# The Great Ongoing Aviation Thread (general and other) (Part 1)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [October 23, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499 "2011-10-23T02:17:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 364
### Author:  [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2025, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7263 "2025-01-30T04:36:44Z")
I’m trying to figure out why a helicopter is sharing airspace with an active runway.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2025, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7264 "2025-01-30T13:17:40Z")
Because DCA. Helos skirt every major airport but DCA has far more than most. All normal stuff that happens every 10 minutes all day long there. And has for decades without a mishap. And will almost certainly continue happening ever 10 minutes for the next couple of decades without mishap too.
Dedicated thread here:
> [@(Breaking News) Passenger plane crashes near DC-area’s Reagan Airport](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-passenger-plane-crashes-near-dc-area-s-reagan-airport/1013602):
>
> A regional jet collided with a helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia on Wednesday evening, according to DC Fire and EMS. The aircraft went down in the Potomac River vicinity of the airport. Officials said fireboats were on the scene. The Federal Aviation Administration said preliminary information indicates a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to the airport around 9 p.m. local time. …
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### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2025, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7265 "2025-01-30T19:25:52Z")
A day late… and with a gratuitous attack on DEI:
> **[Trump names acting FAA administrator after fatal collision](https://www.aol.com/news/trump-names-acting-faa-administrator-163904899.html)**
>
> WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he had appointed a former senior aviation official as the acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration, a day after the deadliest U.S. air disaster in more than 20 years. The...
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### Author:  [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2025, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7266 "2025-01-30T20:24:21Z")
“Gratuitous” is…one way to put it.
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### Author:  [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2025, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7267 "2025-01-31T00:02:37Z")
Already a pretty good thread for that little piece of crap.
> [@"Trump blames Biden's D.E.I. policy for air crash" (NY headline)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-blames-bidens-d-e-i-policy-for-air-crash-ny-headline/1013632):
>
> What the hell does this mean? Why does Trump mention Biden and D.E.I. in the context of this accident? Would the accident have been avoided if D.E.I. didn’t exist? Or is Trump just mean and has lost it?
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### Author:  [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2025, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7268 "2025-01-31T00:29:56Z")
Without stating anything about whether DEI played any role in current events, I’d advise people to look into _BRIGIDA v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION_ before writing off _any_ suggestion that ATC hiring might have been less than optimal due to DEI practices. There’s a fairly long article here that goes into some of the backstory:
> **[The FAA's Hiring Scandal: A Quick Overview](https://www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/the-faas-hiring-scandal-a-quick-overview)**
>
> An Air Traffic Control nightmare
But in short, diversity efforts pressured the FAA into adopting a “biographical” test as part of ATC candidate selection, because the cognitive test had excessive adverse impact. The details of this test seem inexcusable to me. From [one of the court filings](https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1:2016cv02227/182656/130/):
[ ](https://imgur.com/W9rZCdQ)
The class-action has been ongoing for basically a decade and is only now starting to move forward. The biographical assessment was ended in 2016, so it seems there was only a fairly short period in which it could have affected hiring. Still, it’s entirely possible that some of those people are still employed today.
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### Author:  [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2025, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7269 "2025-01-31T00:36:09Z")
> [@Bookkeeper](#):
>
> A “poopy suit” is a common nickname for [survival suits](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survival_suit), worn in case of ditching in the ocean.
It’s also the common name for the coveralls worn by US submariners when under way.
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### Author:  [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2025, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7270 "2025-02-01T00:16:14Z")
Small plane crashes in [NE Philly](https://www.fox29.com/news/small-plane-crashes-northeast-philadelphia-sources); multiple fires reported of both cars & buildings, 2+ miles off the end of runway 6/24 at KPNE
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2025, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7271 "2025-02-01T02:08:48Z")
> [@SCAdian](#):
>
> It’s also the common name for the coveralls worn by US submariners when under way.
I’ve heard that in relation to flying coveralls, but I don’t recall if it was WWII or ‘current’. Usually I hear about current flying coveralls being called ‘pickle suits’.
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### Author:  [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2025, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7272 "2025-02-01T03:18:35Z")
> [@Spiderman](#):
>
> Small plane crashes in [NE Philly](https://www.fox29.com/news/small-plane-crashes-northeast-philadelphia-sources); multiple fires reported of both cars & buildings, 2+ miles off the end of runway 6/24 at KPNE
It was a medical flight returning a little girl back to Tijuana after completion of treatment. So there was a pilot, copilot, doctor, paramedic and the child’s mother. Not a good week for aviation.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2025, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7273 "2025-02-01T15:23:31Z")
> **[Man agrees to plead guilty in drone collision with Super Scooper over...](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/california-wildfires/drone-collision-super-scooper-palisades-fire/3620389/)**
>
> A Culver City man was arrested in a drone collision with a Super Scooper firefighting aircraft over the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles County.
I lived across the Venice Blvd from Culver City. I’ve parked in a structure by Third Street Promenade a lot. But I’m not claiming this guy as my homie.
Peter Tripp Akemann pleaded guiltiy to a misdemeanor charge of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft. He has agreed to pay more than $65,000 for repairs to the aircraft, and make full restitution to the government of Quebec. He also agreed to 150 hours of wildfire relief-related community service. He still faced up to one year in a federal prison, but he still needs to be sentenced. If he doesn’t get prison, I suspect there will be a fine.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2025, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7274 "2025-02-02T17:05:34Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> I’ve heard that in relation to flying coveralls, but I don’t recall if it was WWII or ‘current’. Usually I hear about current flying coveralls being called ‘pickle suits’.
In USAF slang, “poopy suit” was always the water survival drysuit; Never the day-to-day wear green Nomex coveralls. I cannot speak to USN or USMC slang.
I suspect cute nicknames for nearly everything in the USA, including people, is a trend that peaked back around the 1920s and has steadily declined since.
I’ve heard _of_ the term “pickle suit”, but I don’t think I ever actually _heard_ it in my 8 years of wearing one every workday. We always called them “flight suits” or occasionally “bags”. As in “I’m going to stop by my quarters to change out of my bag for civvies then I’ll met you at the club.”
Some folks used the term “goatskin”, referring to the hefty BO-centric smell after flying a hot mission in a badly airconditioned airplane.
As well, like any polyester-like synthetic clothing, eventually they take on a BO-based funk that does not wash out. Unlike a civilian shirt you can choose to trash and replace, the Supply department was not interested in giving you a new one until / unless the old one was real worn-out. Mere cooked-in funk was not a reason to replace in their minds.
So most of us smelled a bit goatlike even first thing in the morning even after a fresh shower.
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### Author:  [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2025, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7275 "2025-02-02T18:52:57Z")
Hey! Hey! Hey! I’m eating here while browsing. (okay, it’s early in Hawaii) 😀
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### Author:  [@Ferris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferris)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2025, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7276 "2025-02-02T19:36:36Z")
According to Flight Radar, one of these is ZKWAR - a privately owned North American Harvard 3.
I heard them while having lunch and had enough time to check Flight Radar then dash outside to catch them almost directly overhead.
(Short 17s video):
[Harvard 3 flyover](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/mjmrlbpdomdc93vyvm9le/Harvard3.mov?rlkey=4lvq9w5ad1lniz94wmc7ywidl&dl=0)
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### Author:  [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2025, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7277 "2025-02-02T21:43:02Z")
The American’s here would know them as a North American T-6 Texan. Commonwealth countries called them Harvards following the British system of naming training aircraft after educational facilities (with American themed names for American built aircraft).
I have done some flying in 1066 (ZK-ENE) and 1099 (ZK-ENK), both ex RNZAF Harvard IIIs.
This is me about to take my dad flying in “Harvard 66” way back in February 1999.
[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/200199460@N02/54303444580/)
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2025, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7278 "2025-02-02T22:24:04Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#):
>
> The American’s here would know them as a North American T-6 Texan
Americans from Naval families would call them SNJ-#s. 😉
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### Author:  [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2025, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7279 "2025-02-02T22:42:42Z")
That too.
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### Author:  [@Ferris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferris)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2025, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7280 "2025-02-03T00:12:19Z")
Very cool, thanks.
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### Author:  [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2025, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7281 "2025-02-03T00:32:40Z")
I know of one in NJ that will take people up for rides in his, for a (not-small 😢) fee. I have some great photos of it, mostly flying at sunset.
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### Author:  [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2025, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/7282 "2025-02-03T03:02:44Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#):
>
> The American’s here would know them as a North American T-6 Texan.
I was waiting for them to pass in the video to confirm. I had never heard of a Harvard 3 but I’ve heard many Texans go by and their props are seriously loud.
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