How many of these top brass do we really need? I wasn't in the military but it seems reasonable that half or more could go, and that would alleviate the need for all those choppers.
Excellent work again Matt! As a DC native and having spent many years as a "tech" around DC I was witness to many airfields. For example, on the radar image video of the event, you can see the radar image (probably the one captured from the TraCon in Warrenton, VA) of the DC corridor, there a number of airfields and one I didn't know existed but expected would be there. (CIA Langley/McLean) I remember doing a call at the Coast Guard HQ, next to Ft. MacNair, eating my lunch in my car and watching Marine One do touch and goes over at Bolling. I've worked on equipment inside the WH Com Office/SS machine shop on Bolling. There is also JB Andrews up the hill on the MD side and another one at MCBQ, though that's a lot of Helo traffic and VTs.
At one point in my early life, I was working for a group known as GSI (Guest Services, Inc.) to help fund my college courses. I worked primarily at Thompson's Boat House and what used to be called the Washington Sailing Marina at the South end of the Runway at what back then was called Washington National. There days when we would see several H1s come down the Potomac River over the Key bridge from Carderock, MD (David Taylor) in what looked like a scene out of Full Metal Jacket. I agree with you in the thought that it has been an accident waiting to happen.
You also can't forget that the DC Harbor Patrol has their own air unit as well. It used to be a Bell Ranger but I have not idea what they use now.
Here is the personal part of all of this reminiscing. Back in 1999 into 2000 or so, I was working for a large IT support company. Perhaps the largest in the US. Some clients had PC and Laptops I would fix on site and some were sites where I just had to hand them a piece of equipment and they would hand me their trade in. One of the sites was the US Army at Davidson Airfield in Ft. Belvoir. I had to trade a laptop with them. Easy call. The easiest kind. I had to go to a hanger and the office was in the back of the hanger. (That was back when O'bummer had stripped off all the security from the gates too) As I walked in, I could see three Blackhawks. One of them dressed up like a Marine One. Had the same color scheme. As I walked back to the office to find the Seargent, I could hear that they had Rush Limbaugh on the radio and quite loudly. I found the Seargent and I joked with him that I couldn't believe they were allowed to listen to Rush. He said "oh no! We love to listen to Rush. Every time he says there are no "Black Helicopters" we just laugh our asses off." That's because the other two birds were solid flat black.
The Seargent showed me the inside of the WH Colored Blackhawk and I sat down in it. He closed the door and wanted to show me how proud they were of retrofitting an F150 interior door panel to the inside of the compartment door. It seemed that Secretary Madeliene Albright, did not like the appearance of the mechanicals of the inside of the hatch and requested the staff to find a solution to it as she didn't want her "guests" to look at it. I was impressed at how lucky they were to make it fit so well. They said it took almost no modifications.
To close out my two cents worth, we live in between MCBQ and the little town of Warrenton, VA where they also have an Army Base and an underground Data Center run by the Army. We used to see a lot of USMC choppers in the air during exercises but after Homeland became more than just a clearing house of information ( I use the word Intelligence sparingly where it applies) the Gold striped choppers fly often over us going from the Potomac to places west. We also have Manassas Airport nearby and those up in Loudoun County (where they let boys use the girl's bathrooms in schools) they have a busy small airport as well. In fact, the FAA last year, approved and expansion of the traffic out of Manassas. The Flights going to Dulles Airport, fly right up VA route 28. We get to see it all. Someday we'll move out from under all the jet fuel that drops down on us. I'm listening to see if planes or choppers are having engine trouble. You never know.
People would be astounded at how many secret sites we have in MD and VA. The Federal Reserve supposedly has an underground bomb-proof depository where they keep billions and billions in cash to head off bank runs, etc. And PAT-25's training mission, according the Sec Def Hegseth, was "continuity of govt." This means picking up top-top VIPs and hauling them out of the DC Beltway before it's an atomic fireball.
"Top Ten Secret U.S. Govt Bunkers" Warrenton makes the list.
A little more on the Mt. Pony and Warrenton Centers. When they talk about "the Switch" what they're really talking about is the former HQ of SWIFT. The very same SWIFT that used to stand for Society of World International Fund Transfers. SWIFT had their HQ there and yes, I've been there as well. It's not the building pictured and the Former Fed Reserve Building is now run by the National Archives. SWIFT built a new HQ in Switzerland after 911 '01. However, the site in Culpeper is their "back-up" site. I would say Culpeper County is still a target. They had the tightest security I had ever experienced. As good as the WH back in the day or better. Myself, my tools and fresh monitor were all fluoroscope before I was allowed through the bullet proof doors and I never was allowed to come in contact with a human. The part I had to replace was bad monitor in one of their NOC areas that was not online while I was present. I was glad to get out of that place.
The Warrenton Training Center is made up of a few older sites with a few new ones. The photo of the radomes was originally part of a triangle of listening posts from the cold war. It was the southern most post. The other two are Vint Hill and Independent Hill. Vint Hill is behind us a ways and it is the home of the DC/Richmond/Baltimore TraCon. Independent Hill is near MCBQ and is the home of the Prince William County Schools.
One thing to note about the Southern Most Army post and that is it's behind Remington, VA. It is also an area of known Gold Deposits. Fauquier County and Stafford County have known gold deposits. There is a Gold Mine museum on Rt 17 in Fauquier County and people had been panning gold in the Rappahannock River down by Fredericksburg, VA for ages. https://www.visitfauquier.com/attraction/monroe-park-goldmining-museum/
We used think they were mining gold on that Radar site and it was originally on the list of sites to be closed during the Bush years but they saved it for some reason. Maybe a Golden one!
Without yet opening that link, I know Mt. Weather is on it. Mt. Weather sat in secrecy for many ears until a 707 crashed on it and the Rescue people were greeted and denied entry by rifle carrying soldiers. Mt. Weather is still active to this day.
There are many Helipads around DC. I also saw something at the WH Comm Office at Bolling that would raise a lot of eyebrows, but I won't say it here. I'm not sworn to secrecy, but I know it's not my place to reveal some of these things.
I knew about Warrenton and I know it's a target or at least a secondary target. We're a good 14 miles away as the crow flies. I'll have to check that list. I was last on MCBQ back in October for a Service call. The old town with the commercial area you would see when you drove through the gate on base to enter Quantico/Triangle is all gone! There is this big building there. Takes up what was whole blocks. I was told what it is and I'm not going to say what it is. I'll say, it makes MCBQ a renewed "target".
I will also say here, that the Warrenton site and the WH Comm Center, share a similar secret. It's amazing what I saw as a fly on the wall. Back in the Reagan years, I carried a State Dept. Badge and got into everything except the vaults in the Pentagon and the Naval Intelligence office on East West Highway. Oh and let us not forget the US Mapping agency in Montgomery County, MD. Those are sights where I got the "un-clean" announcement and the cover sheets would fly out. I always got the feeling that the people in those areas, enjoyed my showing up and they had a nice long coffee break. Thanks for the link Matt!
If you have ever been to the Whittington Center, you do have deer, elk and pronghorns wandering around between the firing line and the targets. Probably bears too but I have never seen one there.
Yesterday, while working in my backyard on a chilly Arizona day, I was distracted by numerous hummingbirds dancing around a nectar feeder. They were buzzing around in and from all directions and I was amazed how they avoided contact with each other MOST OF THE TIME.
However, the dangling bottle of coveted nectar was distracting causing two birds to collide .... feathers ruffled but no real damage. Just hummingbirds.
Thoughts of the tragic D.C. crash surfaced. There was no good excuse for all that air traffic in a small area. But the nectar must be top quality to bring in so many birds.
A friend of mine liked ball room dancing and shooting. I told him he should set up a combination shooting range/dance floor. Just don't shoot when any dancers are in your way.
It seems the the USA is under attack on many levels by powerful forces, presumably to amass all power for themselves, and the US is in their way. What if DEI, or diversity, equity and inclusion, isn't just the product of the virtue signalers wishing to feel the warm glow of moral and intellectual superiority, but rather a weapon in the arsenal of the forces of darkness?
It's huge, clearly. A VIP Black Hawk probably costs 100X more to carry a passenger the same distance compared to being driven in a car. But they would say their time is so valuable it's worth it. Even though the brass could be using their secure phone and laptop in the car.
What if they decentralized these agencies around the country? Water down the concentration of poison. Use the secure telecommunications like you stated.
Information now appearing points to a Michael Smerconish podcast a day before the crash. The report says the individual interviewed is of the "highly modified" persuasion, was very unhappy with the attempts to eliminate DEI, and was on the helicopter as co-pilot. A developing story as they say.........
I've read--heard that this was a training mission for a female pilot with 500 hours flight time, they were wearing night vision gear, choppers are supposed to keep altitude 200 ft. or less in the Reagan landing path, that they were well above that altitude, night vision gear restricts peripheral vision so another crew member should have been present on the left side of the chopper watching for oncoming aircraft, but wasn't.
If all that is true...... well, you can run across a busy highway only so many times before you get taken out.
Except the helicopters aren’t routinely flying 200 ft under landing aircraft. Somehow they’ve been flying that exact same route for 40 years and nothing has happens. This is why it’s called an accident. There is plenty of blame to be thrown around and plenty of mistakes that were made but this is Monday morning quarterbacking and you have no idea what you’re talking about. You’re a self proclaimed frogman. You’ve never heard of continuity of government? Remember the Combined Service Support Program?
"“safe pedestrian corridor” across an active rifle range." Laughed out loud, thinking about the gestapo range wardens at my local range. Even in the best circumstances they seem like they are about to stroke out over safety. If there was a pedestrian corridor and you lifted your head too high they would either die of a heart attack or just shoot you and get it over with :)
Everyone has their own way at looking at things, here’s mine - haven’t seen anyone else mention this yet.
The topic being Noise Abatement. Why does the FAA prescribe helicopter routes in the manner it does. A primary consideration is to keep the choppers from flying over “ congested areas “.
These choppers take off from their departure point and go somewhere. But they are instructed to go in narrow flyways designed to reduce noise.
Imho, noise abatement is one of the primary reasons why this mid air occurred.
As many have noted, we are surprised it took this long before it finally happened here. Last time I recall was over the Hudson. Just a little Cirrus fixed wing then, I think.
How many of these top brass do we really need? I wasn't in the military but it seems reasonable that half or more could go, and that would alleviate the need for all those choppers.
I don't know the numbers, but we have many more generals than we did in WW2.
With a much smaller military.
Isn't there something like one Admiral per every two USN surface vessels?
That would not surprise me
Excellent work again Matt! As a DC native and having spent many years as a "tech" around DC I was witness to many airfields. For example, on the radar image video of the event, you can see the radar image (probably the one captured from the TraCon in Warrenton, VA) of the DC corridor, there a number of airfields and one I didn't know existed but expected would be there. (CIA Langley/McLean) I remember doing a call at the Coast Guard HQ, next to Ft. MacNair, eating my lunch in my car and watching Marine One do touch and goes over at Bolling. I've worked on equipment inside the WH Com Office/SS machine shop on Bolling. There is also JB Andrews up the hill on the MD side and another one at MCBQ, though that's a lot of Helo traffic and VTs.
At one point in my early life, I was working for a group known as GSI (Guest Services, Inc.) to help fund my college courses. I worked primarily at Thompson's Boat House and what used to be called the Washington Sailing Marina at the South end of the Runway at what back then was called Washington National. There days when we would see several H1s come down the Potomac River over the Key bridge from Carderock, MD (David Taylor) in what looked like a scene out of Full Metal Jacket. I agree with you in the thought that it has been an accident waiting to happen.
You also can't forget that the DC Harbor Patrol has their own air unit as well. It used to be a Bell Ranger but I have not idea what they use now.
Here is the personal part of all of this reminiscing. Back in 1999 into 2000 or so, I was working for a large IT support company. Perhaps the largest in the US. Some clients had PC and Laptops I would fix on site and some were sites where I just had to hand them a piece of equipment and they would hand me their trade in. One of the sites was the US Army at Davidson Airfield in Ft. Belvoir. I had to trade a laptop with them. Easy call. The easiest kind. I had to go to a hanger and the office was in the back of the hanger. (That was back when O'bummer had stripped off all the security from the gates too) As I walked in, I could see three Blackhawks. One of them dressed up like a Marine One. Had the same color scheme. As I walked back to the office to find the Seargent, I could hear that they had Rush Limbaugh on the radio and quite loudly. I found the Seargent and I joked with him that I couldn't believe they were allowed to listen to Rush. He said "oh no! We love to listen to Rush. Every time he says there are no "Black Helicopters" we just laugh our asses off." That's because the other two birds were solid flat black.
The Seargent showed me the inside of the WH Colored Blackhawk and I sat down in it. He closed the door and wanted to show me how proud they were of retrofitting an F150 interior door panel to the inside of the compartment door. It seemed that Secretary Madeliene Albright, did not like the appearance of the mechanicals of the inside of the hatch and requested the staff to find a solution to it as she didn't want her "guests" to look at it. I was impressed at how lucky they were to make it fit so well. They said it took almost no modifications.
To close out my two cents worth, we live in between MCBQ and the little town of Warrenton, VA where they also have an Army Base and an underground Data Center run by the Army. We used to see a lot of USMC choppers in the air during exercises but after Homeland became more than just a clearing house of information ( I use the word Intelligence sparingly where it applies) the Gold striped choppers fly often over us going from the Potomac to places west. We also have Manassas Airport nearby and those up in Loudoun County (where they let boys use the girl's bathrooms in schools) they have a busy small airport as well. In fact, the FAA last year, approved and expansion of the traffic out of Manassas. The Flights going to Dulles Airport, fly right up VA route 28. We get to see it all. Someday we'll move out from under all the jet fuel that drops down on us. I'm listening to see if planes or choppers are having engine trouble. You never know.
Yours in liberty,
Vince
People would be astounded at how many secret sites we have in MD and VA. The Federal Reserve supposedly has an underground bomb-proof depository where they keep billions and billions in cash to head off bank runs, etc. And PAT-25's training mission, according the Sec Def Hegseth, was "continuity of govt." This means picking up top-top VIPs and hauling them out of the DC Beltway before it's an atomic fireball.
"Top Ten Secret U.S. Govt Bunkers" Warrenton makes the list.
https://listverse.com/2017/06/22/top-10-secret-united-states-government-bunkers/
A little more on the Mt. Pony and Warrenton Centers. When they talk about "the Switch" what they're really talking about is the former HQ of SWIFT. The very same SWIFT that used to stand for Society of World International Fund Transfers. SWIFT had their HQ there and yes, I've been there as well. It's not the building pictured and the Former Fed Reserve Building is now run by the National Archives. SWIFT built a new HQ in Switzerland after 911 '01. However, the site in Culpeper is their "back-up" site. I would say Culpeper County is still a target. They had the tightest security I had ever experienced. As good as the WH back in the day or better. Myself, my tools and fresh monitor were all fluoroscope before I was allowed through the bullet proof doors and I never was allowed to come in contact with a human. The part I had to replace was bad monitor in one of their NOC areas that was not online while I was present. I was glad to get out of that place.
The Warrenton Training Center is made up of a few older sites with a few new ones. The photo of the radomes was originally part of a triangle of listening posts from the cold war. It was the southern most post. The other two are Vint Hill and Independent Hill. Vint Hill is behind us a ways and it is the home of the DC/Richmond/Baltimore TraCon. Independent Hill is near MCBQ and is the home of the Prince William County Schools.
One thing to note about the Southern Most Army post and that is it's behind Remington, VA. It is also an area of known Gold Deposits. Fauquier County and Stafford County have known gold deposits. There is a Gold Mine museum on Rt 17 in Fauquier County and people had been panning gold in the Rappahannock River down by Fredericksburg, VA for ages. https://www.visitfauquier.com/attraction/monroe-park-goldmining-museum/
We used think they were mining gold on that Radar site and it was originally on the list of sites to be closed during the Bush years but they saved it for some reason. Maybe a Golden one!
Without yet opening that link, I know Mt. Weather is on it. Mt. Weather sat in secrecy for many ears until a 707 crashed on it and the Rescue people were greeted and denied entry by rifle carrying soldiers. Mt. Weather is still active to this day.
There are many Helipads around DC. I also saw something at the WH Comm Office at Bolling that would raise a lot of eyebrows, but I won't say it here. I'm not sworn to secrecy, but I know it's not my place to reveal some of these things.
I knew about Warrenton and I know it's a target or at least a secondary target. We're a good 14 miles away as the crow flies. I'll have to check that list. I was last on MCBQ back in October for a Service call. The old town with the commercial area you would see when you drove through the gate on base to enter Quantico/Triangle is all gone! There is this big building there. Takes up what was whole blocks. I was told what it is and I'm not going to say what it is. I'll say, it makes MCBQ a renewed "target".
I will also say here, that the Warrenton site and the WH Comm Center, share a similar secret. It's amazing what I saw as a fly on the wall. Back in the Reagan years, I carried a State Dept. Badge and got into everything except the vaults in the Pentagon and the Naval Intelligence office on East West Highway. Oh and let us not forget the US Mapping agency in Montgomery County, MD. Those are sights where I got the "un-clean" announcement and the cover sheets would fly out. I always got the feeling that the people in those areas, enjoyed my showing up and they had a nice long coffee break. Thanks for the link Matt!
Yours in liberty,
(and the Public Weal and You)
Vince
If you have ever been to the Whittington Center, you do have deer, elk and pronghorns wandering around between the firing line and the targets. Probably bears too but I have never seen one there.
Yesterday, while working in my backyard on a chilly Arizona day, I was distracted by numerous hummingbirds dancing around a nectar feeder. They were buzzing around in and from all directions and I was amazed how they avoided contact with each other MOST OF THE TIME.
However, the dangling bottle of coveted nectar was distracting causing two birds to collide .... feathers ruffled but no real damage. Just hummingbirds.
Thoughts of the tragic D.C. crash surfaced. There was no good excuse for all that air traffic in a small area. But the nectar must be top quality to bring in so many birds.
A friend of mine liked ball room dancing and shooting. I told him he should set up a combination shooting range/dance floor. Just don't shoot when any dancers are in your way.
Why was the chopper's transponder turned off? Why no evasive action? Very fishy....
It seems the the USA is under attack on many levels by powerful forces, presumably to amass all power for themselves, and the US is in their way. What if DEI, or diversity, equity and inclusion, isn't just the product of the virtue signalers wishing to feel the warm glow of moral and intellectual superiority, but rather a weapon in the arsenal of the forces of darkness?
https://drp314.substack.com/p/the-abcs-of-dei
Exactly how large is the cost differential between flying to a meeting and driving or more likely being driven?
It's huge, clearly. A VIP Black Hawk probably costs 100X more to carry a passenger the same distance compared to being driven in a car. But they would say their time is so valuable it's worth it. Even though the brass could be using their secure phone and laptop in the car.
What if they decentralized these agencies around the country? Water down the concentration of poison. Use the secure telecommunications like you stated.
Maybe they should walk or jog. Fitness, you know.
Information now appearing points to a Michael Smerconish podcast a day before the crash. The report says the individual interviewed is of the "highly modified" persuasion, was very unhappy with the attempts to eliminate DEI, and was on the helicopter as co-pilot. A developing story as they say.........
The individual in the Smerconish podcast has just released a statement that she is alive and was not the co-pilot in the crash. SNAFU.
Is it unreasonable to expect a four star to drive to McDonald's for a midnight snack when Blackhawks are standing by idled?
I've read--heard that this was a training mission for a female pilot with 500 hours flight time, they were wearing night vision gear, choppers are supposed to keep altitude 200 ft. or less in the Reagan landing path, that they were well above that altitude, night vision gear restricts peripheral vision so another crew member should have been present on the left side of the chopper watching for oncoming aircraft, but wasn't.
If all that is true...... well, you can run across a busy highway only so many times before you get taken out.
This is simple somebody is going to have to move, or this is going to turn into a really sick game of DUCK HUNT.
Except the helicopters aren’t routinely flying 200 ft under landing aircraft. Somehow they’ve been flying that exact same route for 40 years and nothing has happens. This is why it’s called an accident. There is plenty of blame to be thrown around and plenty of mistakes that were made but this is Monday morning quarterbacking and you have no idea what you’re talking about. You’re a self proclaimed frogman. You’ve never heard of continuity of government? Remember the Combined Service Support Program?
Good question.
"“safe pedestrian corridor” across an active rifle range." Laughed out loud, thinking about the gestapo range wardens at my local range. Even in the best circumstances they seem like they are about to stroke out over safety. If there was a pedestrian corridor and you lifted your head too high they would either die of a heart attack or just shoot you and get it over with :)
Dear Mr. Bracken,
1st off, thank you and keep up the great work. In case you haven’t seen this already, here is a link to the FAA chart for DCA that chopper pilots use.
https://aeronav.faa.gov/visual/12-26-2024/PDFs/Balt-Wash_Heli.pdf
Everyone has their own way at looking at things, here’s mine - haven’t seen anyone else mention this yet.
The topic being Noise Abatement. Why does the FAA prescribe helicopter routes in the manner it does. A primary consideration is to keep the choppers from flying over “ congested areas “.
These choppers take off from their departure point and go somewhere. But they are instructed to go in narrow flyways designed to reduce noise.
Imho, noise abatement is one of the primary reasons why this mid air occurred.
As many have noted, we are surprised it took this long before it finally happened here. Last time I recall was over the Hudson. Just a little Cirrus fixed wing then, I think.
Best Regards,
Glenn