Anonymous
Post 02/03/2025 18:01     Subject: Plane crash DCA?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I can't go back reading 200 pages. What is the VIP thing? They dropped one off at National? Were supposed to pick one up at National? Taking one somewhere and there are 4 on the Blackhawk? Or what? Thanks.


The Black Hawk helicopter turned on it's transponder just outside of Langley. It's home location is Ft. Belvoir in Alexandria. It was never going to DCA. It dropped someone at Langley and then was returning to Belvoir along the Helo route that passes DCA.


Wait if there was a VIP, they can’t be bothered to travel by car from Alexandria to Langley?? That’s like 20 minutes. This is what our country is using these black hawks for? Unreal.


This is not the primary use for Black Hawks--but we are in peacetime (for now).

What do you suggest they do with old Black Hawks? Sell them for scrap?


How is flying them through busy air space and risking collisions with civilian aircraft an option, though? Are you telling me because we’re not at war, the only alternative is to convert them into VIP taxis that necessarily impose a risk of collision with commercial jets flying into DCA?
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2025 17:33     Subject: Plane crash DCA?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I can't go back reading 200 pages. What is the VIP thing? They dropped one off at National? Were supposed to pick one up at National? Taking one somewhere and there are 4 on the Blackhawk? Or what? Thanks.


The Black Hawk helicopter turned on it's transponder just outside of Langley. It's home location is Ft. Belvoir in Alexandria. It was never going to DCA. It dropped someone at Langley and then was returning to Belvoir along the Helo route that passes DCA.


Wait if there was a VIP, they can’t be bothered to travel by car from Alexandria to Langley?? That’s like 20 minutes. This is what our country is using these black hawks for? Unreal.


This is not the primary use for Black Hawks--but we are in peacetime (for now).

What do you suggest they do with old Black Hawks? Sell them for scrap?
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2025 17:20     Subject: Plane crash DCA?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So am I getting this straight—MAGA was desperate to get the BH pilot name because not releasing it was a conspiracy, but now they are aghast that people want the VIP’s name because it’s not some conspiracy?


I am the opposite of MAGA, but don’t think any of these names have a ton of relevance to what happened.


Look I wouldn't have thought to assign any blame to the VIP, but it is so logical to explain the chain of events that not releasing the name seems weird to a lot of us. And then the PP who is so riled up about it is making us all think that VIP's identity is an embarrassing secret or an appalling abuse of power, when most of us were expecting some boring old senator. If in fact it's an inappropriate use of the BH, then it is very relevant because the BH shouldn't have been there (and at the very least the people allowing these abuses deserve to be shamed). If it isn't an inappropriate use, then many of us still think that the use of BH to avoid 20 minutes of traffic should be evaluated.

But there's a PP who thinks asking these questions and evaluating the use of BHs is sharing secrets with the enemy.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2025 17:13     Subject: Plane crash DCA?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So am I getting this straight—MAGA was desperate to get the BH pilot name because not releasing it was a conspiracy, but now they are aghast that people want the VIP’s name because it’s not some conspiracy?


I am the opposite of MAGA, but don’t think any of these names have a ton of relevance to what happened.


You may not think so.
Others do.


Tilt away at those windmills! I hope it makes you feel better.


I think VIP flight information should be public. It's already been determined there are too many helicopters flying in the DCA area. Finding out who is taking all these flights is legitimate information that should be known.

If it turns out 50% of the flights are purely for some VIPs convenience then there's your starting point percentage for cutting them off.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2025 17:13     Subject: Plane crash DCA?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So am I getting this straight—MAGA was desperate to get the BH pilot name because not releasing it was a conspiracy, but now they are aghast that people want the VIP’s name because it’s not some conspiracy?


Almost. It's that releasing it threatens national security.


LOL

Explain how so?


A PP compared it to sharing secrets with China and Russia.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2025 17:00     Subject: Plane crash DCA?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So am I getting this straight—MAGA was desperate to get the BH pilot name because not releasing it was a conspiracy, but now they are aghast that people want the VIP’s name because it’s not some conspiracy?


I am the opposite of MAGA, but don’t think any of these names have a ton of relevance to what happened.


You may not think so.
Others do.


Tilt away at those windmills! I hope it makes you feel better.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2025 16:53     Subject: Plane crash DCA?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So am I getting this straight—MAGA was desperate to get the BH pilot name because not releasing it was a conspiracy, but now they are aghast that people want the VIP’s name because it’s not some conspiracy?


I am the opposite of MAGA, but don’t think any of these names have a ton of relevance to what happened.


You may not think so.
Others do.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2025 16:46     Subject: Plane crash DCA?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So am I getting this straight—MAGA was desperate to get the BH pilot name because not releasing it was a conspiracy, but now they are aghast that people want the VIP’s name because it’s not some conspiracy?


Almost. It's that releasing it threatens national security.


With no coherent explanation as to how or why, of course.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2025 16:45     Subject: Plane crash DCA?
Anonymous wrote:So am I getting this straight—MAGA was desperate to get the BH pilot name because not releasing it was a conspiracy, but now they are aghast that people want the VIP’s name because it’s not some conspiracy?


I am the opposite of MAGA, but don’t think any of these names have a ton of relevance to what happened.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2025 16:45     Subject: Plane crash DCA?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So am I getting this straight—MAGA was desperate to get the BH pilot name because not releasing it was a conspiracy, but now they are aghast that people want the VIP’s name because it’s not some conspiracy?


Almost. It's that releasing it threatens national security.


LOL

Explain how so?
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2025 16:45     Subject: Plane crash DCA?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm so disappointed that no one is discussing the need to reduce the traffic at DCA. The airport was never meant to have 25 million passengers flying in and out every minute every day with military helicopters crossing the airspace constantly. Unless they move pentagon and the white house and the hundreds and thousands of VIPs away, you will never be able to get rid of the helicopter flights. The restrictions on the nearby airspace won't be changed either. They need to reduce the traffic at DCA by at least half, and get dedicated ATCs for both commercial flights and helicopters. If there weren't a line of planes waiting to land, the helicopter could have held its position and wait for an opening to cross safely - no need for these altitude rules with razor thin margin of error. And THAT should be the solution, NOT to bend to the selfish wishes of some politicians who want 20 minutes less of commute to the airport.


People are talking about this. It was the first thing everyone brought up. Right now it is not front and center because everything airport/commercial airline-wise seems to have gone according to plan. I agree that this question should be addressed, though.

I totally disagree about the helo traffic, though. That needs to be reassessed : who uses them? how often? why? and which routes? I am betting all of these can be adjusted. I can't imagine why ANYONE except maybe president and vice president need to travel by helicopter ever. Bad for the environment, bad for taxpayers, and it turns out a huge safety issue. Stop the helicopters and sit in traffic on the phone or on your laptop like everyone else.


+1000


Sitting in traffic like everyone else would be nice experience for the P and VP. However, being on the iPhone or the laptop while driving leads to accidents. Lanes would be blocked, and we’ll all be affected.


Please VIPs have self-driving cars. Or at least drivers.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2025 16:43     Subject: Plane crash DCA?
Anonymous wrote:So am I getting this straight—MAGA was desperate to get the BH pilot name because not releasing it was a conspiracy, but now they are aghast that people want the VIP’s name because it’s not some conspiracy?


Almost. It's that releasing it threatens national security.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2025 16:40     Subject: Plane crash DCA?
So am I getting this straight—MAGA was desperate to get the BH pilot name because not releasing it was a conspiracy, but now they are aghast that people want the VIP’s name because it’s not some conspiracy?
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2025 16:36     Subject: Plane crash DCA?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm so disappointed that no one is discussing the need to reduce the traffic at DCA. The airport was never meant to have 25 million passengers flying in and out every minute every day with military helicopters crossing the airspace constantly. Unless they move pentagon and the white house and the hundreds and thousands of VIPs away, you will never be able to get rid of the helicopter flights. The restrictions on the nearby airspace won't be changed either. They need to reduce the traffic at DCA by at least half, and get dedicated ATCs for both commercial flights and helicopters. If there weren't a line of planes waiting to land, the helicopter could have held its position and wait for an opening to cross safely - no need for these altitude rules with razor thin margin of error. And THAT should be the solution, NOT to bend to the selfish wishes of some politicians who want 20 minutes less of commute to the airport.


People are talking about this. It was the first thing everyone brought up. Right now it is not front and center because everything airport/commercial airline-wise seems to have gone according to plan. I agree that this question should be addressed, though.

I totally disagree about the helo traffic, though. That needs to be reassessed : who uses them? how often? why? and which routes? I am betting all of these can be adjusted. I can't imagine why ANYONE except maybe president and vice president need to travel by helicopter ever. Bad for the environment, bad for taxpayers, and it turns out a huge safety issue. Stop the helicopters and sit in traffic on the phone or on your laptop like everyone else.


+1000


Sitting in traffic like everyone else would be nice experience for the P and VP. However, being on the iPhone or the laptop while driving leads to accidents. Lanes would be blocked, and we’ll all be affected.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2025 16:32     Subject: Plane crash DCA?
The flights out of national need to be substantially reduced. There is excess capacity for more flights from Dulles and BWI. There is absolutely no logical reason to have a nonstop flight out of national to freakin Wichita.