against nature, what with the intense rain and cold. I hope I get to come again if the opportunity arises. Koji Tanaka (Support member): It was tough everywhere we went―the highlands, the heat, and this last bivouac. But finishing the competition with great results has a way of melting all that fatigue away. I'm relieved that it's over. Ryu Takashima (Support member): I played a support role and this was the first time I joined team. I had a great time, including the times that I would shout words of support when the going got tough. I hope to be able to speak the language better the next time I come.

Mining / January 18, 2017 Caterpillar is developing autonomous mining truck technology for an expanded range of models, including other brands. At a recent Cat "MineStar" Command for hauling demonstration at the company’s facility in Arizona, Caterpillar announced a project to adapt hardware and software for retrofitting the Komatsu 930E mining truck with Cat autonomous technology. This interoperability initiative is driven by mining companies’ goal of reducing mining costs using their existing fleets. “Retrofitting technology is a proven means for mining companies to get the most from their assets,” said Sean McGinnis, product manager, Command for hauling. “And many mining companies operate mixed fleets of trucks. Developing autonomous systems for other brands of trucks will enable us to offer a total solution to these customers.” Additionally, Caterpillar is expanding the number of Cat truck models fitted for autonomous operation. The autonomous arrangement of the 797F, the largest of the Cat line with 363-tonnes (400 tons) payload capacity, is now being tested. Other models are being evaluated as Caterpillar works with mining companies seeking ways to lower cost per ton and enhance safety. The new Cat autonomous trucks will join the proven Cat 793F CMD in the autonomous mining truck line. A large fleet of the 227-tonne-capacity (250-ton) trucks has achieved a 20 percent productivity advantage over standard trucks working in an Australian iron ore mine. Also, the fleet and support staff have achieved zero lost time injuries since the first trucks started operating more than 3.5 years ago. In keeping with the retrofit trend, several of the current global fleet of 70 Cat 793F autonomous trucks have been retrofitted to operate autonomously. For more information about autonomous machine operation and other Cat MineStar System capabilities, contact a Cat dealer or go to: www.cat.com/minestar .

Who ever thought the "Baby 8" would have such specs ?

Kenworth Truck Company Press Release / January 18, 2017 The popular Kenworth T370 just became even more versatile thanks to the availability of wide base tires for applications requiring up to 20,000-lb. front axle ratings. Available in 385/65R22.5 sizes, from Bridgestone, Goodyear and Michelin, the tires were previously available only on all-wheel drive T370 steer axles with ratings up to 16,000-lbs. “These tires can now be ordered for new T370s with our heaviest non-drive front axles – rated at 16,000-, 18,000- and 20,000-lbs.,” said Kurt Swihart, Kenworth marketing director. “This provides a larger ‘footprint’ in vocational applications where off-road conditions, such as mud, can making driving difficult. The tires also comply with standards in certain states and Canada, which require larger tires to carry heavier weights.” According to Swihart, the Kenworth T370 is one of the most robust medium duty trucks on the market. “It can be spec’d light, or it can be spec’d heavy with 46,000-pound rear axles and 20,000-pound front axles,” he said. Non-drive front steer axles rated from 16,000- to 20,000-lbs. and 44,000- and 46,000-lbs. heavy-duty tandem-drive rear axles are available from Meritor and Dana. The PACCAR PX-9 engine in the T370 is available with ratings up to 350-hp and 1,150 lb-ft of torque. The Kenworth T370 is also now available with 4.9-inch fender extensions, which reduce road spray from the wide base tires. .

Fleet Owner / January 18, 2017 At the World of Concrete 2017 convention in Las Vegas this week, Mack Trucks introduced upgraded capabilities for its mDrive [aka Volvo I-Shift] automated mechanical transmission (AMT) with the addition of two new functions: rolling start and auto neutral. Both features will come standard on all mDRIVE and mDRIVE HD transmissions, the company said; proprietary transmissions engineered to work exclusively with Mack’s MP series engines [aka. Volvo D11 and D13 engines]. Mack said rolling start allows drivers to shift the transmission into drive without pressing the truck’s service brakes; eliminating the possibility of creating a bump in the paving surface, which is a critical benefit for paving applications, the OEM noted. The company added that its new “auto neutral” feature for the mDrive is aimed primary at construction applications, including concrete mixers, which rely on remote throttle controls. By automatically shifting the mDRIVE into neutral when the parking brake is set, the “auto neutral” function helps improve jobsite safety by reducing the possibility of the truck moving due to throttle application. Mack also announced the introduction of WheresMyConcrete, a cloud-based and telematics-connected dispatching, analytics and customer service tool being offered through Mack’s Fleet Management Services package that is now available for Mack ready-mix customers. The program aims to help improve asset visibility, dispatch efficiency and real-time data identification of concrete loads in the delivery process and is activated via Mack’s factory-installed GuardDog Connect integrated telematics platform.

Fed Says US Growth Continues Modestly as Job Market Tightens Transport Topics / January 18, 2017 The U.S. economy continued to expand modestly from late November through the end of 2016 as a tightening labor market helped lift wages and prices more broadly, a Federal Reserve survey showed. The central bank’s Beige Book economic report, based on information collected by regional Fed banks on or before Jan. 9, said firms and industries were optimistic about growth this year. Employment gains were characterized as slight to moderate, with most of the Fed’s 12 districts saying they expected the labor market to continue tightening. “District reports cited widespread difficulties in finding workers for skilled positions; several also noted problems recruiting for less-skilled jobs,” according to the report, released Jan. 18. “Most districts said wage pressures had increased.” The report underscores the U.S. central bank’s views that the economy is healthy enough to continue removing monetary stimulus. Fed officials raised their benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point Dec. 14, to 0.5% to 0.75%. They also increased the number of hikes they anticipate in 2017, to three from two, based on the median projection of 17 members of the Federal Open Market Committee. The Fed’s outlook for the economy is clouded, however, by uncertainty surrounding the fiscal policies of the incoming administration. While he promised spending increases and tax cuts in his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump has provided few details since the Nov. 8 election on the concrete policy proposals he intends to bring to Congress. Some Fed districts reported a rebound in confidence after the election, though the Cleveland Fed noted that it’s unclear how changes in regulations will impact investments. The Fed also noted that pricing pressure has intensified, with eight districts reporting modest inflation. The Fed’s preferred measure of inflation, excluding food and energy, reached 1.6% in the 12 months through November. Average hourly earnings rose 2.9% in December from a year earlier, the biggest jump since 2009, adding to confidence that inflation will continue to edge toward the Fed’s 2% target. Labor markets across the country “were reported to be tight or tightening during the period,” the report said. “A couple of districts mentioned layoffs, but even in those districts, as in other regions, most responding firms were said to have added employment, on net.”

Automakers will continue Mexico investments despite Trump Automotive News / January 18, 2017 Forecasting firm LMC Automotive expects automakers will continue to invest in Mexico over the next four years despite tariff threats and social media shaming from President-elect Donald Trump. The study, released Wednesday, said production south of the border for Detroit’s three automakers will increase through 2020, while production in both Canada and the U.S. is expected to fall. The percentage of Mexico-built vehicles sold in the U.S. is predicted to rise, too. And it predicts capacity investment in Mexico will grow at a much faster rate than in the U.S. “The U.S. currently accounts for two-thirds of North American vehicle production, but significant investment plans and decisions to re-source capacity from Asia and Europe to Mexico are expected to bring Mexican production from 19 percent of NAFTA today to 26 percent in 2020,” the study said. Despite its projections, LMC acknowledged Trump’s policies could impact future decisions. “The potential for penalty on vehicles manufactured within NAFTA but outside the US may impact existing vehicle sourcing and future [North America] production mix and vehicle decisions, many of which are already in process,” the study said. “Until specific policy is detailed, the environment is fluid and uncertainty remains high, as the industry plans for the future. Aversion to policy risk, and to the threat of negative publicity, has become a significant consideration for planners.” LMC expects overall U.S. vehicle sales to plateau around the 17.5 million mark through the end of the decade, and as a result, it says the number of vehicles sourced within North America will increase. More than 50 percent of that increase is expected to be in Mexico. Detroit 3 projections Among the Detroit 3, Ford’s Mexico production will increase the most (to 757,000 vehicles in 2020 from 387,000 this year) over the next four years, thanks in large part to shifting production of the Focus compact sedan from its Michigan Assembly Plant to Hermosillo, LMC predicted. GM’s Mexico production is expected to grow to 866,000 from 717,000 today, while FCA’s is expected to grow to 460,000, up slightly from 438,000 today. Over that same period, Ford’s U.S. production is expected to fall slightly, to 2,237,000 from 2,395,000. GM’s will dip to 2,301,000 from 2,396,000, while FCA’s will drop to 1,483,000 from 1,538,000. The percent of Mexico-built vehicles for sale in the U.S. will grow for nearly all automakers, LMC says. Ford’s percentage of Mexico-built vehicles for sale in the U.S. will rise to nearly 20 percent from around 10 percent today, while GM will see similar gains. Volkswagen’s percent of Mexico-built vehicles is expected to rise to 40 percent. The lone exception: FCA. The automaker’s Mexico sourcing will decline as it re-sources vehicles both inside and outside the NAFTA zone, LMC says, although Mexico-built vehicles will still account for 10 percent of its U.S. sales mix. More capacity The study expects North American production capacity will increase by 3 million units through 2023, and nearly half of that growth will come in Mexico. It says production capacity investment in Mexico will rise 47 percent. Investment in the U.S. will increase 12 percent, while Canada investment will fall 4 percent over that same stretch of time. The findings come despite recent announcements by Ford, GM, FCA, Hyundai and others about investing in the U.S., and in some cases relocating production back to the U.S. “There have been several recent announcements of investment in U.S. operations or the cancelations of investment in Mexico by OEMs,” the study said. “This appears to be the direct result of pressure from Trump holding to his campaign promise of penalizing companies for manufacturing outside the U.S. However, many of these decisions were already planned or were altered due to other factors, such as lower demand for small vehicles or shifting higher margin or complex vehicles to the US, and not solely the result of the pressure.” .

Yellen warns rates delay risks ‘nasty’ surprise The Financial Times / January 18, 2017 Fed chair says waiting too long could lead to inflation or instability Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen has warned that the US risks a “nasty surprise” if it waits too long to continue raising interest rates Yellen added that she expects the US central bank to tighten monetary policy a few times a year until 2019. But on the cusp of Donald Trump’s inauguration as an economy-focused president, she also said slow productivity growth meant the US’s “usual” rate of economic expansion would be “significantly slower than the post-world war two average”. Trump will inherit an economy in much stronger shape than the one left to President Obama, with Yellen noting in a speech that the US is close to maximum employment and that inflation is moving towards the Fed’s 2 percent target. Following the Fed’s December decision to raise short-term interest rates for the second time in a decade, Yellen said on Tuesday: “Waiting too long to begin moving toward the neutral rate could risk a nasty surprise down the road — either too much inflation, financial instability or both.” Delaying could force the Fed to catch up by raising rates rapidly, she said, which could in turn push the economy into a new recession. Providing new insights into the stance of Fed policymakers, she said: “As of last month, I and most of my colleagues . . . were expecting to increase our federal funds rate target a few times a year until, by the end of 2019, it is close to our estimate of its longer-run neutral rate of 3 per cent.” Longer-term, she said that while economists did not fully understand the causes of a slowdown in US productivity growth, the trend implied lower-than-average growth and a neutral interest rate of 3 per cent — a full percentage point lower than the Fed’s estimate three years ago.

I find it odd that neither President Obama nor President Xi* have ever mentioned MH370. I believe something significant happened, and they united to deal with it. * There were 14 nationalities represented in the 227 passengers and 12 crew on MH370. The majority, 153 people, were Chinese.

New Cummins engines set for Oz Big Rigs / January 18, 2017 Cummins has announced its engine line-up for 2017. The new X15 will hit our shores in Kenworths from January and in the new International shortly after. The first release X15 will have Euro V emission ratings although the Euro VI version will become available after its launch at the Brisbane Truck Show in May. Physically the X15 is the same as the current ISXe5 utilising the SCR/AdBlue emissions control system. The changes come with the ADEPT technology, a game changer according to Cummins with a "suite of advanced electronic features capable of delivering fuel economy gains through improved powertrain integration”. As telematics become more integral to transport operations, the X15 has what Cummins describes as Connected Diagnostics, a system that delivers real-time diagnosis of engine problems to Cummins and fleet operations by automatically processing fault code data and sending real-time notifications from Cummins detailing probable root causes of issues and providing recommended actions. The expert advice, delivered by email or web portal, enables the fleet manager to make an informed decision about continuing truck operation and when to schedule a service visit the most convenient time. ADEPT, or Advanced Dynamic Efficient Powertrain Technology is for use with Eaton's 18 speed automated UltraShift Plus transmission and has been under field testing in Australia since early 2016. It utilises load, speed and gradient sensing technology to initiate adjustments to engine power, torque and transmission gear selection to take advantage of vehicle momentum for better fuel economy. The first release of ADEPT in Australia will have SmartCoast and SmartTorque. SmartCoast, like similar European product, disengages the front box of the transmission virtually putting the truck into angel gear while the engine remains at an idle while on a downgrade. SmartTorque eliminates unnecessary downshifts and keeps the engine in the most fuel-efficient RPM range. Torque is varied across all gears depending on the power demand. Mike Fowler, director of on-highway business for Cummins South Pacific said "the X15 builds on the success of the ISX e5 of which more than 6000 have gone into service in Australia and New Zealand since 2013”. With the Euro six engine now fully developed, Fowler said engine development is not driven by emissions, but by customer needs. Oz trials continue FIELD testing of the Chinese built Cummins 12 litre engine continues through the summer, with trials in the heat of the nations outback roads. Under the name of ISG, the engine was launched at the 2015 Brisbane Truck Show with a main claim to fame of its low weight, with an engine mass of 860kg. The same engine under X12 branding is being built in the US for the North American market. In an American media release, Cummins said the X12 will be rated up to 475hp with "the highest power to weight ratio in the 10 to 16 litre class”. The current direction in the US is for a reduction in power, an increase in torque for the ultimate in fuel efficiency particularly in the giant high volume fleets. We believe the X12 will fit easily into the new International ProStar, however Kenworth will not be taking the smaller capacity engine preferring Paccar's own engine with Euro ancestry and similarly Western Star will probably be using the company's global engine in this rating. Both the X15 and X12 will go on sale in Australia with SCR managed Euro V standard with the SCR / EGR hybrid ready for Euro VI whenever the Australian market demands it. The Brisbane Truck Show will undoubtedly reveal the future for Cummins, with these engines on display and, Big Rigs is told, flagging the Euro VI models for the future.

Steve Brooks, Australasian Transport News (ATN) / January 17, 2017 Given the scale and scope of Mercedes-Benz’s bold new range of trucks and the broad coverage already applied to its big bore models, it’s perhaps easy to overlook the potential impact of shorthaul and regional specialists such as the 2643. Yet just a day behind the wheel leaves little doubt this quiet, comfortable 11-litre livewire will play a major role in the resurrection of the Benz brand in a vast array of single trailer distribution roles. Punched by the relatively modest displacement of an OM470 10.7-litre in-line six cylinder engine, the tandem-drive 2643 offers peak figures of 315 kW (428 hp) at 1600 rpm and 2100 Nm (1549 lb ft) of torque from 1100 to 1400 rpm. Its bigger brother is the 2646, with the same engine producing 335 kW (455 hp) and 2200 Nm (1623 lb ft) at the same engine speeds. The OM470 is, however, an engine also powering three 4x2 prime mover models (1840, 1843 and 1846) as well as a 6x2 derivative called the 2543, making it the most widely used engine in the entire range of new Benz trucks. Even so, the 10.7-litre displacement is one point of a four-pronged Daimler engine family (7.7, 10.7, 12.8 and 15.6 litres) powering the new line-up. All engines are in-line six cylinder designs employing a combination of SCR, EGR and a diesel particulate filter to achieve the Euro 6 emissions standard deemed so desirable by those major freight customers keen to be green in the eyes of consumers. Giant supermarket chains, for instance, which are an obvious and potentially lucrative target market for the 2643 and its close kin. Meantime, there’s not much separating the 2643 and the 2646 other than different performance figures and the fact that the ’43 has a gross combination mass (GCM) rating of 45 tonnes whereas the ’46 is rated up to B-double weights of 62.5 tonnes. Each drives through a 12-speed PowerShift automated transmission into a hypoid drive tandem with diff locks, mounted on an eight-bag air suspension, running a tall 2.846:1 rear axle ratio. Built on a 3250 mm wheelbase, they come with a typically high level of standard features starting with electronic disc brakes, ABS anti-lock and ASR anti-skid functions, and the incredibly handy hill-hold feature which does so much to ease stress on sharp lift-offs for driver and driveline alike. Gratefully, an effective engine brake is also part of the package. In standard format, diesel capacity is 290 litres in a single tank mounted on the passenger side, with a second tank of the same size optionally available for the driver’s side. AdBlue capacity is 60 litres on the passenger side. In both models the 2.3-metre-wide cab has the floor raised 320 mm above the engine tunnel, making it the lowest profile cab in the range. There’s the choice of a day cab layout or a sleeper version with a 750 mm wide inner-spring mattress and a respectable sleeping area for overnight stops. Importantly, floor height over the engine tunnel is a surprisingly small impediment to sleeper access. At the launch of the new Mercedes-Benz family several months ago, the 2643 was a real surprise packet during relatively short stints behind the wheel between Cairns and Townsville in Far North Queensland. Asked if the model could be made available for a test run in the more likely environs of country and suburban roads around Melbourne, confident Benz executives were quick to agree. Consequently, the same sleeper model used at the launch program was provided for this exercise, hooked to a curtain-sided trailer and with a further 12,000 km on the clock following trials with fleet operators. Gross weight wasn’t great at just 30 tonnes but then, it’s not uncommon for trucks pulling single trailers around the ‘burbs to spend much of the day at weights significantly less than max anyway. Looking for a mix of roads and traffic conditions, the truck was pointed south-east towards Leongatha from the Whitehorse Trucks dealership in Dandenong, then across secondary roads to Gippsland’s Warragul before heading back through snarling suburbs to Dandenong. All up, 210 km of vastly different conditions starting with sodden freeways and fierce winds, and ending with a still, hot afternoon in congested traffic. Yet just as it had done in Cairns, there was much to like about this truck from the get-go. For starters, it’s a short, easy climb into a cab that’s extremely practical and entirely comfortable. In fact, if there’s one thing that stands out in all the new Benz cabs, it’s the ease of familiarity. Switchgear and control functions are quickly understood and generally well placed, enhancing an internal cab design which is smart, neat, well-appointed and definitely driver friendly. .

They are now getting a huge boost in their U.S. presence, indirectly but everyone knows, as a result of the Chevrolet brand distribution. To date, GM says there are over 250 Chevrolet dealers nationwide set up to sell their new Chevrolet (Isuzu) low cab forward trucks. Isuzu claims to have almost 300 dealers. So overnight, there are now some 550 dealers selling Isuzu trucks, and surely the number of Chevrolet dealers will grow substantially over 250.

Kenworth Truck Company Press Release / January 17, 2017 Kenworth and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) have again teamed up for the 15th year in a row to provide a $1,000 savings to OOIDA members on qualifying purchases of new Kenworth sleeper trucks during 2017. Featured eligible Kenworth trucks are the Kenworth T680 or T880 with a 52-inch or larger factory-installed sleeper. The program also includes Kenworth T660, T800 and W900 glider kits equipped with a 72-inch or 86-inch factory-installed sleeper. Both new stock and special order vehicles qualify. Buyers must show their OOIDA membership card to their Kenworth dealer at time of purchase in 2017. A copy of the bill of sale and warranty, along with the buyer’s OOIDA membership number, must be mailed to: OOIDA, P.O. Box 1000, Grain Valley, MO 64029, or faxed to OOIDA at (816) 229-0518. "We appreciate the passion that owner-operators have for The World's Best® trucks and want to provide them with a great opportunity to purchase a premium Kenworth model that is designed to maximize uptime and driver comfort to reduce their total cost of ownership. This program is Kenworth’s way of giving back to those OOIDA members who want to reward themselves in 2017 by purchasing an excellent Kenworth – the Driver’s Truck," said Kurt Swihart, Kenworth marketing director. “In 2016, more than 300 OOIDA members benefited from this very successful, cooperative program.” Limit for a single customer is three qualifying Kenworth trucks per year. Other limitations apply on the Kenworth rebate program. See your Kenworth dealer for more details. OOIDA is as an advocacy group for owner-operators and independent truck drivers and currently has 158,000 members. OOIDA’s website is at www.ooida.com. .

Investigators have discovered the runways of five airports near the Indian Ocean loaded into Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah’s home-made flight simulator. “The simulation programs are based on runways at the Male International Airport in Maldives, an airport owned by the United States (Diego Garcia), and three other runways in India and Sri Lanka, all have runway lengths of 1,000 metres.” “We are not discounting the possibility that the plane landed on a runway that might not be heavily monitored, in addition to the theories that the plane landed on sea, in the hills, or in an open space.” Although Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein denied yesterday that the plane had landed at US military base Diego Garcia, this possibility will still be investigated based on the data found in Zaharie’s flight simulator software. The police had seized the flight simulator from the 53-year-old pilot’s house in Shah Alam on Saturday. Also on Saturday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said MH370 was diverted deliberately after someone on board switched off the Boeing 777’s communications systems. After MH370 disappeared from civilian radar in the early hours of March 8, the plane was flown westward from its intended path to Beijing, turning around at Checkpoint Igari in the South China Sea. From there, it flew on to Checkpoint Vampi, northeast of Indonesia’s Aceh province and a navigational point used for planes following route N571 to the Middle East. Subsequent plots indicate the plane flew towards Checkpoint Gival, south of the Thai island of Phuket, and was last plotted heading northwest towards another checkpoint, Igrex, used for route P628 that would take it over the Andaman Islands and which carriers use to fly towards Europe.

I don’t subscribe to conspiracy theories. That said, my gut feeling is these two former navy seals didn’t die from an overdose. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- CBS News / February 24, 2014 Police on the island nation of Seychelles say that two former U.S. Navy SEALs found dead aboard the ship Maersk Alabama died of respiratory failure and were suspected to have had heart attacks, possibly from drug use. The police said Monday that a syringe and traces of heroin were found in their cabin. Police said samples are being sent to Mauritius for analysis to establish if the men had consumed "a substance" that could have caused the health failures. Officials named the two men as Mark Daniel Kennedy, 43, and Jeffrey Keith Reynolds, 44. They worked for the Virginia Beach, Virginia-based maritime security firm The Trident Group. The U.S. Coast Guard is also investigating the deaths. The two men worked for U.S.-based Trident Security. Former military personnel frequently provide security on board ships sailing through the waters off Somalia to provide security against pirate attacks. Trident Security was founded by former U.S. Navy SEALs in 2000 and employs former special warfare operators to provide security. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A new report circulating in the Kremlin today prepared by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (GRU) states that Aerospace Defence Forces (VKO) experts remain “puzzled” as to why the United States Navy “captured and then diverted” a Malaysia Airlines civilian aircraft from its intended flight-path to their vast and highly-secretive Indian Ocean base located on the Diego Garcia atoll. According to this report, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (also marketed as China Southern Airlines flight 748 through a codeshare) was a scheduled passenger flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing, China, when on 8 March this Boeing 777-200ER aircraft “disappeared” in flight with 227 passengers on board from 15 countries, most of whom were Chinese, and 12 crew members. Interesting to note, this report says, was that Flight 370 was already under GRU “surveillance” after it received a “highly suspicious” cargo load that had been traced to the Indian Ocean nation Republic of Seychelles, and where it had previously been aboard the US-flagged container ship MV Maersk Alabama. What first aroused GRU suspicions regarding the MV Maersk Alabama, this report continues, was that within 24-hours of off-loading this “highly suspicious” cargo load bound for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, the two highly-trained US Navy Seals assigned to protect it, Mark Daniel Kennedy, 43, and Jeffrey Keith Reynolds, 44, were found dead under “suspicious circumstances.” Both Kennedy and Reynolds were employed by the Virginia Beach, Virginia-based maritime security firm The Trident Group which was founded by US Navy Special Operations Personnel (SEAL’s) and Senior US Naval Surface Warfare Officers and has long been known by the GRU to protect vital transfers of both atomic and biological materials throughout the world. Upon GRU “assests” confirming that this “highly suspicious” cargo was aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 on 8 March, this report notes, Moscow notified China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) of their concerns and received “assurances” that “all measures” would be taken as to ascertain what was being kept so hidden when this aircraft entered into their airspace. However, this report says, and as yet for still unknown reasons, the MSS was preparing to divert Flight 370 from its scheduled destination of Beijing to Haikou Meilan International Airport (HAK) located in Hainan Province (aka Hainan Island). Prior to entering the People Liberation Army (PLA) protected zones of the South China Sea known as the Spratly Islands, this report continues, Flight 370 “significantly deviated” from its flight course and was tracked by VKO satellites and radar flying into the Indian Ocean region and completing its nearly 3,447 kilometer (2,142 miles) flight to Diego Garcia. Critical to note about Flight 370’s flight deviation, GRU experts in this report say, was that it occurred during the same time period that all of the Spratly Island mobile phone communications operated by China Mobile were being jammed. China Mobile had extended phone coverage in the Spratly Islands in 2011 so that PLA soldiers stationed on the islands, fishermen, and merchant vessels within the area would be able to use mobile services, and can also provide assistance during storms and sea rescues. As to how the US Navy was able to divert Flight 370 to its Diego Garcia base, this report says, appears to have been accomplished remotely as this Boeing 777-200ER aircraft is equipped with a fly-by-wire (FBW) system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface allowing it to be controlled like any drone-type aircraft. However, this report notes, though this aircraft can be controlled remotely, the same cannot be said of its communication systems which can only be shut down manually; and in the case of Flight 370, its data reporting system was shut down at 1:07 a.m., followed by its transponder (which transmits location and altitude) which was shut down at 1:21 a.m.

In the middle of the night, two fishermen near the Malaysia-Thailand border saw a plane flying low over the South China Sea -- at the same time that air traffic controllers lost contact with Flight 370 over the same body of water, at 1:30 a.m. or almost 50 minutes after takeoff. Fisherman Azid Ibrahim and a friend had taken people fishing that night off the coast of Kota Bharu. "I was fishing when I saw the plane -- it looked strange. Flying low. I told my friend that's not normal. Normally, it flies at 35,000 feet. But that night it touched the clouds. I thought the pilot must be crazy," Ibrahim said. "It was really low. I saw the lights they looked like the size of a coconut," he said. Their fishing grounds lay under a flight path, but the predawn plane was unusual to see because of its low altitude, they said. The fishermen filed a police report about their sighting, but Malaysian officials never commented.

A British yachtswoman believes she saw a burning aircraft over the Indian Ocean on the night that flight MH370 vanished. Katherine Tee, 41, from Liverpool, described spotting what looked like a jet with ‘orange lights’ and trailing a plume of smoke. The 41-year-old, who had been at sea for about 13 months with her husband, had kept the spotting of the plane to herself as she was unaware of its significance at the time. But now, she's decided to break her silence and has filed an official report with authorities. Ms Tee said she thought she was ‘mad’ when she spotted the fiery object in the night sky while sailing from Cochin, India with husband Marc Horn, 50. She was alone on deck when she saw the aircraft. 'I was on a night watch. My husband was asleep below deck and our one other crew member was asleep on deck,' she said.. 'I saw something that looked like a plane on fire. That's what I thought it was. Then, I thought I must be mad… It caught my attention because I had never seen a plane with orange lights before, so I wondered what they were. 'I could see the outline of the plane, it looked longer than planes usually do. There was what appeared to be black smoke streaming from behind it.' 'There were two other planes passing well above it – moving the other way – at that time. They had normal navigation lights. I remember thinking that if it was a plane on fire that I was seeing, the other aircraft would report it,' she said. 'And then, I wondered again why it had such bright orange lights. They reminded me of sodium lights. I thought it could be some anomaly or just a meteor. 'It was approaching to cross behind our stern from the north. When I checked again later, it had moved across the stern and was moving away to the south.' Ms Tee explained that she kept her observance to herself as the long voyage had taken a toll on her marriage. She hadn't spoken to her husband for about a week and it wasn't until she arrived in Phuket on March 10 that she first heard of the MH370 tragedy. Ms Tee said she told local yachties what she thought she had seen. 'Some suggested I should say something, that [what I saw] might have been it. Most said that the flight was heading toward Vietnam. I wasn't sure of the date or time [of the sighting]. I am still not,' she said. 'I did think that what I saw would add little, and be dismissed with the thousands of other sightings that I assumed were being reported. I thought that the authorities would be able to track [the plane's] GPS log, which I assumed was automatically transmitted, or something like that. 'Most of all, I wasn't sure of what I saw. I couldn't believe it myself, and didn't think anyone would believe me when I was having trouble believing my own eyes. 'I didn't even consider putting out a Mayday at the time. Imagine what an idiot I would have looked like if I was mistaken, and I believed I was. So I dismissed it, and got on with the business of fixing myself and my marriage.' It was only when she heard some news on a radio report last Saturday explaining that a survey ship involved in the search for MH370 was returning to port due to technical problems. This is what prompted Ms Tee to tell her husband and then began reviewing her yacht's log. 'That is when we checked our GPS log and realized that perhaps I really did see it,' she said. It was then discovered that the couple's 40-foot vessel was near one of the projected flight paths for MH370. A map was created by Cruisers Forum member 'europaflyer' by using Google Earth to show the yacht's position compared with the projected flight path for MH370. The map unveiled that the plane would have passed the yacht astern from port to starboard, which is just as Ms Tee had recalled. 'This is what convinced me… to file a report with the full track data for our voyage to the relevant authorities,' she said. The couple filed the report with the Joint Agency Coordination Center (JACC) on Saturday and the Australian organization tasked with coordinating the search for MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean. They also followed up with a second email to the JACC on Sunday.

Fresh testimonies from a small island community in the Maldives has reignited reports that missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 could have crashed over 5000 kilometres away from the official search led by Australian authorities. Locals from the island of Kudahuvadhoo, located in the southern area of the Dhaalu Atoll in the Maldives, reported witnessing 'a low-flying jumbo jet' on the morning of March 8 last year, when the flight disappeared while travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. The reports come as acoustic scientists from Curtin University refuse to rule out the possibility that 'distinctive' data they recorded from the area at the assumed time of the crash may have come from the impact of the aircraft as it hit the Indian Ocean. Despite an exhaustive search that is underway along a 600 square kilometre arc approximately 1800 kilometres southwest of Perth, locals from the island believe they identified red and blue markings, similar to those of the missing plane, on a large passenger jet which flew over the island on the morning of the MH370's disappearance. Villagers from the community of 3500 say many on the island saw the passenger plane, and were interviewed by police and testified with signed statements to what they witnessed. 'I'm very sure of what I saw on a very clear and bright day, and what I saw was not normal- the plane was very big, and low. I did not know until later that other people saw it too. I don't know if it's the Malaysia plane', said Ahmed Shiyaam, 34, an IT manager. Abdu Rasheed Ibrahim said he saw the plane flying towards him over the water, and did not know at the time that it could be the missing Malaysian Airlines flight. 'I didn't know that a plane was missing. I went straight home and told my wife about it. I told my family, "I saw this strange plane". This is the biggest plane I have ever seen from this island...I have seen pictures of the missing plane- I believe I saw the plane...I strongly felt those people who were searching should come here,' Mr Ibrahim said. The Maldvies National Defence Force released a statement in March last year which denied that there had been any aircrafts in the area at the time of the disappearance, which locals have branded as an attempt to hide the limitations of their radar facilities. A local media outlet reported that witnesses saw the plane was travelling north to southeast, and that the plane was travelling so low it's doors could be seen. 'I've never seen a jet flying so low over our island before. We've seen seaplanes, but I'm sure that this was not one of those. I could even make out the doors on the plane clearly,' an eyewitness said.. 'It's not just me either, several other residents have reported seeing the exact same thing. Some people got out of their houses to see what was causing the tremendous noise too.' The plane dropped off the civilian radar after its transponder and other equipment were switched off shortly after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur. It was then tracked by Malaysia’s military radar heading towards the Indian Ocean. The reports from Kudahuvadhoo follow information released from Curtin University that a 'clear acoustic signal' was recorded at a time reasonably consistent with the timeline of the plane's disappearance. Dr Alec Duncan and his associates from the university's Centre for Marine Science and Technology began investigating a low-frequency underwater sound signal which was recorded west of Rottnest Island just after 1:30 am UTC on March 8. The Centre, along with United Nations’ Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) and Geoscience Australia were involved in investigating data that might prove helpful to the search, and originally determined that the noise's source was close to the Maldives and Kudahuvadhoo. 'Data from one of the IMOS (Integrated Marine Observing System) recorders showed a clear acoustic signal at a time that was reasonably consistent with other information relating to the disappearance of MH370,' Dr Duncan said in a statement released by Curtin University. 'The crash of a large aircraft in the ocean would be a high energy event and expected to generate intense underwater sounds.' Dr Duncan said that the noise may have been due to a geological event, including a small earth tremor, but the timing piqued the interest of his research team. 'It would be more correct to say that our team has identified an approximate possible location for the origin of a noise that is probably of geological origin, but cannot be ruled out as being connected with the loss of MH370,' he said.

A Malaysian woman on a flight across the Indian Ocean claimed to have seen an aircraft in the water near the Andaman Islands on the day the jet disappeared. The Kuala Lumpur wife was so convinced about what she saw at 2.30pm on March 8, several hours after MH370 vanished, that she filed an official report with police that very day, five days before the search for the plane was expanded to the area around the Andaman Islands. Mrs Latife Dalelah, 53, said she had received scorn about her account, including from a pilot who said the aircraft she was on would have been too high for her to have seen anything on the ocean below. But she insists that she saw a silver object in the shape of an aircraft on the water as she was flying from Jeddah to Kuala Lumpur. It was about an hour after her aircraft had flown past the southern Indian city of Chennai. 'Throughout the journey I was staring out of the window of the aircraft as I couldn't sleep during the flight,' she told the New Straits Times. The in-flight monitor showed that her plane was crossing the Indian Ocean and she had seen several ships and islands - before she saw the silvery object. 'I took a closer look and was shocked to see what looked like the tail and wing of an aircraft on the water,' she said. 'I woke my friends on the flight but they laughed me off,' she added. The same reaction has come from a pilot who questioned how anyone flying at about seven miles above sea level could see anything like a boat or ship from so high up. But Dalelah insisted to the paper: 'I know what I saw. I am convinced that I saw the aircraft. I will not lie. I had just returned from my pilgrimage.' A large part of what she thought was an aircraft was submerged, she said. When she tried to tell an air stewardess what she had seen, she was told to get some sleep. When her plane landed at Kuala Lumpur at about 4pm on that Saturday she told her children what she had seen. 'That is when they told me that MH370 had gone missing.' 'My son-in-law, a policeman, was convinced that I had seen an aircraft and asked me to lodge a police report the same day. The islands lie across a route MH370 could have taken after radar contact was lost and it would easily have been able to reach them before Mrs Dalelah's sighting at 2.30pm. After its transponder was turned off at 1.21am on March 8 the plane, with enough fuel to last 2,500 miles, turned west, following an established route towards India. An ephemeral satellite ping registered at 8.11am suggested the plane was heading in one of two directions - south to where the potential debris was spotted, or north into China and central Asia. The Andaman Islands lie 890 miles to the north-west of Kuala Lumpur, well within range. Officials still haven't ruled out MH370 being found in a northerly location, with aircraft and ships renewing their search in the Andaman Sea between India and Thailand on Friday.

New Zealand oil field worker Mike McKay is adamant he saw the burning wreckage of infamous Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 crash into the South China Sea last year. The Boeing 777 with its 239 passengers and crew vanished en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 2014. But 57-year-old Mr McKay believes the search effort was in the wrong area. "Almost a year has passed, but I stand by what I saw," he says. "I've thought about it and thought about it, over and over and while I cannot say for certain that the burning object in the sky was definitely MH370, the timing fits in with when the Malaysian plane lost contact. "If it was MH370 I cannot imagine how it could have continued flying. It could only have come down in the South China Sea. "I have been trying to disprove that what I saw was the aeroplane ever since." McKay believed he saw Flight MH370 ablaze as it flew over the horizon in the South China Sea. The reported sighting took place after McKay had gone to bed on the oil-rig Songa Mercur, off the coast of Vietnamese town Vung Tau, at around 7pm. The New Zealander got up at around midnight looking for a cigarette and a coffee. "I got up at around midnight Vietnam Time, which is one hour ahead of Malaysian time, and wandered around to an area at the back as usual for a cigarette and a coffee," he said. "It was a beautiful night with good visibility because it had been raining, which always tends to clear the air. "I saw a sudden glow of fire above the horizon – which caught my immediate attention – although, of course I could not have known whether it was definitely an aircraft or not." Mr McKay penned an email to Vietnamese officials describing the incident three days later. "I believe I saw the Malaysian Airlines plane come down. The timing is right," he wrote. McKay wrote in his email that he had tried to contact Malaysia and Vietnamese officials "several days earlier" before. In his letter, he records the longitude and latitude of his location when he saw the "sudden glow of fire". He added: "I observed (the plane?) burning at high altitude on a compass bearing of 265 degrees to 275 degrees from our surface location. "While I observed the burning (plane) it appeared to be in ONE piece. "From when I first saw the burning (plane) until the flames went out (still at high altitude) was 10-15 seconds. "There was no lateral movement, so it was either coming toward our location, stationary (falling) or going away from our location." (sic) The oil-rig worker, who worked in the oil and gas exploration industry for some 30 years, was "kicked off" the Songa Mercur rig after his email went public. McKay later made a statement to New Zealand Police for Interpol on his return home from the rig. "There's a lot about this whole affair that niggles me and I've considered numerous questions as to whether there has been a cover up or there has been a show of inefficiency," he added. "I learned that Malaysian military had picked up a possible signal over Penang [an island off the west coast of the Malaysian peninsular] but didn't report it immediately. "Of course, if it was from the plane, it means that contrary to my belief that it had come down in the South China Sea it had managed to turn around and fly back across the mainland. "But what has also annoyed me is the fact that the Vietnamese searchers were stood-down after performing one flight based on my observation before the whole search effort was moved to the other side of the peninsular."