Here's a crazy idea on how to increase the chances of locating the missing plane. This is based on the assumption that the flight had indeed crashed in the ocean as many experts seem to believe. Create a compact sonar device specifically designed to locate plane's missing black box and/or other possible debris. I guess such a device is already available. And if not, we ought to be able to create one by customizing the firmware of an existing hardware. A few good programmers, within a couple of pizza and coke loaded nights, ought to be able to turn this around. Make this device send a periodic signal to a satellite. If that requires too much power and could drain the on-board battery too fast, let it send signals to a flying receiver such as a AWACS plane. Alternatively, float a few balloons such as the ones Google experimented with in New Zealand for cheap Internet access equipped the appropriate receiver. Identify a few migratory marine creatures (is that the correct way ...
mostly notes & some thoughts...