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----- Original Message ----- > Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2000 8:02 PM Subject: Alaska Air crash Dear friends, As we all grieve for the families of the lost people on the fated Alaska Air crash, you might be interested in reading the letter we received from my son's brother-in-law who is a pilot for Alaska Air Lines. Rosemary Dexter > Hey there, > This is the letter my brother-in-law, Dave Sharafinski sent to us. > Thought you'd appreciate the sane analysis from somebody with a the > cockpit view... Flapp'n Jack > ---------------------------------------------- > > Dear friends, a very sad event is unfolding for many people tonight. > People are facing the reality of having lost family and friends. Alaska > Airline flight #261 enroute from Puerto Vallarta Mexico to Seattle has > crashed just off shore from Los Angeles. It is THE news here on the > West Coast this evening. It is THE news in our livingroom. Pam, Saul, > Dane and I are watching the news unfold as more information is learned > by the News programs. > > As you might know we just recently vacationed in Puerto Vallarta. We > were there nearly a month. I returned early for work while Pam got home > on saturday night. Yes, of course, we could've been on that plane. But > we weren't. Our numbers haven't been called by the Creator yet. And > that's just that. My son Saul (9) has been asking me many questions > regarding flying while we watch the news sort through the various > scenarios. I can hear it through his questions. I can see it in his > eyes. He's searching for some rationale which will guide him through > the trauma of perhaps someday seeing the remains of his daddy's plane > right there on live tv. He has secret fears that we're not always privy > to. I reassure him as best I can. I reassure him through my confidence > as a pilot flying aircraft that I am very impressed with for an Airline > whose uniform I am proud to wear. Saul asked me if maybe these pilots > who crashed weren't very good, maybe didn't study their flying books as > much as he has seen me study. I reminded him of the challenging > malfunctions that all pilots are trained to handle. It is a routine > part of our annual simulator sessions. No, they weren't bad pilots > Saul. They might have been given more to deal with than anyone could've > handled. How else might God call home several people all at once > without it looking a bit suspicious? Alert the Cherubim then overload > the pilots. "Bring my people home". (I, personally, don't believe this! RDexter) > > Mine is not a callous, cavalier nor flippant attitude. I am most > saddened by today's trajedy. Today's date will be etched on too many > hearts by way of too many graves. What I am is realistic. Realistic of > the tradeoffs we make to cover long distances in a short time. > Airplanes deliver that. Realistic that looming out there somewhere is a > chance encounter with a challenge too insurmountable. Such is life. > > My youngest son Dane (8), who hasn't said anything all night about the > crash just came up to me with something he built out of Legos toys. > It's a plane, of sorts. He showed me how it takes off and flys around. > Then he showed me how it would rotate its engines if it was going to > crash. Hmm.. "By rotating the engines it would slow the plane down and > give the pilot time to eject." Clearly news of the Alaska Airline crash > has settled into his head too. His fears are beginning to take shape. > Reality can hit like a load of bricks, or chisel away slowly in a > child's mind one pebble at a time. > > Someone wrote: "Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous, but to a > greater extent than the sea it is uncompromising of any recklessness, > incapacity or neglect". And that's why I make the big bucks!! The next > time you fly poke your head into the flight deck and wish the pilots a > nice day. When they wish you a nice day too rest assured that they will > mean it. During the time spent together on that flight you will each > share a common destiny. I happen to love it! Wouldn't have it any other > way. So relax and enjoy the ride. Give your loved ones a hug. I'm > going to go tuck my boys into their beds. > > Finski >