Patrick - Very sorry to hear about your mom. All my best to you and your family.

Thanks for the insider's perspective on the Northwest episode. I see your point that the issue is being over blown; but there is a certain puzzle to it that does add to the interest of the general reader.

My condolences for your loss.

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/oct/29/new-bill-targets-distracted-flying/?feat=home_headlines

Politicians are into the fray now.

Does Senator Menendez have the vaguest idea how to fly a jetliner, or what goes on in a cockpit during cruise flight? I suspect not, yet within eight days of the Northwest thing he's writing * Federal legislation * (bypassing the FAA) to prohibit pilots from doing pretty much ANYTHING except staring straight ahead. If you want to guarantee more tired and brain-fried pilots, this is one way to do it.

PS

I am very sorry to hear about your mother, Patrick.

As a long-time fan of your column and other writings, I will keep you, your family, and your mom in my prayers this week and hope for her speedy recovery. She sounds like an extraordinary women.

Patrick,

thanks for the column and accept my condolences on your mothers passing.

It is all the rage!

How else are you going to lose an hour of time in the cockpit of n airliner, encounter of the third kind or oral sex?

I doubt it.

Laptops?

Maybe they had a problem with the AIR?

/RIMSHOT

As soon as I heard about the NWA incident, I started looking for what you would say on the subject, and noticed your recent absence. I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. May she rest in peace.

Patrick,

Thank you for your column and my condolences on your loss. Your mother must have felt very lucky to have a son share her interest in field.

Patrick,

So sorry to hear about your mother.

It was a very interesting column, very good reading.

My sincere condolences on the loss of your mother. She seems like a lovely woman.

But on the subject of this air disaster. I don't disagree that it may be a bit over-covered in the media. However, it's hard to believe your point that "planes can't fly themselves without lots of input from the flight crew", when you give us several examples of how it HAS. This flight went 150 miles past its destination. The Air India flight went a whopping 300 miles past its destination. And sure, there may be long stretches of radio quiet over the midsection of the country, but I doubt the radio chatter after say 50 miles was "yeah, flight xyz, where are you?" I'm guessing it was probably more like "FLIGHT XYZ, WHERE THE F*** ARE YOU???".

Sure it wasn't mountainous terrain, but, what if it had been? What if there had been multiple so many planes in the general vicinity, and TWO of those flight crews had been having "heated policy discussions" at the same time, with or without a laptop? What if the plane went past the eastern seaboard, with little to no fuel left on board - not enough to turn the plane around and reach land?

There are probably things that can be done - loud Loud LOUD alarm, over the speaker, if the plane goes more than 50 miles past its destination without an "override" given (by an awake and paying-attention pilot)? Or one that can be activated by the ATC? Something, anything that says "WAKE THE F*** UP and start piloting again".

My mother too just past away - but at 95. No matter the age we only have one mother -- Bless her.

Dave

Condolences on the loss of your mother -- she sounds like a terrific lady.

That reminds me of a conversation I had with a flight attendant on a recent flight. I like to stretch my legs and I'd been in transit for almost 36 hours, so I headed back to the lavatory, stopped to hang out in the galley (I know, a no-no) and struck up a conversation with the flight attendant who appeared to be about my age (50ish). I asked her about how and when she became a flight attendant, and noted that uh, more mature, flight attendants seem to be the norm these days. She said at her graduation from flight attendant training the head of the airline told everyone to stand up, and then told them to sit down if they were over a certain age, a certain weight, if they had children, etc. When he was done, only a few of them were standing. He said 40 years ago only those people would have been flight attendants. Now, talking to older female flight attendants I get the impression that the airlines actually prefer older women: more reliable, more mature, fewer issues with child care and scheduling, etc. How times have changed!

Deepest sympathy & heartfelt condolenes to you. Over the years, your personal writing style has engendered a feeling that we know you better than most columnists. I hope that the many wonderful memories of your mother ease your grief.

Patrick,

I've always enjoyed your columns, and am touched that you shared your mother's passing with us. My condolences to you. I can't imagine how hard it is.

Sorry to hear about your mother, Patrick.

I post here less and less often these days, cuz I'm OLD, and in no league to keep up with cybertalk. [My new of-the-moment-word.]

But seeing -- for once? -- I managed to find your post here before too many other comment-ers, I just want to tell you THANK YOU! I kept watching the other varying news media coverages, and waiting till I could find a post of yours here.

Relieved and grateful to now find your post here. I'll be following this thread! ;-)

salonmarte

I was looking forward to your take on this incident after it happened. My condolences for your loss.

You have my sincerest condolences for your mother's passing.

And yet again, my appreciation for a well thought out column. Let me just say that it continues to be refreshing for a specialist in a technical field to explain its complexities without watering them down to the point of gibberish.