Here is a Youtube video with a cogent analysis of publicly available information about the tragic airplane accident at National Airport this past Wednesday. The video is about fourteen minutes in length and I think for any reader it would be time well spent.
I was in Washington earlier this week to argue an ex parte patent appeal before the PTAB. The way I arrived in Washington on Tuesday was through National Airport. Yes, the same approach from the south, with a glide slope down to Runway 1. My flight was not asked to swing over to Runway 33.
My return flight from Washington was on Thursday, through Dulles.
Thanks, are you a pilot or CFI?
Cheers, Phil
Thank you for commenting. No, I have neither qualification. But as a radio amateur I try to follow such radio communications as best I can. During my flight on Tuesday into National, I tried as best I could to follow the approach and landing at National using GPS and Google Maps. It was easy to see the line-up with Runway 1.
Thank you for this You Tube video, which is extremely well explained. I have listened to various different recordings of air traffic controllers handling the very busy airports in Europe (Heathrow, Charles de Gaulle, Schiphol for example) and have always been very impressed with how the air controllers handle a huge number of flights simultaneously taking off and landing.
As the presenter says, the only good thing to come out of these horrific accidents is that the lessons learned are shared around the world.
Can only say thank you–good analysis of a tragedy.
Carl, this is yet another extraordinary service that you provide.
Thank you.