Thanks so much for sharing your insights into this crash and what might have caused it. Also appreciate your refusal to weaponize the tragedy. Although I think Trump doing it is much worse because he's the f.. freaking President, I have seen a few anti - Trump people using it to dunk on Trump, or at least use it as an opportunity to harp on how unqualified his recently chosen nominees were.
Thanks. As always, your expert commentary on aviation matters is appreciated. I read this post and the recent one about the crash in South Korea. I mentally connected the two events with an experience I had when returning to downtown Atlanta via helicopter from a trip that involved several stops - the last one being near Newnan. We flew directly over the Hartsfield control tower at an altitude of 1000 feet. Being a nervous flyer, I asked why. The pilot said that was the safest route at the time. I am now wondering what might have happened if an inbound flight had to pull up out of an aborted landing. No wonder I refuse to fly since I retired.
We fly over ATL pretty often going from PDK to Columbus. Ironically, right over the top is pretty safe because we don’t conflict with arrivals and departures, which are below us near ground level. If we skirt to the East or west, we have to stay under the ATL traffic a lot longer.
I will bet that you are way higher than 1000 feet when you do that. Our corporate hangar was at PDK. We usually got a good view of the Doraville GM assembly plant and I-285 when landing in fixed wing craft. Helicopters picked us up and brought us back to downtown area. Lot of nice planes at PDK. The best paint jobs were on those belonging to Honey Baked Ham.
We need more army VIP choppers flying visual at night at DCA just to keep ATC on its toes and to bring the thrill of risk back into commercial aviation.
People were warning about Reagan and the airspace around it back in the 1970s when I was regularly flying into DC. By all means, figure out what happened and make adjustments to policies and procedures, but leave off the blovating.
I’d only add that I would find it very odd if the H-60 crew were not on NVG’s. So assuming they were, the CRJ’s position lights and anti-collision lights would be very obvious. That leads me to think that maybe something caused both pilots in the H-60 shift their focus and fixate on something internal to the cockpit (other than flight gauges).That might explain the apparent altitude deviation and the lack of attempt to deviate course.
We need more army VIP choppers flying visual at night at DCA just to keep ATC on its toes and to bring the thrill of risk back into commercial aviation.
Thanks so much for sharing your insights into this crash and what might have caused it. Also appreciate your refusal to weaponize the tragedy. Although I think Trump doing it is much worse because he's the f.. freaking President, I have seen a few anti - Trump people using it to dunk on Trump, or at least use it as an opportunity to harp on how unqualified his recently chosen nominees were.
Terrible tragedy.
Thanks for the expert insight and explanations.
It's case closed on this already. President sharpie has decreed it was DEI so DEI it must be.
Thanks. As always, your expert commentary on aviation matters is appreciated. I read this post and the recent one about the crash in South Korea. I mentally connected the two events with an experience I had when returning to downtown Atlanta via helicopter from a trip that involved several stops - the last one being near Newnan. We flew directly over the Hartsfield control tower at an altitude of 1000 feet. Being a nervous flyer, I asked why. The pilot said that was the safest route at the time. I am now wondering what might have happened if an inbound flight had to pull up out of an aborted landing. No wonder I refuse to fly since I retired.
We fly over ATL pretty often going from PDK to Columbus. Ironically, right over the top is pretty safe because we don’t conflict with arrivals and departures, which are below us near ground level. If we skirt to the East or west, we have to stay under the ATL traffic a lot longer.
I will bet that you are way higher than 1000 feet when you do that. Our corporate hangar was at PDK. We usually got a good view of the Doraville GM assembly plant and I-285 when landing in fixed wing craft. Helicopters picked us up and brought us back to downtown area. Lot of nice planes at PDK. The best paint jobs were on those belonging to Honey Baked Ham.
Thanks David. I knew this was up your alley and looked all day for your perspective.
We need more army VIP choppers flying visual at night at DCA just to keep ATC on its toes and to bring the thrill of risk back into commercial aviation.
People were warning about Reagan and the airspace around it back in the 1970s when I was regularly flying into DC. By all means, figure out what happened and make adjustments to policies and procedures, but leave off the blovating.
Fantastic post. Thanks.
I’d only add that I would find it very odd if the H-60 crew were not on NVG’s. So assuming they were, the CRJ’s position lights and anti-collision lights would be very obvious. That leads me to think that maybe something caused both pilots in the H-60 shift their focus and fixate on something internal to the cockpit (other than flight gauges).That might explain the apparent altitude deviation and the lack of attempt to deviate course.
Good info; thank you.
We need more army VIP choppers flying visual at night at DCA just to keep ATC on its toes and to bring the thrill of risk back into commercial aviation.