Smolensk Plane Crash

[Spudulika]

Breaking news this morning that the tu-154 carrying the Polish President and his wife crashed near Smolensk on approach. I hate to point out the irony in this, it was part of the "Katyn Process" which was aimed at bringing Poland and Russia closer (though not in the 1939 Stalinesque style). 87 dead and on Russian forums conspiracies already springing up (though it seems a simple crash). Many jokers questioning why their leader, Putin, wasn't on board.

[OneRedArmy]

I'd be questioning why anyone is flying on an ancient Tupelov with a suspect safety record in 2010 when most Eastern Bloc carriers now fly newer Western planes (Russia's decision to re-enter commercial aircraft manufacturing notwithstanding).

[Spudulika]

Oneredarmy, the tu they were on is actually pretty okay. They've a bad rep and it's because of the "westernised" equipment they lack. Some years ago aeroflot couldn't fly their tu-154's into Zagreb because of fog. Now the fog was bad, but I landed in worse but in airbuses and boeings. They are phasing out the old tu-154's, the new 204 and 214 plane are due to come on stream (the plant in Ulaynovsk is constantly hiring) however there's a stigma on any Russian built craft. Personally speaking I was on just one "oopsy", we were flying into Moscow, before we left we were told our flight was going into Sheremetyevo 1 instead of the normal 2. We were coming down to land when suddenly the engines revved up and we took off again. Apparently the pilot was being guided into S-2 by mistake - which was completely lit up and waiting.

I wonder how this is going to play out now as Russia tries to normalise itself, yesterday there was a scandal with the boy being sent back (which just doesn't add up in any way) and before that the nuclear treaty being signed.

[DaveyCakes]

The Tu-154 has a reasonable enough safety record, particularly when you consider some of the conditions that they've been flying in. There haven't been too many crashes due to mechanical failure. Apparently the pilots were advised to divert to either Moscow or Minsk but decided to try to land in heavy fog.

[Spudulika]

The Tu-154 has a reasonable enough safety record, particularly when you consider some of the conditions that they've been flying in. There haven't been too many crashes due to mechanical failure. Apparently the pilots were advised to divert to either Moscow or Minsk but decided to try to land in heavy fog.

I just got back in from a game and on Sky news they reported that the pilots were told to divert on route, but almost made it down. Did I hear that incorrectly?

[dahamsta]

I know Russia is a big territory - ok, huge - but you can understand the conspiracy theories with the number of aircraft crashes they have there, many of them with important people on board, dying in decidedly convenient consequences.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Condolences to all concerned. RIP.

As ever in these cases, besides the tragedy for all these people and the Polish nation, the cynic in you can't help wishing it had happened elsewhere.

[Spudulika]

I know Russia is a big territory - ok, huge - but you can understand the conspiracy theories with the number of aircraft crashes they have there, many of them with important people on board, dying in decidedly convenient consequences.

True enough, there do seem to be strange incidents of people disappearing in air disasters in Russia, though this time I'd say it's genuine. A rather unfortunate incident occurred last year, I think it was, when a helicopter with local and foreign notables on board crashed out near Irkutsk. There were a couple of survivors however the scandal was the fact that all on board, except the pilots, were smashed out of their heads and hunting endangered and protected native sheep. It wasn't the first such incident and the appalling see through cover up afterwards made a joke of the Russian media.

I just can't get past the irony in the situation, that if Stalin and his Allies (Hitler, Churchill, Mussolini etc) hadn't been so bloodthirsty then this crash wouldn't have taken place.

Timeline - Stalin and Hitler sign a deal to carve up Poland, 1939 they do the deed condemning to death millions of Poles - in particular 20-odd thousand armed forces officers. The forces of goodness declare war on Germany (though not the USSR) and tens of millions die needlessly, including millions in internal purges in the USSR. Leading to the Polish President going to visit the site of a mass murder with tragic consequences. And this May holiday the clown Luzhkov (the eejit Mayor of Moscow) is going against public opinion and erecting giant posters of Stalin, who has been conveniently "rehabilitated" by Putin and co.

[pineapple stu]

I just got back in from a game and on Sky news they reported that the pilots were told to divert on route, but almost made it down. Did I hear that incorrectly?
On the BBC News this evening, there was a comment that the President was on a plane before when the pilot told him a landing was risky; the President ate the head off the pilot over it, so they theorised that the President, against the pilot's advice, ordered the descent to continue on this occasion.

[Spudulika]

This seems to be growing legs Pineapple Stu, on Sky, CNN etc, all reporting that it's down to a pilot insisting on landing. It's an abolsute shame, and last night I watched "The Soviet Story" and just thought of how pointless the whole thing was.

[pineapple stu]

This seems to be growing legs Pineapple Stu, on Sky, CNN etc, all reporting that it's down to a pilot insisting on landing.
Pedantics maybe, but there is a difference between the pilot insisting on landing and the President insisting on landing, which is what the BBC suggested as a theory, based on his prior form.

[Spudulika]

Pedantics maybe, but there is a difference between the pilot insisting on landing and the President insisting on landing, which is what the BBC suggested as a theory, based on his prior form.

You are almost certainly right, the former President had a habit of doing his own thing. The article below is very interesting on what was going on around the whole Katyn thing.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/article/scent-of-shale-gas-hangs-over-katyn/403877.html