#5 All of this is assuming the Army is at fault. Rules of a control zone, especially one like DC, are directed and the responsibility of the tower, approach control in particular. To say the hawk was 100' off and this caused the crash is silly. They have a ATC required spacing distance, one is in separation, I believe its 500' at the DC airport, I could be wrong, it might be more. Then you NEVER allow an aircraft on approach fly over another aircraft while on short final. And,"Hay get eyes on the aircraft on approach, is not a correct answer. The hawk was to be at 200' plus or minus 100', The radar and aircraft put it between 200 and 400'. possibly 100' out of its flight envelope. The jet needed to be at 800' plus or minus 100'. All of which should have made it ok, even with the ATC failure to properly space. Then they said the hawk was not on the correct flight lane, the deviation described, if true, put the aircraft on the other side of the river, further away from the airport, thus increasing the required altitude of the jet liner.
The PIC, Pilot in command, had enough hours to be where he was. The Captain was a low time pilot, but she was flying with an instructor pilot. There was nothing wrong with that mix, its how its done. Lastly, pilots ALL have extra duties. Hers was as liaison in DC. So what.
This is a major airline slandering a military crew to sway opinion before the NTSB get done in an effort to divert liability, or to only have to accept partial liability. They are being very good at picking things like hours, female, etc... in an effort, hoping, that this will be contributing factors in the crash. Again, to try to limit liability. I can only imagine how hard the airline is pressuring the NTSB leaders and congress, let alone the money they are spending in new articles like this... |
[Breitbart] A recent deadly collision over Washington, D.C. involving an Army helicopter has brought sudden national scrutiny to the service and its missions over the nation’s capital, but a master Army aviator told Breitbart News that they had been at risk for years.