# The Great Ongoing Aviation Thread (general and other) (Part 1) **URL:** \ **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:** 471
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9403 "2026-02-27T22:47:17Z")
Bailing out would have been a matter of “push back the canopy, climb out over the side”. Not much vertical to it; the overhead wouldn’t have mattered at all. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9404 "2026-02-28T17:18:48Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Bailing out would have been a matter of “push back the canopy, climb out over the side” At 100+ mph. And you have to clear the tail assembly in the process. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9405 "2026-02-28T19:16:11Z")
Sure. But that’s what it was. Ejection seats didn’t become part of US warplane designs until after WWII. Bailing out was dangerous, but at least the aircraft designers could keep that valuable longwave radio antenna wire. 🤨 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9406 "2026-02-28T20:51:34Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Douglas TBD Devastator to be [recovered](https://vintageaviationnews.com/warbirds-news/us-navy-announces-mission-to-recover-a-douglas-tbd-devastator.html) & put on display at National Museum of the United States Navy Very cool! Odd that not a single one was saved for a museum after WWII. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9407 "2026-03-01T19:30:29Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Very cool! Odd that not a single one was saved for a museum after WWII. Well they took quite a pasting in the war. I agree that a few of them should have survived as museum pieces or sold to the flying public. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9408 "2026-03-01T19:59:23Z")
Lots of aviation news. It has surfaced from the NTSB docket for the DCA mid-air collision, that interviewed military helicopter pilots said they routinely claimed visual separation for DCA commercial traffic, to appease air traffic controllers, when they didn’t actually have eyes on. The alternative, to admit they didn’t, meant they’d be asked to hold in a pattern until a break in the traffic. And they presumed they’d pick up the traffic as they got closer. It’s not known whether this was a factor in the collision. But it’s an incredibly bad practice from a safety perspective. The docket interviews are always revealing as to safety culture. Re: military helicopter pilots said they routinely claimed visual separation for DCA commercial traffic, to appease air traffic controllers, when they didn’t actually have eyes on. This is upsetting but good that the NTSB found it. It’s also further evidence that if the NTSB had blamed the gender of the pilot and stopped their investigation - the way our President did - we wouldn’t have found this out and lives would still be at risk. Related: The House GOP defeated the “ROTOR” Act, under a suspension vote that requires two thirds majority. The act was passed unanimously by the Senate, but the House GOP has claimed it would put identification of military aircraft in the hands of the FAA instead of the Pentagon. They intend to replace it with the “ALERT” Act, which leaves decisions about ADSB with the military. The “ROTOR” act is supported by the FAA, NTSB, pilots and flight attendants, and safety organizations, as well as the DCA accident families. The “ALERT” Act is supported by airlines and civil aircraft owners, as well as the Pentagon. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9409 "2026-03-01T20:00:59Z")
Final report for the YouTube pilot Jenny Blalock fatal crash, attributed to poor piloting skills in a high performance aircraft, for which she was trying to improve. Her instructor had discouraged her, based on her scores on many components of her rating exam. The aircraft encountered pilot induced oscillations caused by manual adjustment of trim in response to autopilot prompting. The final trim was 5 degrees nose down, which is an extreme setting. A likely scenario is autopilot disengaging after alarms for inappropriate trim, which left the aircraft in a state the pilot could not control. One of her goals for the flight was to practice manual trim. The crash killed her father as well. RIP. [https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateFinalReport/193491/pdf](https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateFinalReport/193491/pdf) ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2026, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9410 "2026-03-02T02:44:32Z")
**Important & timely for our East Coasters** - Starlink launch tonight at 21:56 EST; should be visible all the way up the East Coast. The launch window opened at 19:07 EST Local times are as follows: Moonrise: 16:02 - 94% visible, IOW almost full Sunset: 17:50 Twi: 18:17 Twi N: 18:49 Took the Pupper outside: 18:57 Twi A: 19:20 Looked up to see what the sky looked out & was amazed to see ~~chem~~ vapor trails in the dark! I don’t think I’ve _ever_ seen that before. I guess it takes an almost full moon & the right conditions/temps in the sky for it to happen **&** me looking up to notice. Very cool!!! ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2026, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9411 "2026-03-02T16:47:32Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Final report for the YouTube pilot Jenny Blalock fatal crash, attributed to poor piloting skills in a high performance aircraft, for which she was trying to improve. Looking at the report she had no business flying an airplane. 182 hrs of dual instruction is WAY out of range for basic flight training. Upgrading to a complex aircraft just made things worse. From the report: On October 20, 2021, the pilot passed her Private Pilot Airplane Airmen Knowledge Test. On May 14, 2022, she passed her private pilot (single-engine land) practical test, at which time she had accumulated 193.2 hours total flight time. Of those hours, 182.6 were dual instruction received; nearly all of the hours were accomplished in a Piper PA-28-140 that she had purchased on June 15, 2021. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2026, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9412 "2026-03-02T18:32:31Z")
So I guess F-15s are really, really easy to shoot down. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2026, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9413 "2026-03-02T23:07:59Z")
They were most likely flying anti-drone patrol. Minimal speed and lower altitude. Going slow and low wipes out most of your defensive options. You get the targeting warning late and your maneuverability is compromised (F-15s are optimized for high speed air-to-air combat). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9414 "2026-03-03T00:17:12Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > she > had accumulated 193.2 hours total flight time. Of those hours, 182.6 were dual instruction > received Wait… I thought that the minimum requirement was 20 hours solo. According to that, she only had 10.6 hours solo time. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9415 "2026-03-03T11:54:52Z")
Miracle on the Hudson..[.pt 2](https://abc7ny.com/post/small-plane-lands-hudson-river-newburgh-new-york-passengers-rescued-expected-survive/18669726/) (Cessna near Newburgh / Stewart airport) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9416 "2026-03-03T14:18:47Z")
I’m happy they correctly identified the aircraft instead of just calling it a [lowercase] ‘cessna’. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9417 "2026-03-03T15:21:17Z")
That’s the exact stretch of the Hudson where my wife and I hosted our wedding reception (on a river boat). ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9418 "2026-03-03T15:24:23Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Looking at the report she had no business flying an airplane. 182 hrs of dual instruction is WAY out of range for basic flight training. Upgrading to a complex aircraft just made things worse. That’s the consensus of the aviation blogsphere. Then again there’s the tox report that showed evidence of recent use of various no-fly prescription meds which she did not disclose. Which does not necessarily mean she was impaired that day but not reporting it goes to the issue of accountability. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9419 "2026-03-03T17:16:02Z")
Her drug of choice was notariety on the internet. Very powerful and addictive. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9420 "2026-03-03T17:26:54Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > That’s the exact stretch of the Hudson where my wife and I hosted our wedding reception (on a river boat). Timing is everything. Imagine if it had been different and the memory was “Everyone was having a lovely time until the airplane fell right next to us.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9421 "2026-03-03T17:58:58Z")
A Long EZ crashed about 16 linear NNW miles from here. > **[Pilot injured after small plane crashes in Burns Bog, Delta Police say](https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2026/02/28/delta-bc-plane-crash-burns-bog/)** > > The pilot of a small plane was taken to hospital after the aircraft crashed into Burns Bog in Delta Saturday morning, according to police. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9422 "2026-03-03T19:56:19Z")
Just 10 hours. She squeaked by. > #### **Solo: 10 hours minimum of solo flying in a single engine airplane on the Private Pilot areas of operation including:** > 1. 5 hours of solo cross country flying; > > 2. 1 solo cross country flight of at least 150nm total distance with full stop landings at 3 points and one segment of at least 50nm between T/O and landings; and > > 3. 3 T/O’s and landings to a full stop at an airport with an operating control tower. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499.md?page=470) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499.md?page=472)