Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Alabama's Morning News. I'm JT. Continuing coverage of the tragic
crash in Washington, d C. Last night eight forty eight
last night a local time in DC, an American Airlines
flight and a black Hawk helicopter that was on a
training mission collided right over the Potomac River. They have
now gone from a I guess switched from a rescue
operation to a recovery operation, meaning they do not expect
(00:23):
any survivors. So we're understanding. There's been twenty seven bodies
recovered so far.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
There was a.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Total of sixty passengers and four crew members on the
American Airlines flight and on that black helicopter, the black
Hawk helicopter, there were three passengers or there are three
people on board, two pilots and a passenger. Joining us
now to talk about this a little bit more. A
former Army ranger and a pilot as well. Oliver is
(00:50):
here with us. Thank you so much for being with me. Oliver.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Good morning, Good morning, sir. How you doing today.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
I'm great. Thank you for your service as an Army ranger.
You've seen, probably you know a lot of things most
people will never see. This is a tragic, horrible situation.
This morning and as a pilot, uh, your thoughts as
you wake up this morning and see what's taking place
here in d C with this black Hawk training helicopter
and also the American Airlines flight. Just horrible situation.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Absolutely yeah, it's waking up this morning and last night
even I was heavily involved in looking up information about it. People,
a couple of flight buddies of mine reaching out and
talking about it over some encrypted chats. But it's a
it's a terrible thing. These pilots, they go through a
lot of training and they try to mitigate these risks
(01:39):
and these these uh you know, accidents from happening. As
we're looking at it with with all these people they're
trying to pull out of the Potomac. They're looking for
them steal. It's like you said, turn into a recovery mission.
You know. These these pilots, I will say this JT.
In the in the flight community, they're known. Black Hawk
pilots are known to go through quite rigorous training. I
(02:02):
have had a lot of experience with its, like the
one sixtieth Special Operations Unit there that that does great piloting,
and these guys get through a lot of training nighttime
flight is an entirely different beast, you know. And I'm
not trying to take away from anything whether what was
going right or what was gone wrong, but I will
say that that is a that is a definite beast
(02:23):
to fly at the minion cups for Bearcraft, Leather, Big Road,
the Leader Fictionally.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
You know when you look at black Hawk, you know craft,
you know the famous movie black Hawk Down. These these
are elite helicopters, when you say, and the people that
fly these are a bit more I guess say, trained
in a regular helicopter and a bit more specialized like
rangers are and seals are. These are some of the
(02:47):
elite of the elite and in the armed services, aren't they.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Well, you have just like like you said there with
with your different types of infantry, you have your different rangers,
you steal your green rays. But with flight you also
of the same jat You've got your beginning level. And
they could be a black Hawk pilot or they could
be flying any other talk of you know, commercial craft.
But what these guys go through, it's a lifetime experience.
(03:14):
It grows as they start from the beginning. And you know,
you got guys in the aircraft community flying for the
one sixtieth doing stuff for thirty forty years combat operations.
Then you have black Hawk pilots that are just getting
ot Afford Rutger, Alabama, and you know they're still trying
to accumulate hours. From what I understand about this particular flight,
(03:34):
this was one of those kind of training flights they
were looking for hours at night. You have different types
of hours you're trying to accumulate, and that is for
night flights for day flights. So that's obviously what it
looks like to be is what they were trying to
do here is accumulate those of those hours.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Right, as a pilot, what kind of aircraft do you fly?
Are you just airlines, personal flights, planes, and helicopters? Where
do you fly?
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Well, for me, it's it's difficult trying to tell people,
you know, being a pilot as well as being a
ranger or a prior marine, because they think it I've
flown in the military. I've never flown in the military,
have only been in somebody light sessions and civilian flight only.
So smaller craft your sets those years right single engend
and all the way up to duel.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
I would imagine that as you mentioned the night flight
with black Hawk helicopters, obviously it becomes a bit more challenging.
But during these training missions h DC, I would think,
you know, is a pretty crowded area around Reagan National
and all these black Hawks that are very absolutely, very
familiar there as they fly the government dignitaries all the time.
(04:45):
For instance, the President would not drive over to the Pentagon,
he would jump in the helicopter. So with that said,
are these tougher conditions than normal, Like let's say a
black Hawk on a mission. I know, that's even you know,
more challenging with you know, you taking fire and trying
to maneuver in a battle situation. But is it is
it similar in that you've got to be you know,
(05:08):
a lot more aware. And is it the traffic create
more problems as busy as it is there?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
It does? It does?
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (05:16):
You know, Ronald Reagan National Airport, there is a congestion area.
With that being said, this blackhawk looks like it came
from for Belvoir, Virginia, so they looked they had a
little bit of a flight behind them coming in there
with American Airlines on approach for landing at night time.
Adding in with those conditions, they usually do fly with
(05:38):
night vision, whether that be a single monocular or duel
type of device. And when you have your air traffic
controller there, that's that's the guy that's you know, designing
who's coming in, who's landing, and what order they're landing.
So the communication between the both the American Airlines and
the traffic control there with the black Hawk is what
(06:02):
really makes the difference. If they're dialed in and if
they're in proper communication, they know where all their points
are at, then you're able to track your flights, you're
able to make sure everyone's lying in a safe maneuver.
So that's my first question of this is what was
the communications between the air traffic control and what was
the directive for that Army flight helicopter.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
We have heard and we will play some of the
communication between the tower and I'm not sure if it's
with the pilot on American Airlines or with the black
Hawk pilot, but the American Airlines, you know, I understand,
is on a different frequency with the tower than a
black Hawk helicopter would have been on.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Right, You're absolutely correct, JT. And with that Beings said,
they steal, you know, they cross paths and looking at
it as where every aircraft in the sky is at
at any point in time. So and they're able to
see this down to a very pinpoint accuracy. So just
you know, whether they communicate on different frequencies or not,
(07:02):
they should have been able to at least identify what altitude,
what direct angle of attack and such these aircrafts were
meeting at. And for them to have that cross intersection
point right there before the runway with the American Airlines
already on set path for approach, you know, kind of
makes me wonder what brought that black Hawk to take
(07:24):
a right angle and go right over that the Potomac
right there where it would meet. And I just I
want to look more into those audio recordings to be honest.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
With and how much of it is. I understand the
American Airlines flight was on an instrument landing, you know, guidance,
and the black Hawk was more on a visual situation here.
Even in a tight situation like that, especially in a
tight situation like the traffic is at National you've got
to be aware not only instrument, you know, but visual
really comes into play, doesn't it. For both pilots.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Absolutely, yeah, I mean you talk about i FR and
how at that process is when you're you're landing an
aircraft basically all on your instruments, no visual outlook from
the from the cockpit, and you know, it takes a
little bit more skill, a little bit more trained pilot
when those in the scenarios. But you know, a free,
(08:17):
freehanded flight with the black like you said, with the
black Hawk is definitely uh a more you know, he's
got more range. There's not a set path that the
aircraft is narrowed on. Whereas that that you know, American
Airlines is coming in, it's it's already it's already set
on its path. It's not you know, they're not they're
they're not going to direct anything different. But yeah, it's
(08:39):
it's it's a very very questioning.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Well, the NTSB does a great job in investigating. They
will do that as well on this situation, oh horrible
situation this morning. Oliver. Thank you for being with me
this morning. Former Army ranger and civilian pilot. Take care, buddy,
Thank you for your service and we'll talk soon.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Thank you, sir, Thank you, sir, appreciate it.
Alabama's Morning News. I'm JT. Continuing coverage of the tragic
crash in Washington, d C. Last night eight forty eight
last night a local time in DC, an American Airlines
flight and a black Hawk helicopter that was on a
training mission collided right over the Potomac River. They have
now gone from a I guess switched from a rescue
operation to a recovery operation, meaning they do not expect
(00:23):
any survivors. So we're understanding. There's been twenty seven bodies
recovered so far.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
There was a.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Total of sixty passengers and four crew members on the
American Airlines flight and on that black helicopter, the black
Hawk helicopter, there were three passengers or there are three
people on board, two pilots and a passenger. Joining us
now to talk about this a little bit more. A
former Army ranger and a pilot as well. Oliver is
(00:50):
here with us. Thank you so much for being with me. Oliver.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Good morning, Good morning, sir. How you doing today.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
I'm great. Thank you for your service as an Army ranger.
You've seen, probably you know a lot of things most
people will never see. This is a tragic, horrible situation.
This morning and as a pilot, uh, your thoughts as
you wake up this morning and see what's taking place
here in d C with this black Hawk training helicopter
and also the American Airlines flight. Just horrible situation.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Absolutely yeah, it's waking up this morning and last night
even I was heavily involved in looking up information about it. People,
a couple of flight buddies of mine reaching out and
talking about it over some encrypted chats. But it's a
it's a terrible thing. These pilots, they go through a
lot of training and they try to mitigate these risks
(01:39):
and these these uh you know, accidents from happening. As
we're looking at it with with all these people they're
trying to pull out of the Potomac. They're looking for
them steal. It's like you said, turn into a recovery mission.
You know. These these pilots, I will say this JT.
In the in the flight community, they're known. Black Hawk
pilots are known to go through quite rigorous training. I
(02:02):
have had a lot of experience with its, like the
one sixtieth Special Operations Unit there that that does great piloting,
and these guys get through a lot of training nighttime
flight is an entirely different beast, you know. And I'm
not trying to take away from anything whether what was
going right or what was gone wrong, but I will
say that that is a that is a definite beast
(02:23):
to fly at the minion cups for Bearcraft, Leather, Big Road,
the Leader Fictionally.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
You know when you look at black Hawk, you know craft,
you know the famous movie black Hawk Down. These these
are elite helicopters, when you say, and the people that
fly these are a bit more I guess say, trained
in a regular helicopter and a bit more specialized like
rangers are and seals are. These are some of the
(02:47):
elite of the elite and in the armed services, aren't they.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Well, you have just like like you said there with
with your different types of infantry, you have your different rangers,
you steal your green rays. But with flight you also
of the same jat You've got your beginning level. And
they could be a black Hawk pilot or they could
be flying any other talk of you know, commercial craft.
But what these guys go through, it's a lifetime experience.
(03:14):
It grows as they start from the beginning. And you know,
you got guys in the aircraft community flying for the
one sixtieth doing stuff for thirty forty years combat operations.
Then you have black Hawk pilots that are just getting
ot Afford Rutger, Alabama, and you know they're still trying
to accumulate hours. From what I understand about this particular flight,
(03:34):
this was one of those kind of training flights they
were looking for hours at night. You have different types
of hours you're trying to accumulate, and that is for
night flights for day flights. So that's obviously what it
looks like to be is what they were trying to
do here is accumulate those of those hours.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Right, as a pilot, what kind of aircraft do you fly?
Are you just airlines, personal flights, planes, and helicopters? Where
do you fly?
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Well, for me, it's it's difficult trying to tell people,
you know, being a pilot as well as being a
ranger or a prior marine, because they think it I've
flown in the military. I've never flown in the military,
have only been in somebody light sessions and civilian flight only.
So smaller craft your sets those years right single engend
and all the way up to duel.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
I would imagine that as you mentioned the night flight
with black Hawk helicopters, obviously it becomes a bit more challenging.
But during these training missions h DC, I would think,
you know, is a pretty crowded area around Reagan National
and all these black Hawks that are very absolutely, very
familiar there as they fly the government dignitaries all the time.
(04:45):
For instance, the President would not drive over to the Pentagon,
he would jump in the helicopter. So with that said,
are these tougher conditions than normal, Like let's say a
black Hawk on a mission. I know, that's even you know,
more challenging with you know, you taking fire and trying
to maneuver in a battle situation. But is it is
it similar in that you've got to be you know,
(05:08):
a lot more aware. And is it the traffic create
more problems as busy as it is there?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
It does? It does?
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (05:16):
You know, Ronald Reagan National Airport, there is a congestion area.
With that being said, this blackhawk looks like it came
from for Belvoir, Virginia, so they looked they had a
little bit of a flight behind them coming in there
with American Airlines on approach for landing at night time.
Adding in with those conditions, they usually do fly with
(05:38):
night vision, whether that be a single monocular or duel
type of device. And when you have your air traffic
controller there, that's that's the guy that's you know, designing
who's coming in, who's landing, and what order they're landing.
So the communication between the both the American Airlines and
the traffic control there with the black Hawk is what
(06:02):
really makes the difference. If they're dialed in and if
they're in proper communication, they know where all their points
are at, then you're able to track your flights, you're
able to make sure everyone's lying in a safe maneuver.
So that's my first question of this is what was
the communications between the air traffic control and what was
the directive for that Army flight helicopter.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
We have heard and we will play some of the
communication between the tower and I'm not sure if it's
with the pilot on American Airlines or with the black
Hawk pilot, but the American Airlines, you know, I understand,
is on a different frequency with the tower than a
black Hawk helicopter would have been on.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Right, You're absolutely correct, JT. And with that Beings said,
they steal, you know, they cross paths and looking at
it as where every aircraft in the sky is at
at any point in time. So and they're able to
see this down to a very pinpoint accuracy. So just
you know, whether they communicate on different frequencies or not,
(07:02):
they should have been able to at least identify what altitude,
what direct angle of attack and such these aircrafts were
meeting at. And for them to have that cross intersection
point right there before the runway with the American Airlines
already on set path for approach, you know, kind of
makes me wonder what brought that black Hawk to take
(07:24):
a right angle and go right over that the Potomac
right there where it would meet. And I just I
want to look more into those audio recordings to be honest.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
With and how much of it is. I understand the
American Airlines flight was on an instrument landing, you know, guidance,
and the black Hawk was more on a visual situation here.
Even in a tight situation like that, especially in a
tight situation like the traffic is at National you've got
to be aware not only instrument, you know, but visual
really comes into play, doesn't it. For both pilots.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Absolutely, yeah, I mean you talk about i FR and
how at that process is when you're you're landing an
aircraft basically all on your instruments, no visual outlook from
the from the cockpit, and you know, it takes a
little bit more skill, a little bit more trained pilot
when those in the scenarios. But you know, a free,
(08:17):
freehanded flight with the black like you said, with the
black Hawk is definitely uh a more you know, he's
got more range. There's not a set path that the
aircraft is narrowed on. Whereas that that you know, American
Airlines is coming in, it's it's already it's already set
on its path. It's not you know, they're not they're
they're not going to direct anything different. But yeah, it's
(08:39):
it's it's a very very questioning.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Well, the NTSB does a great job in investigating. They
will do that as well on this situation, oh horrible
situation this morning. Oliver. Thank you for being with me
this morning. Former Army ranger and civilian pilot. Take care, buddy,
Thank you for your service and we'll talk soon.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Thank you, sir, Thank you, sir, appreciate it.
Popular Podcasts
40s and Free Agents: NFL Draft Season
Daniel Jeremiah of Move the Sticks and Gregg Rosenthal of NFL Daily join forces to break down every team's needs this offseason.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.