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The big problem I see with something like that isn't technological, but logistical. The kind of device you're talking about could be assembled by a half-way competent electronics geek using off-the-shelf components from your local Radio Shack. The problem is that there's only so many satellites in the sky, and only so many frequencies they can use to communicate. I don't pretend to know how many commercial aircraft circle the globe on a daily basis, so let's just rough it and say a fucking lot. Each one would need bandwidth allocated for all the data. If we're talking co-ordinates, that's one thing. CVR, that's a big chunk more. Telemetry, things start to get crazy. I'm not doing the numbers here so I could be wrong, but it just doesn't seem terribly likely to me that there's enough bandwidth available to support this for every plane in the sky, which defeats the purpose.
Regarding the Air France crash, though, I think you're right. The whole point of terrorist attacks is to inspire terror; hence the name. A freak storm bringing down a plane might make some people afraid to fly, but it doesn't have the same impact as a deliberate attack. The very fact that nobody's claimed this seems to be evidence that it wasn't a man made disaster.
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I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said
- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame
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