American Airlines CRJ-700 collides with helicopter near Reagan National

[superchuck500]

 

[Rickboy]

Not surprising at all. At a minimum, I had expected them to restrict the use of NVGs on that route. One thing I'd like to see, down the road, is better radio technology so keying the mic (or PTT) doesn't make it impossible to hear what the tower is saying.

 

[superchuck500]

 

[Madmarsha]

I was planning on watching the coverage of this through the week as the World Figure Skating Championships get started. I didn't know they were in Boston this year.

 

[Madmarsha]

In other figure skating news, completely lost in this hubbub was the announcement of the death of Dick Button just after the crash. Just a weird, uncanny timing. For decades and decades, he was THE voice and face of men's figure skating. The last time he did an on-air analysis was in 2010.

Dick Button, Olympic great and voice of skating, dies at 95

Olympic figure skating great and authoritative commentator Dick Button has died at age 95. Button's son, Edward, says he died Thursday and did not provide a cause.

apnews.com

I completely missed that the Worlds were this week so I missed the ladies short program, but US is are poised to possibly do great things as we are currently 1st and 3rd in the standings. The US hasn't won a ladies Olympic gold since 2002.

In men's US is currently 1st. Probably not going to do much in pairs but ice dancers are reigning world champs so that looks good, too.

D.C. Plane Crash Echoes Boston Skating Club’s 1961 Tragedy

Two months after the D.C. plane crash killed 67, including six people affiliated with the Boston club, the members had to prepare for the world championships. Unfathomably, they had a blueprint.

www.nytimes.com

It's not an Olympic year so just adding all this here as it all goes together anyway.

 

[Madmarsha]

Some good news for US Figure Skating. American women placed first, fourth, and fifth which means we get to send three women to the Olympics next year for the first time in a while, I think.

Alysa Liu stuns with gold at world championships after return from retirement

Alysa Liu became the first American woman in nearly two decades to win a world figure skating title.

www.usatoday.com

 

[Eeyore]

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/28/us/delta-military-jet-close-call-dca/index.html

 

[Eeyore]

United Airlines Flight Hit by Kite Near Washington DC

A kite apparently hit United Airlines (UA) Flight 654 as it approached Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

aviationa2z.com

 

[Madmarsha]

United Airlines Flight Hit by Kite Near Washington DC

A kite apparently hit United Airlines (UA) Flight 654 as it approached Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

aviationa2z.com

Is this airport built on ancient Native American burial grounds and is therefore cursed?

 

[Bill]

United Airlines Flight Hit by Kite Near Washington DC

A kite apparently hit United Airlines (UA) Flight 654 as it approached Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

aviationa2z.com

Yeah those savage kites that are tracking down and attacking airliners at over 200 miles per hour!
Isn’t that like saying a boxer’s face hit his opponent in the fist?

 

[Sailorsaint]

Yeah those savage kites that are tracking down and attacking airliners at over 200 miles per hour!
Isn’t that like saying a boxer’s face hit his opponent in the fist?

I think it's closer to a car swerving to dodge a butterfly.

 

[Bill]

I think it's closer to a car swerving to dodge a butterfly.

I just don’t get the expression that the KITE hit the jet. The kite is hovering around at the end of a long string. Damage or no damage it’s clearly the JETS that are hitting the kites.

 

[Madmarsha]

Are kites the new drones?

 

[Sailorsaint]

I just don’t get the expression that the KITE hit the jet. The kite is hovering around at the end of a long string. Damage or no damage it’s clearly the JETS that are hitting the kites.

Are you certain the kites weren't acting aggressively towards the jets?