Hours before the DCA crash... a Lufthansa A-380 with 530 souls aboard made a similar approach into Dulles

[WarGamer]

So yeah... this is all my opinion, I'm not an aviation expert professional.

I've flown 100's of flights in my life.

Seasoned fliers know that take-off and approach are the most dangerous times of a flight, but...

We all take a deep breath and smile when the long approach turns into the final descent with less than a minute til touching down.

60 people, wiped out... *evidently* because of a stupid training mission for the US Military into crowded airspace.

Today's news is that it may not have been a "normal" training flight but a special surprise mission to test readiness without preparation.

Also evidently... the helicopter pretty much flew DIRECTLY into the path of the CRJ. If they were wearing NVG, it's even more unacceptable.

Stop ALL training military craft NEAR any commercial airport.

Yes, we will wait for the final report... a couple YEARS from now but this is some fucked up shit that can be fixed now.

Let's see a bipartisan bill to hire more ATC, regulate their working hours and pay them like the highly trained professionals they are.

Recruit them from colleges... get the geniuses in there. PAY THEM.

BTW I don't care if the ATC are white, black, yellow, green, blue or chartreuse... man, woman... don't care. I want geniuses.

[regnaD kciN]

1. I didn't know they flew heavies into DCA...

…I thought those all went to Dulles.

[WarGamer]

2. edited, thx

[dem4decades]

3. Is it all practice to fly muckie mucks around because they don't want to drive?

[andy_smalls]

4. That seems dumb

Why would you not train for stuff that is going to happen? Flying is an inherently dangerous business, you probably want to train for anything and everything that may arise. Yeah it's a tragic accident, but you learn the lessons, you apply them and you move on. that's all you can do.

[WarGamer]

5. they shouldn't train around civilians...

Military personnel signed up for that... we didn't.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

6. They have to train

where they would be operating in a real world situation.

I agree that that there are way too many helicopters flying around in the DCA airspace (not just by the runways) but I would prefer they get rid of ones not related to military training.

Tell the VIPs they can take a car across town, tell the news crews that they don’t need helicopters to monitor traffic, and minimize all the Park Service helicopters flying around.

[andy_smalls]

9. yeah i disagree

I find the idea that if something is difficult or dangerous, then we shouldn't do it, abhorrent. there is going to be time where military pilots have to fly in busy airspace, i would hope they have had experience before the situation arises for the first time under pressure.

[Iggo]

12. Fuck that. Maybe the military guys signed up for that. The civilians on the commercial flight certainly did not.

That’s the way it goes?

Shit happens?

Move on?

No.

Fuck that.

[Hitorque]

7. National can handle a 380?? 😮

[pdxflyboy]

8. It was Dulles.

n/t

[hlthe2b]

10. Why is a fully loaded plane (A380) landing in Dulles--one that would not have been allowed to land at National being

compared to this situation. "Landing/Flying on the same path--same approach?" I don't think so.

What is the point you are making comparing such very different situations?

[WarGamer]

11. the point I'm making is... this could have been much worse.

The irresponsible actions of those responsible (those who flew straight into the CRJ?) could have claimed hundreds of lives...

Whether it was the AirBus a321Neo that was taking off just as the CRJ was struck with 200+ pax on board or an A380 with 500+ at Dulles isn't the point.

This is not a safe place for the military to be "practicing".

But it's too bad you missed most of the OP.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

14. We don't yet know

if the helicopter crew was irresponsible or if there was a problem with their instruments or ATC instruments.

There has been talk of the ATC instruments showing the helicopter at 200 feet at last transmission, while public flight tracking sites showed it at 350 feet. That discrepancy will need to be looked at.

We can say with certainty that the deaths were caused by the helicopter hitting the plane. What we can’t say with certainty until the investigation is complete is why the helicopter was in a position where it could hit the plane.

[WarGamer]

15. You're right, of course...

But the NTSB report will take years.

Actions because of/from the crash should take place NOW.

Obviously I'm no expert... but it seems logical that if there IS a "Continuity of Gov't" Operation or Training mission underway, maybe ATC has a few planes reroute to allow a minute long window to cross the runways area?

This is nearly the equivalent of taking a tank crew to Times Square and shooting at "dummy" tanks and APC and "Oh don't mistake a NYC taxi for an APC"

Like I said in the OP, I'd like to see immediate changes to procedures... and long term a bipartisan Bill out of Congress to hire the right people and pay them.

Right now... if you're the kind of person with THAT kind of brain, you're seeking that Quantitative Analyst job at Goldman Sachs...

Well, start the ATC at $120K a year with the promise of 0% Federal Income Tax for life... Incentivize with Fed bonds and give generous paid vaca time with free travel worldwide.

Treat thee people like rock stars.

An ER surgeon MIGHT save 100 lives a year...

An ATC'er keeps tens of thousands alive every shift.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

16. Agree 100%

that we can’t wait for the full report - it’s absolutely the right idea to ban such flights for now, which I believe has already been done.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

17. Also agree

with making this a highly desirable job with salary and benefits commensurate with the responsibilities.

[Baitball Blogger]

13. If it was an unplanned training mission to evacuate important people in the White House...

well, wow. I hope Trump is shaking in his golf shoes.