A preliminary assessment. Certainly not final.
Replies to: A preliminary assessment. Certainly not final.
Duh. The Army helo was on notice and had the duty to clear.
American Airlines was quick to assert that its plane was on normal flight path into National.
Planes either approach from up the Potomac, with Georgetown and monuments on port side, or, as in this instance, planes approach from south-southeast, and cross from DC side of river, cross water, and then wheels touch down on National runway.
Weird that helicopter was flying in that space in the first place.
The podcast I linked noted that the Army Helo was alerted by ATC to the incoming AA/PSA jet...
he also said that the crossing by Helos from that base was SOP...however, the standing order is for them to cross BEHIND the incoming jets. In this case, it was at night and coming from 'Abeam', the Helo wouldn't be seeing the bright landing lights and the multitude of other lights nearby (including other non-involved aircraft) could have confused a "Trainee" pilot.
We won't know for sure until the NTSB completes its investigation...assuming Trump hasn't furloughed that part of government.
Trump fired the helo pilot posthumously.
And sent the corpse to Columbia.
Incompetence has consequences.
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DOGE has consequences.
You people and your D.E.I. nonsense caused this.
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Indeed. Efficiency as a metric naturally lags action.
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