Something has to be up with these planes. There have been too many incidents for it to be just coincidence. I have read the other threads on this and think that it has got to be guidance connected.

-- David Whitelaw (Dande53484@aol.com), February 21, 2000

Answers

Planes will not fall from the sky.

Oil production will not decrease.

The economy will remain strong.

There's no place like home...War is peace...etc

-- Pay no attention to that stabilizer behind the curtain (@ .), February 21, 2000.

I care about people in general. I think any loss of life due to any kind of coverup is nothing short of criminal.

-- David Whitelaw (Dande53484@aol.com), February 21, 2000.

The airlines are selling a defective product, and have been for years. No other industry could possibly have gotten away with what they have done. I agree David, it is criminal.

-- Earl (earl.shuholm@worldnet.att.net), February 21, 2000.

I can`t imagine anyone being foolish enough to get on an MD 80.

-- Earl (earl.shuholm@worldnet.att.net), February 21, 2000.

Enough puny voices can make one helluva noise.

-- David Whitelaw (Dande53484@aol.com), February 21, 2000.

You're right, David. These planes have been reliably maintained by scores of mechanics for years. Now suddenly many are breaking down. Its got to be other than a nuts-and-bolts issue. They all probably have the same control system. A malfunction in the system could be the reason.

-- JOHN (LITTMANNJ@AOL.COM), February 21, 2000.

I'm afraid I have to disagree with you. People need to stand up and be counted otherwise we are like lambs to the slaughter.

-- David Whitelaw (Dande53484@aol.com), February 21, 2000.

I am sorry you feel the way you do. I was taught by my tribal elders that all life is sacred. In our culture we still only take what we need not what we want.

-- David Whitelaw (Dande53484@aol.com), February 21, 2000.

David:

I have been on about 10 flights on MD-80 series planes since Flight 261. I have had no troubles and I have said nothing. Why? When you fly many times you have the feeling that eventually your ticket will be punched. It is superstition, but it is powerful. Now that I don't have to fly before May, I can say that I never thought about it ;o). Sure.

But I have flown through the trouble with 727's and 737's. You really never know.

Best wishes,,,,

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), February 21, 2000.

Careful David, you're being stalked.

-- (RonaBarrett@TheLove.connection), February 21, 2000.

Thanks for the advice but I feel that if one looks one can find the good and positive in any given situation.

-- David Whitelaw (Dande53484@aol.com), February 21, 2000.

So Z1X you think that it is just a normal shakeout of bugs in the systems of these jets? I am no expert so I have to depend on the honest input of others before I make any real decision. How long have these jets been flying and why all the problems now?

-- David Whitelaw (Dande53484@aol.com), February 21, 2000.

David:

I am just as puzzled as you. I haven't looked-up the dates, but I know that I started flying on DC-9's in the middle 70's [basically the same plane]. I think that the MD series started around 1980 or so. No trouble in all of that time.

If you remember, when the 727 first appeared, there were crashes. The first, I remebered was in Cin. city. Then they become okay. 737; wow I have been on many; then they had a problem. Now it is the MD/717 series. Could this be a systemic problem with this series. I don't know. But I don't need to fly for a few months, so I don't have to know. Thlis hasn't been much help, I know.

Best wishes

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), February 21, 2000.

Thanks as I said before i'm no expert just searching for the truth. I appreciate your input and thoughts on this matter.

-- David Whitelaw (Dande53484@aol.com), February 21, 2000.

Go to the following site:

http://airsafe.com/

Look at the accident rate by aircraft model. The MD-80 has the LOWEST accident rate of any jet airliner flying. It has made 20 MILLION flights since the first one entered service in 1982. There have been a total of 8 fatal crashes in all the 20 million flights including AS 261. In an aircraft that averages 2 million flights a year, there are going to be some incidents like the ones reported. There haven't been more with the MD-80 this year than there was last year for the same time period. This is really starting to take a rather hysterical track.

-- Jim Cooke (JJCooke@yahoo.com), February 22, 2000.

OK those stats are cool.

Now how about NON-fatal events which required un-anticipated landings.

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), February 22, 2000.

Have a look at the NTSB database and you will find items like the following one. Showing that similar incidents have occured before the rollover. Accident occurred NOV-09-99 at URUAPAN, MX
Aircraft: Douglas DC-9-31, registration: XATKN
Injuries: 18 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On November 9, 1999, at 1903 central standard time, a Douglas DC-9-31 turbojet transport airplane, Mexican registration XA-TKN, was destroyed on impact with terrain during initial takeoff climb from the Aeropuerto Nacional Licenciado y General Ignacio Lopez Rayon (UPN), near Uruapan, State of Michoacan, Mexico. The aircraft, operated by Transportes Aereos Ejecutivos S.A. (TAESA), as Flight number 725, was on a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Uruapan to Mexico City (MEX). The airline transport rated captain, the first officer, the 3 flight attendants, and the 13 passengers aboard the airplane were fatally injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight for which an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. Witnesses reported that the airplane assumed a higher than normal nose high attitude as soon as it departed from runway 20. The airplane impacted the ground in a nose low attitude on a heading of 110 degrees in an avocado grove located on the east side of the departure course, 3.3 DME miles south of the airport. The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of the Republic of Mexico. Any further information may be obtained from: Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil Providencia 807, Cuarto Piso Colonia del Valle, Codigo Postal 03100 Mexico, D.F. This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by, or obtained from the Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil of the Republic of Mexico.

-- Malcolm Taylor (taylorm@es.co.nz), February 22, 2000.

Malcolm, I didn't say they hadn't, I just want to see some numbers to see if they are MORE or EQUALLY prevalent.

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), February 22, 2000.

Jim Cooke:

Yeh, statistics. I use them for a living. Therefore, while I appreciate the data, I will still go with old Ben's statement, fools, damned fools and statistitions, etc. Statistics are not predictive and one must understand what they mean. Otherwise, I agree with you.

Best wishes,,,

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), February 22, 2000.

What's that old saying about "the red pickup truck syndrome"? "You don't realize how many of them there are out there until you own one and then you suddenly notice all those other ones." And it's ever moreso with the press involved.

The last time around after a 737 crash, every 737 incident was reported by the press and you never heard about incidents with the exact same circumstances involving other types of aircraft. Now it's DC-9s and MD80s/90s in the spotlight and all other aircraft types are being ignored because something involving one of them isn't deemed "newsworthy" by the media leaders.

Meanwhile, incidents like the precautionary landings now being reported are occuring with all types of airliners every day. I've been in more than a few myself in different types of aircraft on all the US major airlines.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), February 22, 2000.