Crashes in the Hudson River revisited

[KMEM]

Saturday's crash involving a sight seeing helicopter and a (reported) six place single engine fixed wing aircraft, no doubt also sight seeing, is indeed a tragedy. It might sound like an alibi but this accident would not have gotten very much news time except for the location (Hudson River and its' recent airline accident), the juxtaposition of NYC and the media penchant for over blowing what it considers to be "newsworthy" accidents. Helicopters especially have been in the sights of the media of late.

 

As I have stated several times in the past, in the US we manage to kill upwards of 35,000 people on our highways each year and, usually, these accidents are page 10 news or go away in a day or two. Modern means of transport are dangerous because of the speed passengers insist upon and the methods used to achieve those speeds with numerous passengers on board. The only sure way to eliminate any and all danger is to eliminate public (and private) transportation. By no means does that indicate that I am suggesting relaxing our efforts to improve safety as well as the price in dollars of transportation.

 

Both the helicopter and fixed wing aircraft were sight seeing some of the most inspiring examples of America at its' best. Ellis Island, Liberty Island with the Statue of Liberty, NY harbor, Manhattan Island and all of the scenery available on the southern tip of NYC. We all suffered when any of this was restricted after 911 adn I think most of us would hate to see it restricted for aircraft and their passengers. I personally have made this trip more than once and I have always been awed by it. Not only by the scenery but also by the care one must observe during such a flight. It IS crowded much of the time. There are established "rules of the road" that any sane person should and must observe. But it is the easiest and quickest way to get from say Newark, NJ to say White Plains, NY with or without sight seeing.

 

I won't go into a long discussion of helicopters here but they are high maintenance, special purpose vehicles with unique utility capabilities. They come into the mainstream of American culture for those specific reasons but they will always present more opportunities for accidents than comparably operated and maintained fixed wing aircraft. That is a prejudicial statement and I am perfectly willing to admit it. Would I take a trip into a volcano by helicopter in HI? Yes. Would I want to ride around in helicopters every day? No. But, that is just me.

 

I think the bottom line is, are we willing to accept injury and even death as part and parcel of modern every day life? Be honest. No one likes those things but if you accept riding or driving a car as perfectly acceptable as a risk, then you also know bad things can and do happen. You pays your money and you takes you chances.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[AdamSmith]

I have no dog in this hunt, except the interest in fidelity to fact & statistics. But seems to me that KMEM's observations are valid w.r.t. risks involved. I would still take either a copter flight or a small plane flight over an interesting area. As my favorite escort has done -- both!

[+ glutes]

All aboard the Air Kmem Airbus 330!

[AdamSmith]

All aboard the Air Kmem Airbus 330!

 

For whatever reason, I would trust KMEM's judgments about this before those of many of my own political persuasion.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_principle