Singapore – Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific (DNAP) announced that it will be broadcasting a sixty-minute special – Flight 8501: Storm Disaster, about the tragic events of Air Asia flight 8501.  

 

Air Asia flight 8501, with its 155 passengers and seven crews, was lost in a storm 40 minutes into its journey from Indonesia to Singapore on 28 December 2014 – concluding the worst year for aviation disasters in a decade. 

 

Premiering in April, Flight 8501: Storm Disaster will air on Discovery Channel across Asia Pacific and internationally, in more than 220 countries and territories.

 

Henry Martinez, acting president and managing director of Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, said, “Discovery has always been among the first on the scene to bring topical stories to our viewers – from inspiring tales of heroism and the triumph of the human spirit, to insight and the science behind events. Flight 8501: Storm Disaster attempts to shed some light on the mystery that surrounds the tragedy and provide one of the most comprehensive explanations as to what happened.”

 

Comparing and contrasting the story of Air Asia flight 8501 with recent aviation tragedies such as Air France flight 447 and Malaysia Airlines flight 370, the documentary will examine the impact of the Earth’s changing climate on the aviation industry. It will question whether so-called ‘super storms’ are becoming more frequent and severe, putting planes at greater risk than ever before. It will also explore whether today’s aviation technology leaves pilots too dependent on automation, resulting in information overload in critical situations. 

 

For the first time, computer-generated animation will break down radar data from the final moments of the flight. Leading meteorologists will use bespoke weather data from the day of the accident to look at the effects of the storm on one of the world’s safest planes, the Airbus A320. The special will also demonstrate the consequences of a mid-air stall, performed in a light aircraft by an experienced test pilot, explaining how such an occurrence could have been a factor in Flight 8501’s final moments.

 

The documentary also features exclusive interviews with renowned global experts and those close to the event, including the legal representative for the victims’ families.

 

In Asia Pacific, Flight 8501: Storm Disaster will premiere on Discovery Channel −

Japan on 5 April at 10pm

Australia and New Zealand on 5 April at 7.30pm

Taiwan on 11 April at 9pm

India on 12 April (time TBC)

Malaysia on 12 April at 10pm

Southeast Asia on 12 April at 8pm

China on 24 April (time TBC)