Further Insights into Downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH

As more details and horrific photos emerge from the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH-17 yesterday (July 17, 2-014), President Obama is preparing to address the nation on this international tragedy. Flight MH-17 was flying in a known conflict zone 1,000 feet above the 32,000 ceiling of the Ukranian restricted airspace they had set up. With three airplanes shot down there in the past three days, and with SAM (surface-to-air missile) systems capable of 49,000+ feet shoot-downs known to be in that area, flying through there in any airplane was an extremely risky thing to do. The incident highlights Malaysia Airline, and the Malaysian airworthiness authorities, serious lack of safety and risk management practices. The fact that the airlines has lost two B777’s with approximately 534 passengers in the past four months is a new loss record for the airline industry, and evidence that the airlines needs to take an aggressive, safety-first approach to all of its flight operations, planning and equipment. For example, its should not allow flights over or near any conflict areas where SAM or other aviation threats exist, and they should install deployable flight recorders and GPS-based tracking systems in all of its aircraft, as Bob Clifford has written about and spoken to the press about in the previous Malaysian Airlines crash.