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SheilaT

(23,156 posts)

42. I am likewise glad you weren't on that plane,

Tue Mar 24, 2015, 10:40 AM

Mar 2015

but it does make me crazy that people freak out when a plane crashes and decides all flying is unsafe and so they won't fly again. And the crash of a specific plane over a specific route is so incredibly unusual that is has essentially never happened. The closest is the crash of Allegheny 736* on December 24, 1968, and Allegheny 737* on January 6, 1969, both on landing at Bradford Regional Airport, at Bradford, PA, an airport without an instrument landing system (ILS) in snow and reduced visibility. The airline then changed its rules for such landings, and to the best of my knowledge, no such similar pair of crashes has ever happened before or since.

Ex-airline employee here, so I'm very aware of lots of plane crash trivia.

A fast Google search reveals that the deadliest year ever for commercial aviation worldwide, resulted in a total of 2429 deaths.

Almost all of us drive or ride in cars, and even though over 30,000 people die each year in car accidents, hardly anyone gives up driving.

*Flight 736 operated DTW, ERI, BFD, DCA, and flight 737 DCA, BFD, ERI, DTW.

Information is your friend.

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So, I just saw that my plane crashed [View all] DFW Mar 2015 OP

Yikes! Ptah Mar 2015 #1

very scary indeed LittleGirl Mar 2015 #2

It's on the TV now... Blanks Mar 2015 #3

what is RVR? Tuesday Afternoon Mar 2015 #14

Rush versus reality. Blanks Mar 2015 #50

lolol ... probably right about that - Tuesday Afternoon Mar 2015 #53

Barely survived, and then slowly died out. eom Blanks Mar 2015 #59

I use the German abbreviation DFW Mar 2015 #65

It sounds like it lost power and couldn't maintain altitude. dolphinsandtuna Mar 2015 #4

yes, that was my first thought when reading Ptah's reply above. Tuesday Afternoon Mar 2015 #15

Not that one. Alkene Mar 2015 #82

Thanks for checking in!! PassingFair Mar 2015 #5

That has to be freaky liberal N proud Mar 2015 #6

I'd probably take the train myself. malthaussen Mar 2015 #7

It's closer to 1 in 8 million. roody Mar 2015 #8

It would take something like 20 hours to get there by train DFW Mar 2015 #79

Oh, no. How awful...and how scary for you, DFW. mnhtnbb Mar 2015 #9

My aunt and uncle were late for a flight from Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico, they missed the secondwind Mar 2015 #10

I had a similar experience in 1979. Chipper Chat Mar 2015 #20

As usual, you're putting us right in the middle of significant events beyond the USA's borders NBachers Mar 2015 #11

Wait! What book? FourScore Mar 2015 #36

It's a great little page turner. mnhtnbb Mar 2015 #40

I just went over and peeked at the preview. dolphinsandtuna Mar 2015 #56

I've actually had some favorable comments on it DFW Mar 2015 #73

Just put it in my amazon cart! FourScore Mar 2015 #85

That is a lot in common! DFW Mar 2015 #93

Very weird coincidence about my book and this crash DFW Mar 2015 #80

I am terrified Mira Mar 2015 #12

scary, glad you're ok my friend! nt steve2470 Mar 2015 #13

+1 Blue_Tires Mar 2015 #61

Thanks, Steve. My luck is still holding DFW Mar 2015 #96

good to hear that you weren't on it! Tuesday Afternoon Mar 2015 #16

Well! It's a damn good thing you were on the ground! In_The_Wind Mar 2015 #17

an old pilot's saying awoke_in_2003 Mar 2015 #63

Indeed! That's a good one. In_The_Wind Mar 2015 #64

Whoa. that's enough to make me quit smoking Doctor_J Mar 2015 #18

When I saw the news I thought of you right away... panader0 Mar 2015 #19

My mother worked for the now defunct Braniff Airlines back when I was a kid, CTyankee Mar 2015 #21

".... conjecturing sabotage at this point ...." pangaia Mar 2015 #29

Exactly my point! My conjecturing doesn't do a damn thing. But my imagination CTyankee Mar 2015 #46

CT, I have solved the TV problem. pangaia Mar 2015 #49

thanks. I'm hoping to have something ready for this coming Friday... CTyankee Mar 2015 #51

I still have my private license, pangaia Mar 2015 #57

Funny, was just on the phone to the Gagosian Gallery (one of them) in NYC CTyankee Mar 2015 #58

Glad you weren't on that flight. pangaia Mar 2015 #22

It would indeed be Dallas Fort Worth DFW Mar 2015 #66

I can certainly feel that. pangaia Mar 2015 #75

I just heard about that flight--devastating. I'm SOOOOO glad you weren't on it, DFW hlthe2b Mar 2015 #23

Who knows is the operative phrase here. pangaia Mar 2015 #28

"There, but for the grace of God, go I" MannyGoldstein Mar 2015 #24

Whatever happened will have nothing pangaia Mar 2015 #27

Just as DFW is reflecting because this flight is one he often takes MannyGoldstein Mar 2015 #31

I just meant that the route has nothing to do with it. pangaia Mar 2015 #47

Agreed. nt MannyGoldstein Mar 2015 #55

Exactly DFW Mar 2015 #67

"Grace of God" Arugula Latte Mar 2015 #105

I meant it idiomatically rather than literally MannyGoldstein Mar 2015 #107

No, I know. Arugula Latte Mar 2015 #108

Thank Goddess MannyGoldstein Mar 2015 #109

Airbus. If it ain't Boeing, I ain't going. trof Mar 2015 #25

That kinda cuts down on your options here in Europe DFW Mar 2015 #100

I am so glad you were not on that flight! MuseRider Mar 2015 #26

So glad you weren't there mountain grammy Mar 2015 #30

HOLY SHIT pipi_k Mar 2015 #32

OMG, your poor family! It must have been a searing wait to learn she was OK! CTyankee Mar 2015 #48

My cell phone was ringing constantly DFW Mar 2015 #68

I cannot imagine, DFW. Duval Mar 2015 #33

Happy you were not aboard libodem Mar 2015 #34

Jeepers! That would scare the shit outta me too! Coventina Mar 2015 #35

My husband flies them to Switzerland and Austria at least once a month as well. :( Hit close to home flygal Mar 2015 #37

Thought about you, first thing, also... KoKo Mar 2015 #38

Eee-yiii, DFW. I'm so glad you are okay, but what a shock for you. Hekate Mar 2015 #39

I know that, statistically, flying is the safest way to travel... ailsagirl Mar 2015 #41

I am likewise glad you weren't on that plane, SheilaT Mar 2015 #42

It seems that humans are just intrinsically bad at statistics. Perhaps there's an evolutionary petronius Mar 2015 #69

Plane crashes only come in the threes you choose to count. SheilaT Mar 2015 #72

Talk about a chess game with Death! As a kid, I was taught never to have a mortal sin on my soul hedgehog Mar 2015 #43

Whew! Lydia Leftcoast Mar 2015 #44

stuff like this sure makes us re-evaluate all sorts of things Sheepshank Mar 2015 #45

Glad you are safe. femmocrat Mar 2015 #52

Glad you're here. Schema Thing Mar 2015 #54

The good news is the fares should be lower now Major Nikon Mar 2015 #60

don't bet on it. I have only seen my fares to Europe each year go UP CTyankee Mar 2015 #71

Swiss tennis player Marc Rosset was booked on Swissair Flight 111 KamaAina Mar 2015 #62

Guitarist Marcel Dadi was on TWA 800 DFW Mar 2015 #70

You have now joined the "just missed it" club. kairos12 Mar 2015 #74

Actually, I've been a charter member for decades DFW Mar 2015 #76

I like your chances. I'd buy a ticket next to you on the next plane. kairos12 Mar 2015 #77

I admire your guts! DFW Mar 2015 #78

counting this flight, four left. You are a cat, right? dolphinsandtuna Mar 2015 #81

Me? Ow! n/t DFW Mar 2015 #92

If you knew WHO was flying those planes, bvar22 Mar 2015 #83

Sorry, but you haven't got the faintest idea of what....... Capt.Rocky300 Mar 2015 #86

Your premise contradicts the body of your post. bvar22 Mar 2015 #87

You are right..... Capt.Rocky300 Mar 2015 #91

AH...the 60s... What a wonderful time to learn to fly. bvar22 Mar 2015 #110

It does seem a high price to pay...... Capt.Rocky300 Mar 2015 #112

I hope they're all my brother-in-law. a la izquierda Mar 2015 #99

Take the overnight and/ or bullet TGV trains. ErikJ Mar 2015 #84

I think I'm staying away from Europe and points East for a while, No Vested Interest Mar 2015 #88

That is one yearning you should give in to!!!!! DFW Mar 2015 #95

Wow! That's like something out of a movie! Sad for those who lost their lives. :( C Moon Mar 2015 #89

Fly KLM or Lufthansa to Madrid--then take the train to Barcelona--it's a 3 hour trip. MADem Mar 2015 #90

German Wings IS Lufthansa DFW Mar 2015 #94

Do they share maintenance crews, or do the GW craft get the 2nd tier guys? MADem Mar 2015 #97

I don't know to what extent they share maintenance crews DFW Mar 2015 #98

Glad to hear you are OK MissHoneychurch Mar 2015 #101

Thanks! DFW Mar 2015 #102

That's seriously scary, DFW. My husband & I were on the flight in Hawaii earlier in the day catbyte Mar 2015 #103

I remember that one all too well DFW Mar 2015 #104

Some amazing photos of that plane after it landed. bvar22 Mar 2015 #111

Wow, that is terrifying. Glad you weren't on it. Arugula Latte Mar 2015 #106