B-52 Crash Edwards

[pelmet]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/us-b52-st ... -9.7236076

Really hoping that it is not a Canadian guy I have talked to(know his father).

[pelmet]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/us-b52-st ... -9.7236076

Really hoping that it is not a Canadian guy I have talked to(know his father).

Was sad to see the names listed today. His father got me in contact, and I had texted with him and had a nice phone conversation once as he had offered to check me out on a small aircraft(in California) this past winter that I wanted to get experience on(but it turned out to not be necessary). I hadn't realized how extensive his accomplishments were, yet no ego was noted when we talked. When I asked about the roll control handling due to the B52 using only spoilerons, he noted that the issue with them is more due to the pitch changes they cause(based on their location) making approaches more of a handful. We discussed the extremely short chord flight controls on the aircraft that have always fascinated me(rudder and elevators).

I flew the small aircraft type this morning that I had had discussed with him and then took an acquaintance from that airport to the international airport to catch a flight. Then took a mid-day snooze in the car as I was tired and then found out the bad news on my iphone. I thought about how I should contact his father and what I should say. Shortly after, I heard engines of an aircraft taxiing that sounded like a big jet and saw the tail of a military widebody slowly moving. Having known several pilots that died in crashes(and most of you either do or will), I thought to myself that airplanes turn nasty on us sometimes. Yet I had to watch it taxi out. I drove away to go home but on the other side of the airport I saw the big jet positioned for takeoff and stopped to watch it do that. It seems the lure of aviation remains for most of us, no matter what happens.

[pdw]

What would you say to him … well … the best is listening. You can express condolences .. then invite in future you are there when needs someone to talk to. You have given much insight to many pilots through this forum. This is a real tragedy and you are closer to this father esp with the recent interactions. Sorry for your loss, the loss of your friend’s son .. and the others.

[pelmet]

What would you say to him … well … the best is listening. You can express condolences .. then invite in future you are there when needs someone to talk to. You have given much insight to many pilots through this forum. This is a real tragedy and you are closer to this father esp with the recent interactions. Sorry for your loss, the loss of your friend’s son .. and the others.

I can only speak for myself, but when my parents passed away, I appreciated a single mention but then, time to move on. Maybe at a later time it can be OK to talk about them but it is a whole different ballgame when it is a son or daughter or someone who still had many good years left.

[Eric Janson]

From what I understand the aircraft had been under modification for almost 6 months.

I would expect a lot of other maintenance would have been done at the same time.

The accident flight was the first flight after this was completed.

First flights after maintenance require a lot of careful checks to make sure there are no nasty surprises waiting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItL-Y-m8e7g

These guys were very lucky.