Happy Memorial Day weekend, everyone. It’s time honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country, to gather together, to remember the ones who need remembering, to thank the ones who need thanking, and to pull out the barbecue tongs and feed everybody else.
May 27, 2013
“The secret of Happiness is Freedom, and the secret of Freedom, Courage.”
Thucydides
George’s Point of View
Right now, the European Union allows pilots and cabin crews to work up to 14 hours straight, a situation which the president of the European Cockpit Association says is “a dangerous gamble with passengers.” A U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration pilot survey said 80% of pilots admit to have fallen asleep during a flight. Easa’s Moebus Report recommends lowering the max time to 13 day hours day and 10 night hours.
I would no more want to be in a plane piloted by an exhausted pilot than I would choose to drive myself when I’m sleepy. 14 hours straight is simply too long a time-span to be entirely safe.
Pasadena, CA — (ReleaseWire) — 04/02/2015 — As an advocate (not a lawyer) of fair compensation for the victims of plane crashes, I have been closely following the story behind the crash of Germanwings Flight 9525 and the now notorious 27-year-old co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz. As is always the case, a team of expert investigators will dig out the facts to determine the most likely scenario behind the crash. That careful investigation will take a year at the very least. In this Germanwings accident, the one factor that stands out already is the role played by the pilot’s state of mind in what appears now to be his deliberate collision course with the French Alps. It is now common knowledge that the plane disintegrated on impact with the Massif des Trois-Évêchés. Imagine how horrified the families were when the transcript of the CVR (Cockpit Voice Recorder) was quickly leaked by tabloids. Journalists have been shouldering each other out of the way to get to the front of the line, “scooping” each with another “leaked” nugget. A girlfriend’s interview. A medical report here. A video there. TV commentators and newspapers from CNN and the venerable New York Times to the most scurrilous tabloids are spouting “the facts” faster than investigators can have gotten to the information. Tweeting the news as I do results in loads of source-checking, and plenty of on-going head-scratching moments while weeding out wild supposition masquerading as news in sources one would normally consider impeccable. When one source says “the plane is blue,” another says “the plane is red.” Sometimes I can determine which is the truth, but sometimes I have to leave it to readers to puzzle out.
I have been working Wrongful Death cases for some forty-seven years now. I am a consultant to attorneys across the globe who represent the families of Wrongful Death victims. Each investigation is exactly the same in terms of the emotional impact of the accident. Devastating. Whether the case may or may not end up in court, whether or not the accident catches the media’s attention, every aspect is always impossibly difficult for the families. Some accidents seem similar because they share a factor, whether it be similar weather conditions, mechanical difficulties, or a particular flaw in a particular model of plane.
Some aviation accidents personify extremes. Consider that while there is always some degree of speculation as to an accident’s cause, MH370 brought as many conspiracy theorists out of the woodwork in this past twelve months as Amelia Earhart’s disappearance has in the past 87 years. Everything seems plausible when people are desperate for an explanation. Because in this age of cell phones and satellites, there is simply no explanation for a plane to vanish, MH370 has become the “poster child” for speculation. I expect MH370 will continue to spawn new theories and will endure as a mystery until, at some point, the wreckage will be found and examined.
If I were comparing MH370 and Germanwings 9525, I could write a whole piece examining the conflict of government transparency vs. individual confidentiality, but that was not my intent today. I was just thinking of aviation safety, and how 9/11 became the catalyst for upgraded multifaceted flight deck security. One outcome of 9/11 is the impregnable, indestructible cockpit door, the brain child of countless engineering hours, security and scientific research. Passengers since 9/11 have flown safe in the knowledge that no intruder could again gain entry to the cockpit and overpower the pilot thanks to redundant enhanced security precautions and a door designed to keep the dangerous people out. Now there’s a cockpit voice recording that appears to show that same safe cockpit door is the barrier that kept the PIC from being able to save everyone aboard. Captain Patrick Sondenheimer died trying to get that door open.
The impregnable cockpit door, the terrible irony of Germanwings Flight 9525.
A division of Wrongful Death Consultants, Air Crash Consultants was established to network between lawyers and their clients, bridging the gaps, especially in regard to International clients, freeing and enabling the lawyer to concentrate on higher priority commitments. Air Crash Consultant services might also be designated as an umbrella, because the company’s functions encompass a variety of problem-solving areas in support of the lawyer-client relationship as needed. Services are not limited to finding experts, developing translation teams, client support, document handling, drafting demand letters, client interviews, etc. Visit the company websites at”
http://aircrashconsultants.com
http://wrongfuldeathnews.com
http://wrongfuldeathconsultants.com
George’s Point of View
Bravo to American Airlines which is (finally) putting their Airbus A300’s to bed. American’s spokesman Tim Smith announced “One, we are in the process of cutting capacity. Two, these airplanes are a likely candidate for retirement, in that they are older than most of the airplanes in our fleet, and three, the A300 requires different training and maintenance from the other airplanes in American’s fleet.” We should expect to see a greener, more responsible American AIrlines now. This is part of the fleet renewal effort introduced in American’s 2007 Environmental Responsibility Report when they began replacing their MD-80s with new 737-800s.
I don’t know about being clean and green, environmentally renewed and downsized. I do know that these are 21 year old planes. They’re old enough to vote. (And –I am told–old enough to drive a pilot to drink.)
Think about it…In 1987 when these planes were first introduced into American’s fleet, Charles and Diana had just separated; Jim Bakker got caught playing hanky panky with Jessica Hahn; Klaus Barbie was convicted of Nazi war crimes; Andy Warhol died; an earthquake in LA injured 100 and killed 6; and most unbelievable of all, the Cosby show and Cheers were still in their first run.
I guess time flies when you’re flying deathtraps.
As a frequent flyer who does not trust the A300, I applaud that decision–though it does seem to be a no brainer to retire 21 year old planes.
International Helicopter Safety Team is a task force composed of American and European government agencies–an international safety team–forecasts to reduce the rate of helicopter crashes 80 percent within eight years, no doubt a good idea as helicopters crash three times more frequently than commercial airliners
Seventy percent of helicopter crashes are determined to be the result of human error (training, overwork or poor design)
Partial list of Fatal crashes in 2008
Date ——– Location ——– Craft ——–#
12/27/2008 Honiara, PO HUGHES 369 N104BN Fatal(1)
12/11/2008 Sabine Pass, TX BELL 206 N180AL Fatal(5)
11/16/2008 Lingen, Germany Rotorway PH-NTL Fatal(1)
11/16/2008 Quitman, AR BELL OH-58C N153GF Fatal(1)
11/2/2008 Gallatin, TN Robinson R-44 N300FX Fatal(1)
10/16/2008 Dryden, NY Robinson R22 N943MH Fatal(1)
10/15/2008 Aurora, IL BELL 222 N992AA Fatal(4)
10/13/2008 Conroe, TX BELL 206 N6ZV Fatal(2)
10/13/2008 Sedona, AZ BELL 407 N42AZ Fatal(1)
9/27/2008 Forestville, MD AEROSPATIALE AS365 N92MD Fatal(4) 0
9/21/2008 Kenosha, WI Robinson R44 II N999ZD Fatal(2)
9/6/2008 Muzino Village, Russia Robinson R-44 RA-04180 Fatal(2)
9/3/2008 Persian Gulf, United Arab Emirates Bell 212 A6-AVL Fatal(7)
8/31/2008 Greensburg, IN Bell 206L-1 N37AE Fatal(3)
8/29/2008 Ridgedale, MO Robinson R44 II N41411 Fatal(2)
8/17/2008 Olalla, WA Robinson R-22 N301MA Fatal(1)
8/6/2008 Alice Arm, Canada Hughes 369D C-GZIO Fatal(3)
8/5/2008 Weaverville, CA Sikorsky S-61N N612AZ Fatal(9)
7/19/2008 Price, UT Hughes 369D N400BE Fatal(3)
7/15/2008 Salesville, AR Hughes 269B N469E Fatal(2)
7/4/2008 Sunol, CA Schweizer 269 C-1 N2011A Fatal(2)
6/29/2008 Flagstaff, AZ Bell 407 N407GA Fatal(7)
6/29/2008 Flagstaff, AZ Bell 407 N407MJ Fatal(7)
6/8/2008 Huntsville, TX Bell 407 N416PH Fatal(4)
5/29/2008 Panama City, Panama Bell UH-1N SAN-100 Fatal(11)
5/25/2008 Sunrise Beach, MO McDonnell Douglas 500-E N686F Fatal(1)
5/24/2008 Avalon, CA Aerospatiale AS-350-D N67GE Fatal(3)
5/16/2008 Comstock, MI Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 N5049F Fatal(1)
5/10/2008 La Crosse, WI Eurocopter Deutschland EC 135 T2+ N135UW Fatal(3)
5/9/2008 Muanda, Congo Bell 206 L-1 N5014V Fatal(1)
4/30/2008 Paraty, Brazil Agusta/Westland A109S PR-IPO Fatal(2)
4/28/2008 Bartlett, TX Robinson R44 N477SH Fatal(1)
4/15/2008 Chickaloon, AK Eurocopter France AS350B2 N213EH Fatal(4)
3/13/2008 Wilmington, NC Robinson R22 Beta II N2215R Fatal(1)
3/11/2008 Santa Cruz, Peru Bell 412EP N417EV Fatal(10)
3/2/2008 Nizhnevartovsk, Russia Robinson R-44 II RA-04223 Fatal(2)
2/13/2008 Gascoyne Junc, Australia Robinson R44 VH-ZDP Fatal(2)
2/8/2008 Totes Gebirge, Austria Bell 206B OE-XRH Fatal(2)
2/5/2008 S. Padre Island, TX Eurocopter France AS350B2 N911VA Fatal(3)
1/25/2008 Los Angeles, CA Robinson R22 N705JJ Fatal(1)
1/22/2008 Ochopee, FL Robinson R44 N18HB Fatal(2)
1/11/2008 Puebla, Mexico Bell 412HP XC-JCD Fatal(8)
1/7/2008 Zuzenhausen, Germany Bell 206B D-HJET Fatal(1)
George’s Point of View
The IATA ( Air Transport Association) is an association representing the world’s airlines commitment to excellence and safety in aviation. All of its 224 Member airlines live up to best practice standards in airline safety. 8 airlines lost membership due to failing a 2008 IOSA ( IATA Operational Safety Audit) audit.
Airlines which fail the safety audit, or are otherwise unable to reach the safety standards are banned by the European Union. One of those banned airlines is Garuda Indonesia, the national airline of Indonesia. That’s the same airline which has been in the news for the recent sentencing of one of it’s pilots. Not that Garunda Indonesia even flies to Europe.
Marwoto Komar who was piloting Garuda Indonesia Flight 200 , ignored warnings not to land the plane when he brought it in at twice the safe speed, resulting in the plane slamming into the runway, skidding off and bursting into flame, killing 21. While he did not get life in prison, he did get jail time.
The pilot’s sentencing is really a symptom of what is going on with Garunda Indonesia, which is a lack of government supervision. In fact, aircrafts which would otherwise be considered safe, are NOT safe simply because of being part of GI’s under-supervised, under-inspected, under-maintained fleet. In fact, there is a $24 million Indonesian governmental program now in place to train Indonesian air safety inspectors, an ambitious program which may still take years to bring the airline up to acceptable safety standards.
In the meantime, apparently the burden of safety rests on the shoulders of pilots, which in view of recent history, does not particularly appear to be a good thing. Furthermore, no one yet has made it public exactly why Marwoto Komar ignored air traffic control AND his instruments AND his co-pilot to attempt a landing at twice the safe speed, but perhaps while he is in jail, the Indonesian skies may be marginally safer. Not that it does any good for the 21 victims of Flight 200.
It is the Fourth of July.
Without naming names, I save a corner of my happiness for those countries in turmoil, and peoples of all nations and beliefs–I pray whatever their unhappiness is that it will pass, and they too will know some happiness in their own lifetime, in their own back yards.
Today, most of the USA will be grilling with friends and family.
Today we will share the heat, the plenty, the sunshine, the smoke, the food and the fireworks.
Today from sea to shining sea, we will celebrate our independence—another day, another precious year of this miracle of democracy in this land of unparalleled beauty and diversity. We may argue amongst ourselves, but I hope we can always remember, together, warts and all, we are beautiful. Our lives are the embodiment of a beautiful idea.
Today I will not think about the pundits who bring us bad news, and focus instead on the story of our country, the miracle that continues. As our lives inscribe another fourth of July into our own history books, let there be another unique page in our story.
This year, maybe we can invite a few more people to sit at our tables, so more of us can look forward to a well fed today, and a better, stronger, brighter future for our children.
Today we are still the United States of America, and this is our Independence day.
I have to reflect on my love of this holiday, but not too long because my family is waiting.
It’s not the flag waving, it’s what the flag represents.
I love this holiday because it celebrates our lives. It is a simple thing, really. America is families. Families in our parks, or in our own backyards. A hot dog, a hamburger, a chicken on every grill.
I love this holiday because this is where our kids play, where they grow strong and free, and spit watermelon seeds. I love this country because my children are free to argue their own opinions, not just about recycling and vegetarianism, but subjects like abortion and political theory. My children are free to be who they are. They are free to dream of who they can be. They are free to reach out and become the dream. Here sons and daughters can both play spontaneous games of touch football, or soccer or tennis or baseball, or compete in potato-sack races or lie on towels in the grass and stare up to count the leaves that twinkle in the sunlight, or the stars peeking out at dusk.
Tonight I will love this country even more when the babies that cried over fireworks last year will this year gaze at them in wonder.
Happy Birthday America from sea to shining sea. Have a happy fourth of July.
* all credit to whoever made this amazing photo found on the internet. You are an artist and an inspiration, whoever you are.
