Does Crash Of Amrican Airlines Flight Signal End Of Rational Thought Process in U.S.?

MB26/FR/News Reports | MB26

[MindBender26]

You are right about bad control inputs. At French airshow a few years ago, Airbus with fly-by-wire would not accept "increase thrust" deltas on a touch and go from ILS. Flared A/C into trees at far end of runway. 100 +/- demo riders dead.

I like control cables! Current military fighters are all fly-by-wire so they can "dial-in" ride and stability, but they have ejection seats...

[DB]

I believe many of the current military fighters are inherently unstable and could not be flown by humans directly at all. The computer translates what the pilot wants to do to whatever it takes to make the plane do it. Good thing MS doesn't write the control programs… ;-)

[Dave S]

Congrats, you got NOTHING right in that statement. It was an Aloha Airlines flight, and it was structural failure (which IS what we are talking about) that was the cause, not a bomb.

So much for my imperfect memory (last time I saw the movie based on the actual flight, I tuned in when it was 2/3 over).

My point remains it was poor idea to post picture of the Aloha Airlines plane without labeling it as such and explaining why the post was being made. Some other idiot is likely to come along, look at the huge gapping hole in the side, assume its the American Flight and think well obviously its a terrorist attack, they blew a huge hole in the side of the plane. Things are already muddied enough without tossing in other unidentified airplanes.

[MindBender26]

Exactly. The instability is built in so as to promote manouverability.

Also creates very rough ride. Had a F-111 media ride at 400kts, 50 feet AGL over West Texas, New Mexico, in the summer (thermal effect.) Lunch did not taste so good the second time!

PS, was all locked-up on auto, sitting on hands. My pucker facter was waaay up. Pilot was calm as ever....

[tberry]

"About 20 years ago, we entered a time when America became fat, dumb and happy. We wanted instant breakfast, fast food, fast cars, quick sex, easy abortions."

and easy quick answers that were supplied by the government just as all the other "entitlements" were. We were and are conditioned to look for, accept and believe anything the government "spins".

You are correct as far as you go but are unable to see that you are one of those who believes "the government line" that they are good and only do thing that are good for us and if there is a problem it is because we are lazy and gulable and abandoned self-reliance which has forced them to take care of us..

[MindBender26]

Somethings the government does are good, some are bad.

To assume I approve of everything the government is an incorrect assumption. Likewise to condem everything does by government, or any entity, is foolish.

No one or thing is as good as their own PR, nor as bad as their enemies' PR says it is.

[Rokke]

Very nice post. Well stated, and not surprisingly, well-supported in subsequent posts by the very people you allude to. Keep up the good work.

[Who is George Salt?]

A good description of how the "echo chamber" works can be found in Clinton speaks, pundits spin: The Washington Times and the spread of a media myth

Here's an excerpt:

"The propagation of the Washington Times's distorted version of Clinton's speech reveals how pundits, desperate for controversy, can create a "fact" simply by repeating it often enough to make it conventional wisdom. Disreputable reporting that appeals to existing perceptions of political figures is often picked up and repeated by pundits who don't bother to check their facts. When the truth finally comes out, it's too late: the rumor has become established through repetition, and the truth receives little coverage because it is less newsworthy and less politically useful. Pundits who propagate these myths not only abdicate their responsibility to their readers but ultimately reveal themselves as little more than partisan spinners."