Amber Smith

Thanks for having me.

Thanks for having me.

Sure. So I was an Army helicopter pilot for almost eight years, well over 1,500 flight hours. And based off everything that I have seen in terms of the audio and the video, including the one you just mentioned that just came out, is that the Army helicopter air crew

Sure. So I was an Army helicopter pilot for almost eight years, well over 1,500 flight hours. And based off everything that I have seen in terms of the audio and the video, including the one you just mentioned that just came out, is that the Army helicopter air crew

most likely confirmed visual confirmation of the incorrect aircraft so when tower gave them uh the warning of traffic ahead uh they were looking at the wrong plane basically and then likely never even saw the aircraft that they ended up flying into And it's, you know, an incredibly tragic and horrific situation.

most likely confirmed visual confirmation of the incorrect aircraft so when tower gave them uh the warning of traffic ahead uh they were looking at the wrong plane basically and then likely never even saw the aircraft that they ended up flying into And it's, you know, an incredibly tragic and horrific situation.

But in Army aviation, especially when it comes to helicopters, things are moving a million miles an hour. You have a lot going on in the helicopter. We are learning a lot about some mismanagement of the National Capital Region airspace around Reagan, some of the helicopter corridors.

But in Army aviation, especially when it comes to helicopters, things are moving a million miles an hour. You have a lot going on in the helicopter. We are learning a lot about some mismanagement of the National Capital Region airspace around Reagan, some of the helicopter corridors.

And the altitudes involved there and very minimal altitude separation requirements between these incoming landing planes to Reagan and the helicopter traffic around them. A big red flag that I have seen in all of this is how common it has become.

And the altitudes involved there and very minimal altitude separation requirements between these incoming landing planes to Reagan and the helicopter traffic around them. A big red flag that I have seen in all of this is how common it has become.

happened, that the tower at Reagan is allowing these helicopters to fly underneath or behind incoming commercial planes as they're coming into short final to land at the runways. That is extremely risky. It sets up unsafe conditions, as we've seen, because altitude deviations in a helicopter is can happen in the blink of an eye, a wind gust.

happened, that the tower at Reagan is allowing these helicopters to fly underneath or behind incoming commercial planes as they're coming into short final to land at the runways. That is extremely risky. It sets up unsafe conditions, as we've seen, because altitude deviations in a helicopter is can happen in the blink of an eye, a wind gust.

And what they have in terms of that separation right now is completely unsafe.

And what they have in terms of that separation right now is completely unsafe.

Yeah, so my assessment off of this is that it is the AO, the area of operation for this helicopter unit. So this helicopter unit's mission is to conduct operations down that corridor that I told you about that flies basically down the Potomac River. And... to my knowledge, it was a check ride. So this was not technically training, although I'm sure the training goes on there as well.

Yeah, so my assessment off of this is that it is the AO, the area of operation for this helicopter unit. So this helicopter unit's mission is to conduct operations down that corridor that I told you about that flies basically down the Potomac River. And... to my knowledge, it was a check ride. So this was not technically training, although I'm sure the training goes on there as well.

This was a check ride. So an annual check ride where they're doing all sorts of procedures and maneuvers. And I'm assuming this is me assuming I do not know if it is like a requirement. I'm assuming that they have to be checked out in this location because it is their mission. Uh,

This was a check ride. So an annual check ride where they're doing all sorts of procedures and maneuvers. And I'm assuming this is me assuming I do not know if it is like a requirement. I'm assuming that they have to be checked out in this location because it is their mission. Uh,

But that's something that I want to see, because if that is a requirement of theirs, doing these types of operations, maybe being familiar with the route should be a requirement, but actually going out and doing something like APART, which is an annual flight evaluation, should not be in this proximity to one of the biggest metropolitan airspaces when it comes to the combination of helicopter and

But that's something that I want to see, because if that is a requirement of theirs, doing these types of operations, maybe being familiar with the route should be a requirement, but actually going out and doing something like APART, which is an annual flight evaluation, should not be in this proximity to one of the biggest metropolitan airspaces when it comes to the combination of helicopter and