BFM this

"I work in a SCIF so how could I possibly answer this email" is passive-aggressive BS. Anyone working in a SCIF in uniform still has to generate annual performance review fodder. This is an insignificant fraction of that wordsmithing goat-rope, yet knickers are getting twisted. Spare me.

Sure. Maybe. If you want to run a thin bench all year then carry the summer with PM, who am I to argue?

Scheduled indoc starts through the end of March. We’re fat right now. But our aircraft deliveries are finally starting to pick up again (aside from parked 321s getting new interiors approved). Our manning has already shown signs of stress during relatively minor weather events this winter. The Company got very lucky last year with only two landfall hurricanes and almost no plains storm events. If they bank on continued lackluster demand going into this summer, I’d offer that would be a risky play.

Confirmed: not true.

If I'm reading his bio right, he's ANG. Would that make a first as CJCS?

At what point would the army decide to sequester all of their data under privilege? Could they, given a civil aircraft was involved?

In principle, I don't disagree with you. However, At what point on a visual approach are you not responsible for see and avoid? I don't like it, especially in light of this outcome, but we were all taught that fundamental rule on day one of instrument flying. And I highly doubt the final report gets published without mention of it.

Agreed with all points except this one. If the helo crew had been spot on their altitude, that would have not been anything close to comfortable separation. Would their altitude error have garnered more than a downgrade on a checkride? Unfortunate that these deaths are what it took to highlight that unsafe margin. …but I guess that’s the nature of unsafe margins; it’s all well and good until it isn’t.

Waiting for the final report to come out, but it appears that the CRJ crew had one, possibly two nuggets of radio SA that they didn't cue in on. While PAT was on another freq, the controller was simulcasting, so the RJ crew at least had one side of the conversation. Ideally, their ears should have perked up at the controller granting visual separation to PAT, then the controller confirming visual/pass behind deconfliction. Again, ideally, those two nuggets should have at least cued their eyeballs down to the ND to get a rough BRA on the traffic, then outside for vis pickup. But what I'm gathering from the NTSB briefings thus far (as well as the final outcome), is that they didn't initiate a scan in the direction of PAT until the TCAS "TRAFFIC TRAFFIC" alert, by which time the die was cast. Their eyeballs were focused (appropriately) on R33 for the visual curve approach. DISCLAIMER: this is 100% armchair QB, 20/20 hindsight, from the comfort of my keyboard. I will admit that I would have to be on my very best game, in that moment, to be able to pick up and cue off of the SA nuggets described. There but for the grace of God go I...

Depending on the carrier/culture, p121 ops range from heavily discouraged to outright phobic responses to an actual visual approach. Dogleg vector to an instrument based final is the norm. I would argue that we aren’t really flying a visual, just accepting a handoff of visual responsibility from RAPCON. At my previous carrier, the suggestion of a visual was a good way to get everyone’s blood pressure to spike: the monkeys and the banana response. Better luck at my current outfit (legacy) typically, but still some that couldn’t fathom actual unaided VFR flying. I’m a weird cat that still gets a satisfying dopamine hit from clicking off the FD and rolling out on a stable final just like Earnie Gann intended. But it begins with reading the room.

This is going to be emotional. For context, the last mass-casualty event for a US p121 carrier was Colgan 2008. 8B pax since then. We are simply ruthless about running down the causes and prevention in this business. It’s a good thing. But it hurts when the swiss cheese lines up.

Video seemed pretty clear. “Open the door, HAL!” “I’m sorry, David, but I can’t do that.”

Credit where credit is due: At least 4 didn't save an overshoot with a lag roll on network TV. I mean, that's something, right?

They lost me at magazine-less.

Just a thought, but I think that based on the nature of the flying involved, the feedback loop for the Navy is much more direct and severe.

In other news, gotta imagine dude is going to be riding a lot nicer than a clapped out Yukon in about a year when this pays out 💵 💵 💵

I'll take "Shit that should be common fucking sense and should not need to be a policy!" for $1000, Alex

Point of order: Biff_T's WTF meter just pegged. We are out in new territory here! ...and yes, way fucked up. I mean, I can understand, but damn...

Not till midterms at least, and that assumes some (D) gains in the lower chamber.

One step closer to finding out!

https://thepopulisttimes.com/its-all-gonna-be-released-uncle-sam-trump-to-declassify-mlk-jfk-and-rfk-assassination-records/ Here’s hoping he doesn’t flinch this time.

I'm curious, and a first swing with the Google machine yielded few results: That's quite a few pardons for people never charged. Is this normal? Just something that we haven't heard of because it wasn't newsworthy? How many times has this happened in the past? I know that Presidents sign a lot of pardons in the 11th hour of their term, but what percentage are for uncharged individuals?

Solid "twoop" on the algorithm; rage = clicks, and that's what it homes in on. I've deliberately chosen to consume less of that space, for reasons that you've articulated. That said, I've consumed just enough to build awareness, which I think is a good thing. While I have no appetite to be confrontational with LE, (auditors, imo, are insufferable, but I will begrudgingly admit, necessary) I have enough awareness to not participate in what is clearly the LE cabal's game (cabal = stakeholders, department leadership, unions, legal profit farm). First line of defense: say less, if nothing at all. Record every interaction. Be polite, professional even. At the very least, understand Terry, Mimms. Never consent to anything, especially a search, and positively state that consent is not given. My biggest phobia is DUI stop/checkpoint. It's become clear that you could be sober as a mountain stream, but if that guy needs his nut, you're along for the ride. Trick is to keep quiet and maintain comportment, let them build the case against themselves. Drug Recognition Experts is nothing but a fleecing scheme cooked up by federal bureaucrats. ====BREAK, BREAK==== I deliberately left out LEOs in what I call the "cabal" above; like I said, I think they are patsy's in the bigger picture. Mostly wanting to serve, like many in this group. What's painful to see though, is that they are routinely exposed to traumatic experiences on a level that has decimated our veteran ranks to suicide. And like our Vietnam era forefathers, they are feeling ostracized and hated. But most importantly, and I really think that this is by design, the system is oriented to drive a wedge between the public and the line cop, fomenting the idea that the community and it's LEOs are somehow enemies. Unless you have a vision of Statism, it's an unsustainable path, imo.

Ooofff. That's even spicer than Tony Hinchcliffe at a Trump rally.

That is the crux of the joke. It needs to be said. It needs to be remembered. This is the tragic disaster equivalent of “Learn to Code”.