Tuesday, July 17, 2007

I need this right now...

So I'm leaving on in a few days for Paraguay. My second trip in a little over 6 months. I'm quite excited. I just hope I survive the flight.

This is a picture of a TAM Airbus 320 that skidded off the runway in Sao Paulo into a gas station and an office building. They're not betting anyone made it out alive. This is the same plane I'll be taking from Sao Paulo to Asuncion, and the same airline.

I particularly enjoyed this passage from the NY Times:
"Civil aviation in Brazil has been in crisis since last September, when the worst airline disaster, a collision over the Amazon between a passenger plane and a business jet, took place. Since that disaster, in which 154 people were killed, Brazil, Latin America’s most populous country, has been racked by waves of canceled flights, air controller strikes and go-slow actions, struggles between military and civilian officials for control of the government’s aviation regulatory agencies and revelations that the national radar system is deficient."

Sweet.

The positives are:
1. This is a different airport than the one I'll be flying into and out of.

2. What are the chances of the same thing happening in less than a week?

Currently Brazilian aviation is ranking near Chinese toothpaste on my list of consumer warm fuzzies. At least they have free booze on the flight.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, but how hardcore was it that China executed the head of their FDA?

That'll teach you to fail to do your due diligence in ensuring no counterfeit glycerin sneaks past labeling standards.

As a bureaucrat myself, it reminds me that I could be killed in China.

And as for TAM, via con dios amigo.

Anonymous said...

Drink heavily. Also, you might as well try to persuade one of the stewardesses, or possibly a fellow passenger, to join the mile high club with you. What do you have to lose?

The Ten Angry Men said...

so long as there isn't a gas station at the end of the runway, I'd say you're chances of coming thru this in one piece are fine.

Anonymous said...

Make sure you take your safety helmet, nomex, turnouts, and a fire extinguisher! Ohh yea, you might as well use your cell phone, choke down a few heaters, and get sloppy drunk! There is nothing like a guy who is hammered in Coach wearing a Safety Helmet!

boyski said...

I agree with anonymous. Just stay away from the little purple pill.

maikib said...

Pull for Jesus.

Hero to the Masses said...

Yeah, life is good. I'm putting my faith in the pilots, who have tens of hours of flight experience. This trip should be interesting.