Air France A-340 down in YYZ

[bigD]

Smooth touchdown? What the hell is that!?

 

[Publishers]

While much of the criticism of the media may be deserved, the fact is that it is not as easy as one thinks. These times when an unexpected story pops like an air crash, it is extremely hard to get information yet there you are with a camera and microphone live and you have to talk, think. and listen, all at the same time.

Secondly, even if you have some knowledge about it, you have to be able to communicate it in a way that makes sense to the average listener.

I got the call from CNN on my way home to take my son to baseball. I was trying to listen to the local news to get information as I am talking to CNN about the accident, windshear, and microburst. Most of the producers have a list of people that they call about a specific subject. They then have to find that person and see what information that they have and set up a live feed and satillite connection and a studio.

Had I decided to go forth with an on air interview, I would have had to drive to the studio location they arranged, been hooked up, and then wait for broadcast time that matched sat time. I then have to communicate what a microburst is in language that people sitting at home can understand--- try it. And try it with a bunch of voices talking into your earpiece.

Trust me, on more than one occassion I have wondered why I said what I did. It is not easy.

 

[miles otoole]

Yes the media does a bad job of reporting on aviation. But what do you expect from non-aviation people? How well could most of you report on stastical analysis or bio-engineering? Yes you are the experts. You do this for a living and should be well versed in aviation. But instead of whinning on this board and sending hate emails why don't you spend your energy saying a prayer for these poor people or at least wishing them the best of luck. A lot of people lost someone they love today. Somebody's kid is dead. Somebody's dad is gone. Somebody's mother is never coming home.

Sorry for the rant but I'm tired or hearing how much the regionals suck, how underpaid you are, and how much Wolf Blitzer sucks. Lots of people are sitting at home dying inside wondering if their loved one is alive. Give the bitching a rest.

DAS

I agree. Most people here with comments debunking all of the commentary from the media are attempting to justify their jobs and experience. Who cares??? So what if the reporter who makes $250,000 a year knows nothing about aviation.
It sounds like the guys from "The revenge of the Nerds."
"Hey Gilbert, these guys don't know squat about FMS or DH. They think RVR is some kind of stream.........Duh, Louis. I laugh at all of the passengers as they get off this aerodynamic wonder that we electronically manipulate."

Believe it or not guys, today most people feel sorry for us white collar wannabees. Looking down on them is akin to us looking down on WN pax.

 

[Flechas]

While much of the criticism of the media may be deserved, the fact is that it is not as easy as one thinks. These times when an unexpected story pops like an air crash, it is extremely hard to get information yet there you are with a camera and microphone live and you have to talk, think. and listen, all at the same time.

Secondly, even if you have some knowledge about it, you have to be able to communicate it in a way that makes sense to the average listener.

I got the call from CNN on my way home to take my son to baseball. I was trying to listen to the local news to get information as I am talking to CNN about the accident, windshear, and microburst. Most of the producers have a list of people that they call about a specific subject. They then have to find that person and see what information that they have and set up a live feed and satillite connection and a studio.

Had I decided to go forth with an on air interview, I would have had to drive to the studio location they arranged, been hooked up, and then wait for broadcast time that matched sat time. I then have to communicate what a microburst is in language that people sitting at home can understand--- try it. And try it with a bunch of voices talking into your earpiece.

Trust me, on more than one occassion I have wondered why I said what I did. It is not easy.

That's why they should ask peope that hava a lot of experience on the subject, not some guy who just got his private. And if they have to come up with something to ssay, it's better to just describe the known facts over and over than to come up with a bunch of ASSumptions without the info or knowledge to back them up.

That guy Miles was having the best day of his life there, and when they called Miles' friend (The 330 ret.pilot) you could hear on his voice that he was thinking "God this clown doesn't know his ass from his head"

 

[Fly_Chick]

Regardless of whether the reporter is informed about aviation, I would hope the media would be responsible enough to interview those that do have the information, not the first person that appears in front of their equipment.

 

[CitationLover]

baba booey

where were the howard stern callers today? they normally invade cnn when big news hits.

 

[Ailerongirl]

Hey, let's hear a cheer for the cabin crew on that plane for getting everyone evacuated so quickly. Bravo to them!

This is the bottom line folks.....major kudos to the crew!

 

[TDTURBO]

LOL.... I agree.... what a bunch of idiots......

He told them that if there is a tailwind, that a wing can't fly.......

That's just a reflection of the "idiot" CFI's out there filling space in the right seat instead of teaching, don't always blame the pilot, he only knows what he was taught.

There are very few CFI's I will even let look at my plane let alone touch it.


BTW, it's been confirmed the plane was hit by lightning per most of the passengers and the airbus captain.

 

[Metro752]

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/howardplug.html


Watching that a long time ago, I always wondered why they let such a shriveled up rotten B**** anchor a cable news show.

 

[chperplt]

This is the bottom line folks.....major kudos to the crew!

From the witness reports, the cabin crew did an outstanding job keeping their cool.

 

[Flying Illini]

Fortunately the aircraft didn't burst into flames immediately, giving the crew enough time to do their jobs without any fatalities. When is a crewmember worth X dollars? When it's your butt (or company) that they are saving.
Kudos to the crew.

Publishers,
It may not be easy to do, but it is ALL too easy to completely ruin a chance to educate the public and the media properly. If it's too tough for you to handle, then don't volunteer. Why is it that they couldn't get an aviation expert (a REAL one...and being a pilot doesn't make you an expert), maybe one who is well versed in wx issues, to discuss the accident with? Why did it have to be a private pilot who has never experienced anything remotely close to what he was trying to talk about?
The media has a responsibility to report facts and to present the public with very well informed people when they do interviews. Consistently, the media fails to do this. That is a problem. And it is partially due to us pilots. Specifically the ones will very little experience that get a hard-on when the media calls them asking for their "expert" opinion. If you are well versed in what they want to talk about, then go for it, if you happen to be on air and they ask you something that you don't know, don't B.S. it, just decline to offer saying that you don't know enough about the subject to answer it properly. If you just recieved a phone call but you don't know the subject matter very well, decline and if you can, give them the name of someone who knows what they are talking about. But for God's sake, PLEASE don't go on the air with millions of viewers/listeners and spew verbal poo out of your mouth. It does a disservice to us all.

 

[blueraider]

IMHO, the pax, the crew all survived than props to the flight crew and cabin crew they did exactly what they were trained to do and did a great job of an emergency evacuation...thank God!

 

[FN FAL]

But for God's sake, PLEASE don't go on the air with millions of viewers/listeners and spew verbal poo out of your mouth.

If god didn't him to go on television and spew verbal poo out of his mouth, he wouldn't have gave him a verbal poo hole to spew it out of.

 

[bubbers]

Airbus has just put out a code red alert asking anyone who has knowledge of either of the pilots flying the A340 using aggresive rudder movements during landing so their attorneys can get on with their pilot error investigation. Heresay or second hand info is also welcome. This info has worked very well in the past and as in the AA587 crash has bailed them out handsomely. Thanks.

 

[Steveair]

Passengers are reporting that the lights went completely dark in the cabin just before landing. Perhaps a lighting strike somehow effected the fly-by-wire controls of the underpowered Airbus causing an inability of the crew to control the aircraft. Wouldn't it be wonderful if that were the case and the E-N-T-I-R-E Airbus fleet was grounded!!

 

[TrafficInSight]

Passengers are reporting that the lights went completely dark in the cabin just before landing. Perhaps a lighting strike somehow effected the fly-by-wire controls of the underpowered Airbus causing an inability of the crew to control the aircraft. Wouldn't it be wonderful if that were the case and the E-N-T-I-R-E Airbus fleet was grounded!!

I don't particularly think so but hey, if it gets you off.

 

[Flyingdutchman]

http://www.liveatc.net/.archive/cyy...-02-05-1600.mp3

 

[Godvek]

Passengers are reporting that the lights went completely dark in the cabin just before landing. Perhaps a lighting strike somehow effected the fly-by-wire controls of the underpowered Airbus causing an inability of the crew to control the aircraft. Wouldn't it be wonderful if that were the case and the E-N-T-I-R-E Airbus fleet was grounded!!

About as nice as if the entire RJ fleet was grounded. Nice comment dumb ass!

 

[Frontier1]

There are also reports that the crew had to do the approach twice because of the WX.

 

[FL000]

The eerie thing about this, is that today is the anniversary of the 1985 Delta L-1011 crash in DFW. Close to the same scenario with the thunderstorms and windshear. Kind of ironic.

Coincidental, perhaps. Not very ironic.