I didn't realize DCA runway was so short

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I am a nervous flyer and am scheduled to fly out of DCA tomorrow. Seriously considering canceling the trip. Would you fly out of there tomorrow?

Yes,

All airports have risks.

All flights have risks.

But given on January 20: FAA director fired
➡️ January 21: Air Traffic Controller hiring frozen
➡️ January 22: Aviation Safety Advisory Committee disbanded
➡️ January 28: Buyout/retirement demand sent to existing employees
➡️ January 29: First American mid-air collision in 16 years

This will get worse. Buckle up everyone. Don the con is in control and his type of control is to burn us to the ground and take all the US treasury money as his piggy bank.

Shame on you for insinuating the new administration’s actions caused yesterday’s crash. I mean that. You need to reflect on why you are such an awful person to trivialize this tragedy that killed nearly 70 people.

It’s fair to say the actions taken are likely to hurt aviation safety in the future but unless you can tie them directly to something in the control tower at National, this was just an awful coincidence.

In the future, teach yourself to not leap to conclusions in events like this. Your post was deeply offensive and callous, and you should take some time to explore why you are such an awful person that would go there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now’s probably the safest time - everyone will be on alert.

+1 Plus they've pointed out DCA has been understaffed with Air Traffic Controllers and hopefully they'll fix that. That is, if Elon Musk/DOGE doesn't fire them all and replace them with high school students.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/29/us/plane-crash-washington-dc
Staffing was ‘not normal’ at airport tower, according to a preliminary F.A.A. report.
Staffing at the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport was “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” according to an internal preliminary Federal Aviation Administration safety report about the collision that was reviewed by The New York Times.

The controller who was handling helicopters in the airport’s vicinity Wednesday night was also instructing planes that were landing and departing from its runways. Those jobs typically are assigned to two controllers, rather than one.

This increases the workload for the air traffic controller and can complicate the job. One reason is that the controllers can use different radio frequencies to communicate with pilots flying planes and pilots flying helicopters. While the controller is communicating with pilots of the helicopter and the jet, the two sets of pilots may not be able to hear each other.

This is true, but please don't let it impugn the actions of this controller. From everything publicly available so far, it appears he did everything right. Even after the crash happened, he was on the radio within seconds in a controlled voice, directing the incoming flights away from the airport. A model of professionalism under pressure

I posted that link to point out that one air traffic controller was doing the job of two thanks to federal budget constraints. Even if there was a flaw in their actions, it would be hard to blame the person doing the job of two people through no fault of their own. But if people voted for this DOGE Trump chaos, they are going to be at risk when they use essential public services.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now’s probably the safest time - everyone will be on alert.

+1 Plus they've pointed out DCA has been understaffed with Air Traffic Controllers and hopefully they'll fix that. That is, if Elon Musk/DOGE doesn't fire them all and replace them with high school students.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/29/us/plane-crash-washington-dc
Staffing was ‘not normal’ at airport tower, according to a preliminary F.A.A. report.
Staffing at the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport was “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” according to an internal preliminary Federal Aviation Administration safety report about the collision that was reviewed by The New York Times.

The controller who was handling helicopters in the airport’s vicinity Wednesday night was also instructing planes that were landing and departing from its runways. Those jobs typically are assigned to two controllers, rather than one.

This increases the workload for the air traffic controller and can complicate the job. One reason is that the controllers can use different radio frequencies to communicate with pilots flying planes and pilots flying helicopters. While the controller is communicating with pilots of the helicopter and the jet, the two sets of pilots may not be able to hear each other.

This is true, but please don't let it impugn the actions of this controller. From everything publicly available so far, it appears he did everything right. Even after the crash happened, he was on the radio within seconds in a controlled voice, directing the incoming flights away from the airport. A model of professionalism under pressure

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now’s probably the safest time - everyone will be on alert.

+1 Plus they've pointed out DCA has been understaffed with Air Traffic Controllers and hopefully they'll fix that. That is, if Elon Musk/DOGE doesn't fire them all and replace them with high school students.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/29/us/plane-crash-washington-dc
Staffing was ‘not normal’ at airport tower, according to a preliminary F.A.A. report.
Staffing at the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport was “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” according to an internal preliminary Federal Aviation Administration safety report about the collision that was reviewed by The New York Times.

The controller who was handling helicopters in the airport’s vicinity Wednesday night was also instructing planes that were landing and departing from its runways. Those jobs typically are assigned to two controllers, rather than one.

This increases the workload for the air traffic controller and can complicate the job. One reason is that the controllers can use different radio frequencies to communicate with pilots flying planes and pilots flying helicopters. While the controller is communicating with pilots of the helicopter and the jet, the two sets of pilots may not be able to hear each other.

Anonymous wrote:Now’s probably the safest time - everyone will be on alert.

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I am a nervous flyer and am scheduled to fly out of DCA tomorrow. Seriously considering canceling the trip. Would you fly out of there tomorrow?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I am a nervous flyer and am scheduled to fly out of DCA tomorrow. Seriously considering canceling the trip. Would you fly out of there tomorrow?

Yes,

All airports have risks.

All flights have risks.

But given on January 20: FAA director fired
➡️ January 21: Air Traffic Controller hiring frozen
➡️ January 22: Aviation Safety Advisory Committee disbanded
➡️ January 28: Buyout/retirement demand sent to existing employees
➡️ January 29: First American mid-air collision in 16 years

This will get worse. Buckle up everyone. Don the con is in control and his type of control is to burn us to the ground and take all the US treasury money as his piggy bank.

Shame on you for insinuating the new administration’s actions caused yesterday’s crash. I mean that. You need to reflect on why you are such an awful person to trivialize this tragedy that killed nearly 70 people.

It’s fair to say the actions taken are likely to hurt aviation safety in the future but unless you can tie them directly to something in the control tower at National, this was just an awful coincidence.

In the future, teach yourself to not leap to conclusions in events like this. Your post was deeply offensive and callous, and you should take some time to explore why you are such an awful person that would go there.

None of what PP wrote is "trivial".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I am a nervous flyer and am scheduled to fly out of DCA tomorrow. Seriously considering canceling the trip. Would you fly out of there tomorrow?

Yes,

All airports have risks.

All flights have risks.

But given on January 20: FAA director fired
➡️ January 21: Air Traffic Controller hiring frozen
➡️ January 22: Aviation Safety Advisory Committee disbanded
➡️ January 28: Buyout/retirement demand sent to existing employees
➡️ January 29: First American mid-air collision in 16 years

This will get worse. Buckle up everyone. Don the con is in control and his type of control is to burn us to the ground and take all the US treasury money as his piggy bank.

Shame on you for insinuating the new administration’s actions caused yesterday’s crash. I mean that. You need to reflect on why you are such an awful person to trivialize this tragedy that killed nearly 70 people.

It’s fair to say the actions taken are likely to hurt aviation safety in the future but unless you can tie them directly to something in the control tower at National, this was just an awful coincidence.

In the future, teach yourself to not leap to conclusions in events like this. Your post was deeply offensive and callous, and you should take some time to explore why you are such an awful person that would go there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I am a nervous flyer and am scheduled to fly out of DCA tomorrow. Seriously considering canceling the trip. Would you fly out of there tomorrow?

Yes,

All airports have risks.

All flights have risks.

But given on January 20: FAA director fired
➡️ January 21: Air Traffic Controller hiring frozen
➡️ January 22: Aviation Safety Advisory Committee disbanded
➡️ January 28: Buyout/retirement demand sent to existing employees
➡️ January 29: First American mid-air collision in 16 years

This will get worse. Buckle up everyone. Don the con is in control and his type of control is to burn us to the ground and take all the US treasury money as his piggy bank.

+1

I have an AA flight out of DCA in 2 weeks. I'm dreading it. I didn't realize DCA runway was so short and military flights were allowed around that airspace.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I am a nervous flyer and am scheduled to fly out of DCA tomorrow. Seriously considering canceling the trip. Would you fly out of there tomorrow?

Yes,

All airports have risks.

All flights have risks.

But given on January 20: FAA director fired
➡️ January 21: Air Traffic Controller hiring frozen
➡️ January 22: Aviation Safety Advisory Committee disbanded
➡️ January 28: Buyout/retirement demand sent to existing employees
➡️ January 29: First American mid-air collision in 16 years

This will get worse. Buckle up everyone. Don the con is in control and his type of control is to burn us to the ground and take all the US treasury money as his piggy bank.

Shame on you for insinuating the new administration’s actions caused yesterday’s crash. I mean that. You need to reflect on why you are such an awful person to trivialize this tragedy that killed nearly 70 people.

It’s fair to say the actions taken are likely to hurt aviation safety in the future but unless you can tie them directly to something in the control tower at National, this was just an awful coincidence.

In the future, teach yourself to not leap to conclusions in events like this. Your post was deeply offensive and callous, and you should take some time to explore why you are such an awful person that would go there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I am a nervous flyer and am scheduled to fly out of DCA tomorrow. Seriously considering canceling the trip. Would you fly out of there tomorrow?

Yes,

All airports have risks.

All flights have risks.

But given on January 20: FAA director fired
➡️ January 21: Air Traffic Controller hiring frozen
➡️ January 22: Aviation Safety Advisory Committee disbanded
➡️ January 28: Buyout/retirement demand sent to existing employees
➡️ January 29: First American mid-air collision in 16 years

This will get worse. Buckle up everyone. Don the con is in control and his type of control is to burn us to the ground and take all the US treasury money as his piggy bank.

+1

I have an AA flight out of DCA in 2 weeks. I'm dreading it. I didn't realize DCA runway was so short and military flights were allowed around that airspace.