Flight 3407, flight 447 and 911: The Black Boxes

I am from the Buffalo, New York area. I live just a mere 3 miles from Clarence Center, New York. I have family and friends who lost loved ones in that devastating crash.

I awoke at dawn, turned on my television and learned of the crash from the news like most people. I know many people who live in Clarence and Clarence Center. It took my breath away to hear that a plane had crashed that I knew would directly or indirectly impact so many people in my community. I wanted to rush and call everyone I knew. It was however too early at that point and I did not want to wake anyone or alarm anyone so I waited.

I will always recall vividly the stunned look on everyone’s face at work. It was all anyone could talk about. Some of my colleagues had heard and/or seen the plane go down. Others were talking about the people they knew who were either on the plane or the family members of those who were on the plane. It was surreal. That is the only way that I can describe it.

It has taken weeks and weeks for the healing process to begin from such a devastating incident. Many are still grieving and recovering.

The news continues to show photographs of the site of the crash. Now they are playing the black box tapes of the pilots discussing their last few moments before the crash. Ironically while I sit here and type the plane burning is being show again. Each time it is shown, it is like the members of our community are living it all over again. To learn that the pilots were so inexperienced and not prepared to deal with the dilemmas that they encountered with icing or deicing is only leading to more sadness. I am speaking from an indirect mode. I can only imagine the pain that is felt by the families and the friends of the victims.

My heart breaks for the pilots and their families, as the pilots were hired and placed in a position that they were unprepared for. This is the responsibility of the employers or people who hire these individuals. It was stated that the female pilot earned only $16,000.00 per year. Of course she was working other jobs. Who could live on that amount of money? We all know that you get what you pay for. An experienced pilot would never work for that amount of money. The public has a right to know who they are trusting their lives to. This should become mandatory that each customer has the right to read the qualifications of their pilot.

I know that even people who do not live nearby are saddened and empathetic. The thoughts and sentiments of all are appreciated.

I do believe that all need to be educated and made aware of what caused the plane crash. I would only hope that the media participants ensure that they are very sensitive in doing so.

I can only imagine the horror for the loved ones of flight 447. It is one thing to be grieving and understand how and what caused the plane to come down. It has to only add to the hurt and pain to not know when and if your loved ones will be found or recovered.

The found bodies and pieces of luggage should give a bit of closure but there are still many questions to be answered. What caused this plane to go down? Was there any warning? Did the passengers suffer?

There are conjectures that since the objects found were near the point when the last signal was emitted that this might indicate that the plane was turning around for some unknown reason. Yet, these are still just proposals. Nothing has been confirmed.

The black box of flight 447 may or may not be recovered. If it is miles below the ocean's surface, it may take too long of a period and the information will forever be lost as it will be damaged. I cannot imagine losing my loved ones and never being able to truly know what occurred.

Please continue to keep the families of the loved ones of both of these flights in your prayers.