WA - Major security incident at SeaTac Airport. All planes are grounded, Aug 2018

[CARIIS]

media keeps doing this wonder if he had formal training -- formal training teaches landing !

"There were some maneuvers that were done that were incredible maneuvers," Alaska Air CEO Brad Tilden said, adding that the airline did not know if Russell had any training. "I don't know how he achieved the experience that he did."

U.S. investigators are working to find out how an airline employee stole

more stupidity imo (waste of our money)

we know how he did it

he works there
in uniform for three years
colleagues would take no notice of him walking toward the maintenance facility

there is no reason for anyone to be concerned seeing him hop on the push back tow

there is no reason for anyone to take any special notice of him hopping aboard an aircraft

that is the how

getting in takeoff que - there would be no reason for ATC to instantly know he was NOT supposed to be in the cue - its like the 6th busiest airport in the usa

pilots make mistakes often - they would have known they could clear it up when they got to it

i def think everyone knew there was something very off the closer he got to the runway - if they release that part of ground control tapes that ought to be interesting,

The only mystery if you will (as it relates to some inevitable lawsuit IMo would be if true ( he stated stealing it took him two hours) that might ought to have been noticed by ground staff!

It does make sense that it would take one person a really long time to do what usually 5-6 person teams do !

He would have to get the tow hook up but the real hard part is there are usually folks guiding them

he would have to have been really careful (slow) in attempting to do it all by himself

then he would have to unhook (again usually a team ) return tow walk back get stairs get on start the start checklist (usually done by two )

that would require him to have to walk all over the cockpit ( half of the settings are on the copilot side of cockpit !)

when we all are aboard things just move along - but our flight crew is being guided by ground control

ground control knew nothing - so him moving about to just to the taxiway would be slow -he would not have had all the assistance ground control provides!

So if the timeframe of two hours to actually steal the plane is true that is the only part that seems somewhat ought to have taken note of

there is no way a pushback in normal situation with a team takes that long!!

engine start is usually done at the gate not in the middle of somewhere near the maintenance facility ! we know they have video will they release it is the question?

I would really love to hear what was going on in the ground control room when the started to try and figure out what the heck is that Q 400 doing THERE?

I would think he would have to ignore them (real panic unless they thought radio problems?) ha I just thought humm he could have just cued the mike and said nothing -- on there end they would def think they had a frequency issue!!

it would also be neat to see the takeoff roll................was it really sloppy? when she headed for the wild blue yonder was it stable lift off or a bit wobbly??

if ntsb had it we would know all this - soon - it would be on the flight recorder - how much thrust he used when he lifted her off if any flap settings were used OR did he just slam it and give it a whirl!

I want my NTSB -- fbi fly away!!

their argument that they need to know if anyone else was "in" on it makes no sense -- he would need no help to do what he during the actual stealing!

 

[DexterMorgan]

Anybody that can pull that off and not kill innocent bystanders is definitely is hero to me!! Not in the sense that he did great things, not that he saved lives etc. I can’t be mad at him. Its fascinating how he was able to accomplish this and not kill anybody else. Not like I am going to be like hail to Beebo just thankful his stunt didn’t ruin lives not affected by his. I’m interested in the mental wellness aspect of this case now that the redic actions that could have but did not kill others is over. Jmo

Idk. 1000s of flights were delayed. 100s of workers now have to shift through and clean up the wreckage. The Island now has 750lbs of burnt fuel on the premises. His family is left holding this big fbi investigation headache. All employees are now under scrutiny. The airport lost millions on delays, a plane and any civil suits from the Islanders that may happen. Plus everything else. So I don't know what to think just because nobody died. Jmo

 

[PaulR]

He's a hero to environmental cleanup businesses, class action lawyers, and people who want to ban flight simulators.

 

[Doghairrules]

Oh my god. I’m sitting at lunch reading this and dying laughing. And now people are looking at me funny. Love you, CARIIS!

My sense is few come here to argue - it is more like debate, get new ideas,access to information we can share,, learn a heap of stuff we never knew ,ponder and learn opposing viewpoints. jmo

I think most of us have people in our lives that actually believe that our interest in - murder, missing people,mass shootings,terrorists - ought to result in trip to a psychiatric facility not a website!

Ideal retorts:

you spend $18 bucks to go see a murder mystery

Dateline and 24 hours and all the rest of them have been airing decades - why do you think that is?

Ask them if they recall in bookstores, true crime was one of the biggest sections ?

**For our youngins -in our days they had these wonderful buildings that housed a whole bunch of things known as books! They have covers and pictures and words packed inside! They were bigger than the cell phone in your hand. with no buttons!

You held them up in your hands and easily gilded your eyes across said words - there was no glaring screen to impede capacity to read created words !! (Superman's visual acuity was not required!) The size of item was way bigger than 4 X4 inches! They did not beep vibrate flash or zing while holding them in your hands! The never needed to be charged! They also had a wonderful smell!

Smile !

.

 

[Lilibet]

1. a man of great strength and courage, favored by the gods and in part descended from them, often regarded as a demigod and worshiped after his death
2. any person, esp. a man, admired for courage, nobility, or exploits, esp. in war
3. any person, esp. a man, admired for qualities or achievements and regarded as an ideal or model
4. the central male character in a novel, play, poem, etc., with whom the reader or audience is supposed to sympathize; protagonist
5. the central figure in any important event or period, honored for outstanding qualities

Although some are admiring Rich as a “hero” in the sense of the second definition (debatable), he certainly doesn’t fit the third definition. Rich is only a “hero” in the sense of the fourth definition IMO, except that he is the central character in his own real life story, not fiction. In that sense, he is a “tragic hero” to those who sympathize with him. But I doubt Rich would consider himself a hero at all.

While I certainly sympathize with whatever mental health issues he may have had, he did a really stupid and dangerous thing for whatever reasons. It was not courageous or noble or something to initiate, which is the definition of a hero.

I wish he had made a different choice, and my heart goes out to his wife and family who have to live with his loss and his legacy.

Hero dictionary definition | hero defined

 

[rosesfromangels]

He's a hero to environmental cleanup businesses, class action lawyers, and people who want to ban flight simulators.

Agree.
I do not see this man as a hero.
I also believe he had very elite training, and possibly nefarious intent. It will all come out eventually. I could be wrong. I e been wrong before.

Amateur speculation and opinion.

 

[sorrell skye]

I believe the full quote was “I think I am going to try to do a barrel roll and if that goes good then I am going to go nose down and call it a night.”

I take that to mean land the plane. When people say "call it a night", that usually means go home, not kill themself.

"Calling it a night" meant he had every intention of crashing and ending his life, IMO.

Especially his "nose down" comment.

 

[KaaBoom]

If flying is on your bucket list, presumably you can go take some flight lessons.

On a minimum wage job? I don't think so. Plus from listening to him, I doubt he had the mentality to take flight lessons.

 

[flourish]

On a minimum wage job? I don't think so. Plus from listening to him, I doubt he had the mentality to take flight lessons.

I'm not sure that his state of mind when we heard him is an accurate reflection of his "normal" demeanor or a reasonable sample with which to judge his cognitive abilities?

Eta I'm sorry I made an assumption that you were only going off the conversation with the tower, but you may have heard additional things maybe.

For some reason I don't think he had to have had any covert lessons to do what he did but I really have no idea and wonder if we'll ever know more.

I hope his wife and family and friends are able to find peace and comfort during what is certainly an excruciating ordeal.

I found his personality endearing, but his actions were not okay and were very dangerous and reckless. I'm very glad nobody else was physically hurt. I hope the trees etc on the island where he crashed weren't irreparably damaged.

 

[MsFacetious]

Suicide by plane the new fad?

UPDATE: Pilot dies after crashing plane into Payson home, 2 residents survive

 

[KaaBoom]

I'm not sure that his state of mind when we heard him is an accurate reflection of his "normal" demeanor or a reasonable sample with which to judge his cognitive abilities?

Eta I'm sorry I made an assumption that you were only going off the conversation with the tower, but you may have heard additional things maybe.

Well that is all I can go on. He just doesn't sound like a person who could get a pilot's license. The air traffic controller and the other pilots were clearly talking down to him, and yet he was indicating that he was having a difficult time comprehending them.

Anyway it doesn't really matter, because it would be pretty much impossible for someone on a minimum wage job to pay for flight school.

 

[Jax49]

Suicide by plane the new fad?

UPDATE: Pilot dies after crashing plane into Payson home, 2 residents survive

And attempted murder, which we've seen before. moo

 

[KaaBoom]

Suicide by plane the new fad?

UPDATE: Pilot dies after crashing plane into Payson home, 2 residents survive

It's nothing new. It's not the first time that has happened.

Pilot Who Crashed In Downtown Anchorage Had Death Wish

 

[bluesneakers]

Anyone can get a lesson or two at local airports using groupon or wagjag (I've given a few as gifts).

 

[rosesfromangels]

Anyone can get a lesson or two at local airports using groupon or wagjag (I've given a few as gifts).

You don’t learn how to fly like that through a Groupon.

 

[flourish]

Well that is all I can go on. He just doesn't sound like a person who could get a pilot's license. The air traffic controller and the other pilots were clearly talking down to him, and yet he was indicating that he was having a difficult time comprehending them.

Anyway it doesn't really matter, because it would be pretty much impossible for someone on a minimum wage job to pay for flight school.

I wasn't arguing or even disagreeing with you, just thinking.

I agree with the financial issues! Minimum wage doesn't even pay enough for basic living expenses let alone flying lessons! I found some costs lists at this link: Flight Training Flight Instruction Flight School Ground School Annapolis Mitchellville Bowie Maryland MD Washington DC Pilots License

I don't make minimum wage but I couldn't afford to take flying lessons!! Crazy expensive!

 

[bluesneakers]

You don’t learn how to fly like that through a Groupon.

No, I was just making a comment. It's something people can do and anyone can do it. The biggest trick to getting a pilot's license is paying for it.

But I don't think you need elite special top secret training to do what he did.

 

[mickey2942]

Flying a plane is hardly rocket science. What is interesting is that now, access to secure areas will scrutinized, and probably require double access to secure areas, meaning supervision would have to approve access in real time.

 

[DexterMorgan]

I wasn't arguing or even disagreeing with you, just thinking.

I agree with the financial issues! Minimum wage doesn't even pay enough for basic living expenses let alone flying lessons! I found some costs lists at this link: Flight Training Flight Instruction Flight School Ground School Annapolis Mitchellville Bowie Maryland MD Washington DC Pilots License

I don't make minimum wage but I couldn't afford to take flying lessons!! Crazy expensive!

If he couldn't afford a plane then why would he want to learn how to fly? Its not like driving a car where as you can easily buy, borrow or rent 1. Jmo

 

[flourish]

If he couldn't afford a plane then why would he want to learn how to fly? Its not like driving a car where as you can easily buy, borrow or rent 1. Jmo

True. I don't know. I guess I assumed this was a lifelong dream to learn to fly? Maybe he'd wanted to eventually be an airline pilot or some other pilot job which doesn't require owning a plane but one could fly it?
I'm still shocked at the prices for lessons! But don't people often want to do things they can't afford? Dreams don't care about finances, in my experience
(Or reality, for that matter, as I want to be a spoiled house cat but of course that's unrealistic)