I accept it. If you are going to judge a nation professionals, then you need to understand the situations they are in. The pilots were beam to beak at one point and it’s hard to discern aircraft lights from surrounding city lights. Perhaps aircraft lights need to be a certain color that will stand out at night and not be used by cities. |
I’m sure it will be released, but they probably asked for and were given a delay |
And VIP flights. This may have been one. |
You must be more literal than Trump. I mean, if Trump had an actual problem with literality and precision, he would have made a joke about being a being a bird, not swimming in the river. Let's not defend what will go down as one of the most unpresidential responses in the history of time. |
It actually would have been fine for him to say "no there are no plans for me to visit the site -- we need to give them space to do their work." Asking that question doesn't mean he has to say yes. He just needs to not be a snotty jerk about it. This is the kind of response you get from a 12 year old and then you say "let's try that again without the attitude, okay?" It is fine if he doesn't visit the site. There are no survivors and it's a spread out site and there may not be a good reason for him to go. But is he incapable of answering that question without sarcasm and rudeness? Apparently, yes. His second administration is just going to lead to more deterioration of social norms that help underpin our society. People watch him do this stuff and defend it and applaud it, and that normalizes it for everyone else to start acting that way. If everyone acts like Trump, though, we don't even have a society. We just have a bunch of petulant a$$holes competing over resources and lying and cheating and being aggressive about it. Sounds great. |
But by three people?? That seems really unlikely that three people are in the same BH and so mentally disturbed that they are not only suicidal but willing to kill a plane full of people. |
While I don't agree that it's fine for him to not go (it's 10 min from the WH) I agree with everything else you said. |
It seems critical thinking and common sense was lacking in the helo’s occupants. Kind of impulsive behavior. |
No one is disputing that it might have been hard for the helicopter pilots to see the plane. That is accepted. The point is that this is not a sufficient explanation for the accident. It is a part of the picture but those of you who just keep repeating "it was hard for them to see the plane under those conditions" aren't getting that this is not enough. Why wasn't radar consulted? Why didn't they see the plane once they were no longer nose-to-nose? Why didn't ATC calling out a second time to see if they had visual separation raise an alarm for them to possibly confirm that they were looking at the right aircraft? Why didn't they confirm location of the plane they were looking at when ATC called back in order to ensure they were referring to the same plane? And even beyond the visual separation issue: Why did the helicopter rise to 350 feet in violation of the flight plane? Why did they bank west toward the airport at the worst possible moment regardless of where other planes were (directly in front of National's runways for incoming traffic)? Responding to these questions by saying "well you see, it is very hard to see a plane that is right in front of you when flying at night" is not going to make people stop asking these questions. Noted. Now explain all the other stuff. |
It definitely was one. A training flight doesn't take off from Langley. They were dropping someone off. |
The non-pilot was likely oblivious and just along for the ride in the back. Perhaps the instructor took control and the student pilot just went with it. Chain of command and all--you don't question. Who knows. It's not outside the realm of possibilities. The prevailing theory behind the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight 370 is suicide and there were 3 pilots on board. Unfortunately intent is almost impossible to prove after the fact. 🙁 |
What? When has a name not been released due to the family’s request? I want an example. |
Really only two people because the crew chief had no access to controls and could not have done anything. But I agree with you that suggestions that this was a suicidal or homicidal act are not appropriate right now. The only evidence for that is extremely weak (people thinking it "looks intentional" the way the helicopter hits the plane) or circumstantial. But also I try to remember that people are looking for answers because the accident is scary to them. Assigning blame is an effort to exercise control over a situation that feels outside of their control. It is not a mature reaction but it's also not an atypical one. I am hoping the military can provide some answers to some of the pending questions that might put some of these theories to rest. |
PP didn't link. It's probably a rumor. |
I personally think it's fine for him not to go because usually the only reason for a president to visit a site like this is to provide a boost for the first responders and to bring attention to the recovery efforts. Trump has already shown that he has no interest in boosting morale and that he would only bring the wrong kinds of attention to the effort (spouting off nonsense conspiracy theories or trying to lay blame without having all or even any of the facts). So there is truly no reason for him to go even if it's literally in his backyard. |