Writing this in my personal capacity, but I have been flying these types of aircraft for more than 20 years, with over 8,000 hours, and have reasonable familiarity with how the charter world operates. I feel compelled to post after seeing commentary about the Lear 60 crash, from missile strikes to DEI to critiquing this poor woman’s final radio calls.
That last part is what I find most troubling. She was the second-in-command (SIC), and while she was empowered to point out mistakes as part of good crew resource management, she was doing her job, communicating with ATC right to the end in a terrifying situation. She likely knew before many of those calls that she was going to die. I have heard final calls from friends, from military pilots with thousands of hours in fighter aircraft, and they are just as heartbreaking because they know the end is approaching.
I understand the public interest given the footage and audio. But you do not know the aircraft’s maintenance history, whether there was a structural failure, if any failure was induced by turbulence, overspeed, or overcontrol, or everything happening in that cockpit. I am sure weather will be part of the investigation, but beyond that, it is speculation. The charter industry routinely hires commercial pilots very early in their careers to gain experience alongside an ATP-qualified captain before they move up to the airlines. She would still have the appropriate training, qualifications, and checkouts by an FAA examiner or designee.
Let people investigate, learn, and share the facts. Be respectful to those who perished and the families who carry their memories. God bless them and their loved ones.
The U.S. attacked Iran’s Qeshm Island within the last few hours according to U.S. officials, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, the latest in a series of limited strikes the U.S. has carried out in recent weeks without announcing them. Explosions were reported on the Island beginning around 4 p.m. ET today. A U.S. official said the administration is “consistently addressing threats to American forces in the region.”
Some officials described the strikes as defensive, meant to stop Iran from having the freedom to attack commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. One said the campaign has been kept quiet so as not to signal any intention of resuming major combat operations. Qeshm sits at the mouth of the strait and has a large underground missile site, a naval base and a major desalination plant, according to the Journal.
Source: https://t.co/z4ckarkplp
UPDATE | 🇺🇦🇷🇺 Russian missiles are targeting major thermal power infrastructure across the Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Vinnytsia regions.
The reports suggest another coordinated wave against Ukraine's electricity and heating network, as the country faces mounting pressure on its energy infrastructure ahead of winter.
Ukraine's energy system has already suffered extensive damage from repeated Russian strikes in recent weeks.
UPDATE | A wave of Russian missile attacks is underway with incoming missiles reported over northern and central Ukraine.
Initial reports indicate at least two possible Zircon/Oniks cruise missiles and four suspected KN-23 ballistic missiles.