Free Republic

Former Chilean president Sebastián Piñera died in a helicopter crash on Tuesday evening as he was traveling to southern Chile with three members of his family, who survived. Piñera, 74, was the first and so far only center-right president of Chile since its return to democracy at the end of the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, having served two presidential terms from 2010 to 2014 and 2018 to 2022. The former Chilean president was reportedly piloting the crashed helicopter, having taken off from the home of Chilean businessman José Cox on Tuesday afternoon after sharing a meal. Piñera was accompanied by...

Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was honored on Friday at a memorial service in Las Vegas, attended by President Biden, former President Barack Obama and other former colleagues who spoke of Reid’s integrity and humility. Biden described his relationship with Reid, who was his long-time colleague in the Senate, as both a decades-long partnership in public service and a close brotherhood.

It is becoming clear that the probable fate of Air Asia 8501 is that it is at the bottom of the ocean after losing controllability at high altitude in heavy thunderstorm activity. Fair enough, except none of those things should have made the least difference to a safe landing. Pilots encounter thunderstorms every day worldwide. It’s a routine part of the job. So why did this one make a difference? The problem is not the thunderstorms but with modern aviation practices. As a retired high time international airline pilot, I feel qualified to give you a look at the practices...

Controversial Republican Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe has confirmed that his son died in a plane crash on Sunday. Dr. Perry Inhofe worked as an orthopedic surgeon in Tulsa and was piloting the Mitsubishi MU-2B-25 twin turboprop aircraft that came down five miles from Tulsa International Airport. Oklahoma Highway Patrol spokesman George Brown said authorities confirmed that one person died in the crash which occurred at 3.40 p.m.in a heavily wooded area. According to flight tracking websites the aircraft took off from Salina, Kansas and was due to land at the airport after a 45 minute flight. Pilots cleared to land...