Comments on: Putting deadly August to bed

By: computer support

computer support — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 15:26:37 +0000

Today, I went to the beach with my children. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4
year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She placed the shell to her ear and screamed.
There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.
She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is completely off topic but I had to tell
someone!

By: Michael Perdaris

Michael Perdaris — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 16:49:37 +0000

I found this an interesting post. My father was in seat 28J on flight 191 and did not survive. I was 6 years old at the time. Since then, my fascination with aviation has overcome my fear of it. I am now a 3,600 hr ATP and fly professionally as a corporate pilot, and have flown as a charter pilot in King Airs and Citations. I would be interested in seeing additional space devoted to this accident, as it was a turning point in wind shear detection equipment. I have also been told that there are simulation programs based on this accident, and I would like very much to have an opportunity to experience this scenario first hand.

By: Jason

Jason — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 15:11:05 +0000

This was a great blog entry. I encourage you to continue this theme. For us newer pilots, we sometimes grumble about all the regulations we must learn and commit to memory. The context provided by stories like this elevates that rote memorization up to a fuller comprehension. By understanding the price paid in blood by others, I have a deeper respect for the regulations I get to safely learn myself.

By: Rol Murrow

Rol Murrow — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:20:34 +0000

Tom,

Thanks for the reminder about the important lessons we learn from tragedies!

I know your article had to be short but thought a few more “lessons learned” and outcomes are worth mentioning regarding the Cerritos accident:

1) The NTSB, while finding that all the participants in the accident made mistakes, including the Aeromexico crew, the Archer pilot, and the controller, the problem was found to be the ATC system as designed and managed by the FAA. In fact the “system” was really a hodgepodge of system “upgrades,” fixes, and other band-aids that had accumulated over decades, rather than a proper system appropriate for the airspace in question – or elsewhere.

2) FAA compounded its error almost a year later by summarily closing the VFR corridor over LAX causing a flurry of near midair collision reports and tremendous disruption of traffic throughout Southern California.

Following a massive protest by area aviation groups FAA Administrator Alan McCartor met with users and agreed that the problem was with the system and that the closure only led to worse problems. Ultimately that dialogue, with support from AOPA, led to the system of creating user groups across the country for dealing with airspace design and implementation.

The first was the Southern California Airspace Users Working Group, which was instrumental not only in adding new VFR routes to the L.A. airspace, but also making a number of comments regarding the Reclassification of the nation’s airspace, which were supported by AOPA and most of which were adopted by FAA.

Keep up the good work! – Rol

By: Tom Haines

Tom Haines — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 13:58:55 +0000

Ken, Thanks for the correction. The NTSB report confirms you are correct and I have updated the blog to reflect the right information. I appreciate you pointing it out.

By: Ken Howell

Ken Howell — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:13:47 +0000

Rather than the “sole occupant”, as stated, there were in fact three occupants of the Piper involved in the collison over Cerritos, the pilot, his wife, and their daughter. Errors in content tend to bring into question the integrity of the whole article. A little more fact checking would be advisable.