Activism Change

JFK Jr. accident and news media

Question:

one Kyle Bailey who is quoted by CNN stating (http://www.cnn.com/US/9907/18/kennedy.plane.01/): Salon Magazine (http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/07/20/reckless/): The New York Post article (http://www.nypost.com/news/1058.htm) has the most hyperbole: …. Bailey, who said Kennedy appeared to be limping, did perform one unusual act upon takeoff. Instead of going back to the end of the runway for takeoff, which is common, he took off from the ramp, he said.

A British newspaper quoted Bailey saying Kennedy had a death wish. They is just a jerk. Put a camera in front of a jerk and  you get great quotes. John – N8086N Big brother is watching. Disable cookies in your web browser. Wise man says "Never use a bank with the initials F. U." Are you interested in a professional society or guild for programmers? Want to fight section 1706? See www.programmersguild.org Newsgroup: us.issues.occupations.computer-programmers EMail Address:

Response:

Friday’s USA Today has a front page, above the fold headline:  "Probe pins blame for air crash on JFK Jr. He wasn’t qualified to fly on hazy night" – which is misleading at best.

Why is it misleading?  If you go with the NTSB’s probable cause, then he did not have the skills to maintain controlled flight on a hazy night, which sure sounds to me like he wasn’t qualified to make the flight. The post article has this great gem in it as well: … Bailey, who said Kennedy appeared to be limping, did perform one unusual act upon takeoff. Instead of going back to the end of the runway for takeoff, which is common, he took off from the ramp, he said. Gotta love the media…

You need to be familier with CDW to figure out what this poorly-worded statement probably means.  If you taxi out of the GA ramp at the right exit, you find yourself right at (IIRC) the intersection of taxiway november and runway 22.  Many people take an intersection departure on 22 from here, since it leaves you most of the length of the runway.  If you want to use 22 full length, it’s a little complicated because you have to cross 9-27 (which is often in use) and you only end up gaining a few hundred feet.  Most people don’t bother. I’m assuming "he took off from the ramp" means he took off from november intersection.  If the paper is simply quoting Bailey, then it’s Bailey who made a confusing statement, not the paper. — Roy Smith, CFI-ASE-IA

Response:

This group has talked a lot about the media, the JFK Jr. accident and the how the media has responded to that particular accident. Friday’s USA Today has a front page, above the fold headline:  "Probe pins blame for air crash on JFK Jr. He wasn’t qualified to fly on hazy night" – which is misleading at best. I found a interesting passage in the JFKjr report that highlighted for me the differences between what people will say to the media but differs when making an official statement. From the report: … Another pilot at CDW had stated to the news media that he cancelled his planned flight from CDW to MVY on the evening of the accident because of the "poor" weather. In a written statement he stated the following: "From my own judgement visibility appeared to be approximately 4 miles-extremely hazy. Winds were fairly light. Based only on the current weather conditions at CDW, the fact that I could not get my friends to come with me, and the fact that I would not have to spend money on a hotel room in Martha’s Vineyard, I made the decision to fly my airplane to Martha’s Vineyard on Saturday." … So, in reality the guy didn’t fly because of "poor" weather, but for a variety of reasons.  That got me searching the internet and I wonder if this pilot is one Kyle Bailey who is quoted by CNN stating (http://www.cnn.com/US/9907/18/kennedy.plane.01/): … Kyle Bailey, who owns a plane and flies out of the same New Jersey airport, said he saw Kennedy going through a preflight check. Bailey scrapped his own plans to fly to Martha’s Vineyard because of hazy conditions.   "I stopped by to check my plane and I saw (Kennedy) and his wife entering the plane," Bailey said. "Visibility was real poor — I’d say 3 to 4 miles — and especially flying over water at that time of night in that plane in the haze and low visibility, I’d say could be a problem." … Salon Magazine (http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/07/20/reckless/): … Kyle Bailey, the New Jersey pilot who is believed to be the last person who saw the trio, was also planning a flight to Martha’s Vineyard, but he canceled his plans because of poor visibility. "The weather was very marginal, four to five miles visibility, extremely hazy," Bailey told the Washington Post. "Over open water, you have reduced visibility anyway. With the haze, in the dark, you lose sight of the horizon. You don’t have landmarks." … The New York Post article (http://www.nypost.com/news/1058.htm) has the most hyperbole: … But witness-pilot Kyle Bailey, the last person to see the pair prior to their takeoff, said he was so worried about the weather he canceled his own flight. … "It was a little bit hazy for me to fly over water. You can have a really clear day, and then the fog just rolls in in a matter of minutes. I guess he felt confident he could make it," Bailey, 25, said. … The post article has this great gem in it as well: … Bailey, who said Kennedy appeared to be limping, did perform one unusual act upon takeoff. Instead of going back to the end of the runway for takeoff, which is common, he took off from the ramp, he said. … Gotta love the media…

Response:

Put a camera in front of a jerk and you get great quotes.

This is the theory which drives most media coverage of political campaigning in this country, right? — Roy Smith, CFI-ASE-IA

Response:

I can attest from firsthand experience that the mass media are in general a sloppy lot, especially on breaking news. It’s the "angle" that drives what "information" is presented. The idea is something like this: "Never let facts get in the way of a good (sensational) story." As a newspaper reporter I recall taking time to get the facts right. When I moved "up" to TV news (local) that pretty much went out the window. The deadline pressure is so great (and egos so large) that no one takes time to verify accuracy, unless of course there is threat of a lawsuit. Typically the more sensational the story, the better the media like it. Horace

Response:

Roy<<I’m assuming "he took off from the ramp" means he took off from november intersection.  If the paper is simply quoting Bailey, then it’s Bailey who made a confusing statement, not the paper. Taking off from intersection 22 November is VERY common at Caldwell . . . Bailey was basking in his 15 minutes and made numerous bogus and confusing statements.  Anything to get on Larry King Live, I guess . . .  

Response:

Friday’s USA Today has a front page, above the fold headline:  "Probe pins blame for air crash on JFK Jr. He wasn’t qualified to fly on hazy night" – which is misleading at best. Why is it misleading?  If you go with the NTSB’s probable cause, then he did not have the skills to maintain controlled flight on a hazy night, which sure sounds to me like he wasn’t qualified to make the flight.

Because "qualified", in my opinion, is taken to mean regulatory or something legal.  As in "He wasn’t ‘licensed’ to fly on hazy night". I’m assuming "he took off from the ramp" means he took off from november intersection.  If the paper is simply quoting Bailey, then it’s Bailey who made a confusing statement, not the paper.

Oh, absolutely, I figured it was a intersection departure, but I doubt most non-pilots realized that.  Since the article didn’t quote Bailey, it’s possible that what he said was mostly correct but ignored and twisted to the article’s purpose.  But’s it’s also entirely possible that he led the reporter that way too.

Response:

Filed under: Political campaigning

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