Posted on 05/13/2005 2:03:47 AM PDT by LukeSW
BUT, AFAIK, if a semi-truck or SUV (or any other vehicle for that matter) where to enter a "No Drive Zone", he reaction would have been just as severe - especially, if the driver were to ignore repeated attempts to "wave him off" (analog to radio contact).
remember, the Pilot KNOWINGLY flew into denied air space, exhibited suspicious behavior (no transponder - no acknowledgement per radio), and, if the initial accounts can be believed, even flew "erratically" once intercepted.
'm all for common sense in these matters, but even hindsight requires the use of it, otherwise we learn nothing except to ignore such incidents in the future. Once THAT happens, be prepared for the next attack.
We will most likely never hear the recorded conversations that went on from the fighter pilots down through to the controllers, however, I suspect that people that were on the spot cautioned against any rash action.
They should have shot the plane out of the sky.
Maybe that would teach other pilots to learn to turn on their radios, and to keep away from Washington.
(b) The pilots were not charged with a crime, they just got real embarrassed (as they should be)
(c) The plane could have contained lots of dangerous chemicals. Why wouldn't anybody think terrorists couldn't use a very small plane to do a nasty job?
(d) I agree that this event with the small plane could be a diversion from a larger attack, but you have to react to what you see in front of you at that moment. If somebody is running towards me with a knife, I'm not to going to spend time looking over my shoulder to see if another guy is also attacking me with a knife from behind. I have to first take care of the threat that is known, and in front of me.
....even flew "erratically" once intercepted.....
I think that was caused by something sticky and smelly in his shorts.
Much to my regret.
because i am in close proximity to the buildings that are likely targeted, i would PREFER overreaction regardless of plane size, because i would definitely be in a zone affected by any resulting toxicity. doesn't matter that a panel truck could do the same damage, they need to guard against both.
I agree -- something like a dirty nuke, or some kind of biological/chemical material.
Carolyn
Had that little plane been packed full of high explosive or a biological warfare agent, would the nitwits who are criticizing the governments reaction to a threat be happier? Had it succeeded in crashing into the Capitol or the White House and killing hundreds of people, the same nitwits would now be complaining about the lax security that allowed it to happen.
Paranoia. Yeah, right. Even after after 3000 people died horrible deaths on Sept. 11, 2001, some FOOLS refuse to take terrorism and our efforts to prevent it seriously.
If this article represents the "views of many of us in the aerospace industry", then SHAME ON ALL OF YOU!!
Good morning...You ever fly commercial airlines????
You might be shocked at the errors committed by these highly trained people. Errors that very often put their passengers lives at stake. Of course the passengers most often are unaware of this.
I recall one major airline that landed a four engine jet at a small airport in state of Washington. The airport had only a four thousand foot runway and there were NO aircraft on the field. Now tell me is there a difference between this crew and the crew of the C-150????
Errors are made, people in DC evaluated the conditions while under the gun and did not lose sight of what was at stake. No one seems to understand that the shootdown order never came. Why? Because as a team they decided there was no threat.
A Cessna 150 is not an anthrax delivery system. Unwad your panties and get a grip.
Of course mistakes are made but he would never never fly into a known restricted area without the communication system ON.
Go to Maps.Google.com, and select "Satellite." Plug in a zip code like 20910 (for example). I then challenge you to tell me where you are - especially if you zoom in one more factor (which is still higher than you would be in a Cessna).
And for the record, that zip code is in downtown Silver Spring, MD on the DC border -- well inside the no-fly zone, and only a couple of miles from Walter Reed Medical Center; about 7 or 8 miles north of the White House.
It's possible to not know where you are, especially if you're just learning to fly.
I for one am not for killing anyone that makes a mistake. A sense of proportion and probability has to be used.
You sure he never makes mistakes or maybe he just not telling you??? Pilots do fib you know. Read any accident report where they try to lay the blame elsewhere.
Then you would have killed two people in the air and who knows how many on the ground. And for what?
Particularly that the instructor considered himself lost it would seem to me that it would be prudent to turn on the radio, yes?
This instructor should never ever ever fly again.
This is an excellent article.
NO FLY
NO FLY
Doesn't mean maybe, or you might, or you can fly just a little way into the zone.
Sigh.....
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