I read today they are saying the tower gave the instruction to "go behind" 17 seconds before the crash.

But the copter pilot was talking and didn't receive the message.

The towers message was "stepped on" as they say.

I can see it now.

People are gonna say she was too busy gabbing to listen.

Too soon?

Actually...I have a suspicion that is actually pretty bad. I do wonder.

This was a training flight path in use for a long time and the last 2 weeks had had close calls with aircraft.

Is it possible this flight path was deliberate training flight for helicopter pilots for practice in more congested areas?

You know...nothing at all would surprise me anymore.

I read this particular flight path was training to get key government officials out of DC.

Lawmakers liked the proximity of the Ronald Reagan airport that allowed for quick access to the Capitol, White House, and other key locations.

Some were advocating for expanding the airport and others wanted to see it closed or partially closed for safety concerns.

Depending on who you ask, some opinions are the air traffic control system lost a lot more than employees when Reagan fired them in 1981.

Some say the system has "never fully recovered" in the sense that it never regained the level of expertise, efficiency, and labor-management balance it had before 1981.

Add to that modernization delays and recurring staffing shortages that impact operations.

Personally, if anyone has read my posts I was voting republican and changed to supporting democrats at that time.

This particular issue was one of two issues of the time that changed my opinion of republicans.

I believe labor unions still have a place in society although corruption has been a problem in some cases. While some unions have misused their power, that doesn't mean the idea of organized labor is outdated.

One,

"keeping these older planes flying within the system"

Sounds like what you're saying would be like asking Microsoft to write Windows to natively still run 16 bit programs or worse yet DOS apps.

Maintaining backward compatability can restrict technical advances if they don't draw the line somewhere.

Windows can still run 32 bit apps but not earlier. They basically forced people to get more current pc hardware.

Are you saying aircraft is still flying with older technology and ATC is obligated to work with it?

One,

Was the problem Ronald Reagan ATC is still using a system that's not updated so the helo had to drop back to Simplex?

Trying to understand this.

Robson,

"Was it Biden that pushed the reckless stupid policy of allowing military helicopters to run flight paths"

My concern is the word "allow" isn't the correct word but instead should be "deliberately flew" for training purposes.

Robson,

Not so sure I'd blame it on Biden.

Hasn't it been pretty well established he was already operating on less than a full deck when he became president?

Also, lawmakers have used that airport heavily out of convenience.

Whoever created this flight training has been putting lawmakers at risk.

Redial,

What do you predict will happen now?

Just the usual knee-jerk reaction lip-service until the next news cycle or next major news event like maybe....I don't know...some jet lands upside down.

Copter crash? When was that?

Redial,

Or do we have to wait awhile for the lawyers and government agencies to figure out who has the least power, is the most expendable and probably dead to blame it on?