10th anniversary

It was today in 1996 that Valujet Flight 592 crashed into the Everglades. All 110 people on board were killed. The cause of the crash was a fire that started due to improperly stored oxygen cannisters on board the plane. They sparked causing a fire shortly take-off.

Both the Palm Beach Post and Miami Herald have front page stories about today's anniversary. Contrast the headlines-

The Post- 10 years after ValuJet crash, airlines still put revenue above safety, some warn

The Herald- Legacy of ValuJet crash: improved air safety

What a difference isn't it. The Post admits the recent dearth of air accidents in the US but remains gloomy. Why doesn't that surprise me considering the leftish bend of the Post.

I'm not going to doing a long commentary on the articles. The US has been remarkably safe over the last four plus year where it comes to air travel. A major accident has to happen sooner or later, I even predicted one. That doesn't necessarily mean air travelling is dangerous. Compare it to auto travel for instance.

One little tidbit in the Herald article-

They had not. Neither SabreTech nor ValuJet had ordered the yellow caps, which would have prevented the firing pins from discharging. The caps would have cost a total of $9.16, including tax.

110 lives were lost for little more than pocket change. Doesn't it make you want to scream?

Open Post- Bright & Early, Jo's Cafe, Basil's Blog,