Latest news with #ReaganWashingtonNationalAirport
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Small plane crashes in San Diego setting homes and vehicles on fire
A small aircraft crashed in a large San Diego military neighborhood Thursday morning, setting several homes and vehicles on fire. The aircraft, a Cessna 550, crashed at around 3:45 a.m. in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood, leaving a path of destruction in its midst. Officials said that there were "multiple fatalities" and that nobody on the ground was seriously injured. The plane can carry six to eight people, although investigators said they are still trying to determine how many people were on board. Two Planes Do 'Go-arounds' To Avoid Military Helicopter Near Reagan Washington National Airport "We have jet fuel all over the place," Assistant Fire Department Chief Dan Eddy said during a news conference. "Our main goal is to search all these homes and get everybody out right now." He said there was a "direct hit to multiple homes" and described "a gigantic debris field" in an area of densely populated homes and sweeping canyon views. Read On The Fox News App Nearly 100 residents have been displaced in what Naval Base San Diego Capt. Bob Healy described as "one of the largest military housing areas in the world." Initial reports say that the plane hit a pole, losing its wing, then crashed into a home, sending debris airborne. Officials said that 15 homes were impacted by the crash. The plane originated from the Midwest. Pilot Killed After Small Plane Crashes Into California Neighborhood Video footage shows one house badly damaged by fire. At least three cars were seen burned in the driveway and the roof was partially collapsed. Debris from the aircraft was seen strewn along a nearby road and several other cars on the road were also charred and mangled and could be seen still smoldering hours later as the morning sky brightened. "We had one stubborn car fire that wouldn't go out, but the house fires have been knocked down," Eddy said. "Every car on both sides of the street caught fire due to jet fuel. Multiple homes were destroyed." San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl described the catastrophic scenes. "I can't quite put words to describe what this scene looks like but with the jet fuel going down the street and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see," Wahl said. "For the police officers and firefighters to run in there, start trying to evacuate people out of the way and doing anything and everything they could to try to save somebody's life is really heroic." The crash site is close to the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, a smaller airport on the north side of the city. The crash drew a large police and fire response with first responders going from house to house to check on residents. Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the plane to crash. One witness said he heard several loud booms followed by fires. "You look out the window, you just see big flames... So big flames, flames everywhere," he told Fox 2 KTVU. Multiple roads were cordoned off and will remain closed off for several hours, officials said. The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate, the FAA said in a statement. The NSTB will lead the investigation and provide any updates, the FAA said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Original article source: Small plane crashes in San Diego setting homes and vehicles on fire
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
I'm a former air traffic controller. The entire system is being stressed and the government needs to do more.
Todd Sheridan Yeary spent 13 years working at the FAA Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center. He says air traffic control is a high-pressure job with unpredictable challenges and safety concerns. The field is facing staffing shortages, which is stressing the National Airspace System's safety. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Todd Sheridan Yeary, a pastor and former air traffic controller who left the job in 2002 and is now based in Baltimore. It has been edited for length and clarity. I spent 13 years as an air traffic controller before pivoting my career. It's a well-paid but very stressful job. Many dynamics can change your shift altogether. On a normal cloudy day, if a thunderstorm starts, it could get tense — you can't control the weather and must respond in real time. There's heightened pressure when responding to constantly changing situations. If there's an aircraft incident or a midair collision — which are rare but shocking — the responsiveness needed takes hyperfocus. Additionally, the government needs to do more than pay lip service to the needs of the National Airspace System to sustain this field. I grew up in a house with two air traffic control parents, which influenced my decision to enter the field. After passing an air traffic control civil service test and completing 10 weeks of training, I chose to work at the FAA Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center since my stepmother was working there, and my father and I worked together in the same area for almost six years. I enjoy busy periods, like when I lined up the planes going into O'Hare and Midway, but air traffic controllers need time to recuperate. In today's environment, some controllers work up to a mandatory six-day week with overtime, and there's little reset time available. Pay is determined by the complexity of the facility you're assigned to. At the end of my career, my base was over six figures annually. With overtime, it's possible to make double that. The midair collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in January is a complicated analysis. When these events occur, air traffic controllers must respond immediately to ensure that the incidents don't cause other incidents. You rely on your training much more when things are shifting than when things are routine. We can't minimize the significance of these incidents, but we also can't lose sight of the reality that the National Airspace System (even with tech and staffing challenges) is still safe. We still can't take that safety for granted — there is a tipping point. The reduction of flights into Newark Liberty International Airport is partly due to concerns about equipment, but the most active runway at Newark is out of service until next month due to runway improvements. That alone requires the number of flights to be reduced to avoid potential safety issues. Airline demand has still been growing, and companies are often resistant to cutting back on slots at major airports and airline hubs. I was working on 9/11, and we had to clear the airspace over the US immediately. That meant something as simple as telling a commercial flight that may have left DC for LA that it needed to land in Moline, Illinois. If the pilots said, "That's not on our flight plan," we might counter that it was an emergency. If they refused, we had instructions to notify our military counterpart, the National Guard fighter jets, to escort commercial planes to the ground during an unprecedented national emergency. Some pilots initially questioned the instructions, but the available information was changing quickly. Between ATC communications and airline flight dispatchers, we kept military interdictions and escorts to a minimum. The job is exciting, the controllers are dedicated, and the training is rigorous. However, much more intentional effort is needed for this field to continue to be rewarding. There's a shortage of air traffic controllers, and others are pending retirement. If the government doesn't step in, you may see more controllers going out on disability because the system's safety is being stressed, and the controllers are being pushed beyond their limits. I started pastoring a small church in 2001, and I decided to leave my job in air traffic control in 2002 because my congregation needed more of my attention. I moved to Baltimore in 2007 to pastor Douglas Memorial Community Church. I thought I might return one day, but the opportunity never presented itself. Do you have a story to share about working as an air traffic controller? Contact this editor at lhaas@ Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Family of pilot killed in DC midair crash calls for air safety reforms, thanks Trump admin for swift action
The family of Sam Lilley, a pilot killed in the deadly midair collision between an American Airlines jet and a Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C., earlier this year, is speaking out and hoping to turn grief into action. "We [want to] make sure that no other family has to go through the loss that our family and the other 66 families have gone through," said Tim Lilley, Sam's father and a pilot himself. The January crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) claimed the lives of all 67 people aboard both aircraft. Since the incident, the Lilley family has called for changes to air safety protocols, particularly regarding military and commercial flight coordination near the Pentagon. Tim Lilley argues long-standing problems at Reagan National, from outdated systems to risky procedures, contributed to the tragedy. Two Planes Do 'Go-arounds' To Avoid Military Helicopter Near Reagan Washington National Airport "It only takes a minute to look at the procedure going out of the Pentagon and know you should not have a helicopter circling east of the Pentagon while there's aircraft, commercial aircraft, on approach to runway 19 at broader Reagan," he said. Read On The Fox News App Duffy Blasts Biden, Buttigieg For Ignoring Report About Failing Air Traffic Control System: 'Did Nothing!' He recalled previous conversations with his son about the complexity of flying into the area. "Sam and I talked quite a bit about the flights into DCA and Ronald Reagan International and the challenges that come with that," he said. Their concerns echo broader issues facing the aviation industry. A New York Times report after the crash highlighted understaffing at the Reagan control tower, and a lawsuit claims the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) improperly discarded qualified air traffic controller applicants based on race. Tim Lilley also expressed concern about outdated air traffic control technology. "The system just can't keep up with what's going on. This thing was designed decades and decades ago," he said. Black Hawk Pilot Failed To Heed Flight Instructor In Moments Before Plane Collision Over Dc: Report Despite the tragedy, the Lilleys are hopeful about efforts underway to fix what's broken. They credit Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for moving quickly after the crash. Faa Increasing Air Traffic Control Staff, Supervisors At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport "Secretary Duffy, he gets it," Tim said. "We met with him just a few days after the accident. Everything that we asked for, he's taking action on. I asked him to do this at the speed of business and not the speed of government, and he's really coming through." The Department of Transportation unveiled a sweeping three-year framework to modernize the nation's air traffic control system. The proposal released Thursday includes upgraded radar, new telecommunications networks, and six new air traffic control centers nationwide. Sam's family expressed gratitude for the administration's support. "I just really [want to] thank President Trump for his leadership in putting forth this program," said Tim, who stressed that aviation safety is not a partisan issue. "Every family deserves to know that their loved one is on a commercial aircraft that's [going to] get there safely," Tim said. "This goes both sides of the aisle. We're just looking for support from everybody. I think all Americans deserve safe skies." Even as changes begin, the Lilley family says their advocacy is just beginning. "We are in this for the long haul," said Sam's stepmother, Sheri Lilley. "Tim and I are adamant that we want to make the name Sam Lilley synonymous with aviation safety."Original article source: Family of pilot killed in DC midair crash calls for air safety reforms, thanks Trump admin for swift action
Boston Globe
07-05-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
Weather and night vision goggles were likely factors in Marine Corps helicopter crash, report finds
The limits of night vision goggles also have been identified as a potential factor in the fatal collision of an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a passenger jet near Reagan Washington National Airport in January that killed 67 people. The goggles can reduce a pilot's ability to determine distance and can be degraded by weather or light pollution. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The Marine helicopter was flying in icing conditions with low cloud cover that obscured the mountainous terrain along the flight path. The crew was using night vision goggles, which likely did not give them the clear picture needed to avoid a crash into terrain, investigators found. Advertisement The precipitation and clouds probably degraded the goggles' performance and possibly gave the crew a false sense that they were maintaining the safe distances needed in the flight, investigators found. The pilot and crew chief 'most likely believed they were operating legally and within their comfort level,' investigators found. Advertisement Ultimately, though, investigators found that the pilot's failure to avoid the terrain was the primary cause of the crash. They also found that the commanding officer, who was relieved of duty due to a loss of confidence in an ability to lead, should not have given the crew approval to fly. The Super Stallion vanished during the overnight flight on its way back to Miramar from Creech Air Force Base. The helicopter was discovered in the morning near the mountain community of Pine Valley. All five Marines aboard were killed in the crash: Lance Corporal Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kan.; Sergeant Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Ariz.; Captain Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Mich.; Captain Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, N.H.; and Captain Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho. In interviews contained in the report, multiple members of the squadron said that the crews had been stretched thin because their unit had to fly additional missions to compensate for last year's monthslong grounding of the V-22 Osprey fleet.
South China Morning Post
04-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
7 economic narratives from the Sevens to make us glad we live in Hong Kong
The first Hong Kong Sevens in the new Kai Tak Stadium was a success except for the rule that forbade outside food and drink to protect the concessionaires – who then ran out of, er, food and drink Advertisement Despite these privations, three days in a small seat surrounded by thousands of people allows for deep introspection with neighbours. In between loud cheers for Hong Kong's victories in both the men's and women's Melrose Claymores , the dominant narrative was geopolitics. Blackrock CEO Larry Fink recently wrote to shareholders that 'nearly every client' and 'nearly every leader' is 'more anxious about the economy than any time in recent memory'. Good investment forecasts are not made from a single narrative, such as inflation or interest rates. Investment expectations are driven by a coincidence of the timing and strength of different sub-narratives which cause events to occur, as with the alignment of the holes in slices of Swiss cheese. Each slice is a narrative that together makes investment forecasts multidimensional. Imagine the multiple factors involved in the chain of events that led to the mid-air collision of two aircraft at Reagan Washington National Airport in January. Advertisement
