AVIATION TALKING HEADS AND AIRLINE CRASHES

AIRLINE CRASHES 

AND 

TALKING HEADS

I represent two TV stations in Phoenix as an aviation expert. When an event occurs I want to have facts at hand, or I will not go on the air.

When the Asiana 777 crashed on approach in San Francisco (SFO) I was called to give my opinion, but I did not have any facts and declined. I heard talking heads giving their explanation for the crash from everything to terrorism and mechanical issues. When the facts came out it was the crew that flew a perfectly good 777 into the ground in severe blue skies. The ILS was out of service, and all the pilots had to do was fly a visual approach in perfect weather. Facts came out that these pilots flew with the autopilot after taking off and turning it on several hundred feet above the runway until they arrived at SFO, and then they turned the auto pilot off several hundred feet above the runway environment to hand fly the approach. GA pilots, like myself, hand fly the airplane if they do not have an auto pilot. If not in IMC I fly a visual approach to the airport. Lack of hand flying caused this accident.

Over the weekend a Maylasia 777 disappeared over the water in SE Asia. The talking heads came out of the woodwork. First thing I heard was the plane ran out of fuel. Then I heard the plane had wing repairs and the wing fell off in flight. Then I heard there were two aboard with fake passports and it was terrorism. The next thing that came out was that 370 was highjacked and taken below radar levels. Then I heard the plane was shot down. The last thing I heard was it must have been a pilot committing suicide.

At the time I am writing this column no wreckage has been recovered from flight 370, and no one knows for sure what has happened to this plane. Until we find out what really happened I wish that all the talking heads would go back under the covers as they have nothing relevant to say. One day we will find out what happened to 370. Until then everyone please keep their mouths shut!