JFK jr Missing

[Spectre]

Someone said to me a night or two ago, "Wasn't that such a tragedy?"

People die everyday, I said. Why should it be sadder that this man has died?

"But, everyone felt like they knew him," she said.

Let me think about that. Which is more the tragedy: a known entity with marginally redeeming qualities passing, or all the lives that the people never knew? A tragedy this may be, at least for the man's family. I believe the man lived his life- or, at least had every opportunity to do so- in a vibrant, passionate manner. This was no tragedy. Bon voyage.

 

[Andy]

GearedUp!, GreybeardB, Guttsmoke-

Would they still be searching for you if this had been you? YES!! Being a member of Civil Air Patrol, (The USAF auxiliary that does 80% of SAR in the US) I can say that yes they would. We have many, many searches that last several weeks. That this one lasted a matter of hours is to me, amazing. Those guys were on the ball, and having to put up with a media circus like that makes it hellish. Last summer we had a missing plane here in WI that we searched for for 4 weeks until it was found. Nobobdy had ever heard of those folks. Don't be quite so cynical, there are lots of good people out there who are willing to look for my and your @ss when the time comes.

Andy

 

[OJ]

I agree with Huntman. I have held a commercial pilot license nearly 30 years and there is no question in my mind where the responsibility lies and it has nothing to do with a "family curse". I think back and think of times I made some poor decisions as a new pilot but they weren't that bad and I somehow came through alive - posssibly with some luck, but I think I hedged enough that I influenced that luck. Interestingly, the Denver Post letters to the editor today had a letter from a retired Air Force Colonel pilot who blamed the FAA for allowing such a low time pilot to carry passengers and bad-mouthed the NRA (it would interfere with his rights as "the NRA feels") all in the same breath, if you can believe that. You have to draw the line somewhere and the private ticket is it. I don't think we can blame the FAA and certainly not the NRA. I guess that colonel feels that government should be trusted to protect us all from making any bad decisions and killing ourselves and family. I wonder if the good colonel realizes that is the same government that promised him lifetime medical care when he came in the Air Force?

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OJ