Flight instructor: “Do your best, lol.”
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Are you not entertained??
student pilot successfully landed a plane by herself
Illustration picture is a man.
This is infuriating.
She’s 22, quite possible she didn’t want her photo being put online
That’s a picture of the instructor not the student
I thought it was some rando pilot they found.
“We need a picture of a pilot for this tragic story. Not smiling, stupid.”
Who cares about the instructor?
Probably his family that’s still processing and mourning his odd suicide.
Attempted homocide, you mean?
Suicide harms more than the individual committing it, yes.
Are we sure she didn’t kick him out? Seems very sus
Now you’re thinking like an airport book author!
Or a cop.
Idk. Seems like a lot of thinking for a cop.
Not really. Cops always default to “crime”.
Gotta pad those numbers, amirite?
Ah, a regular article for the “entertainment” category.
Just a quibble.
They said the instructor died ‘mid-flight’
Technically, he died at the end of HIS flight.
Maybe he did mid air from a heart attack
Doubt it. A smaller plane will be around 15,000ft which would mean the fall would be about 1 and a half minutes to impact. I also doubt they were at that altitude so it would be less than that. Unless it was fast and massive I dont think you can die that quick from a heart attack. Passing out would be the best case scenerio, but even that is probably low chance as well.
I was about to say, pretty sure he died when he suddenly stopped flying near the ground!
Hardly a flight, more like a fall really… :-P
With style!
Its not the fall that kills you, its the abrupt high velocity meeting with ground.
deleted by creator
But seriously …… a more plausible path is that instructors sometimes create interruptions to ensure you know how to focus on the aircraft. My instructors would open windows at inopportune times: little did they know but it caused me to fly an aircraft with a canopy that can slide back during flight, a “convertible”. In aircraft where you can, I’ve definite heard of instructors opening doors during flight.
The plausible accident is exactly that: instructor opening a door as part of emergency training. Of course it’s much harder to explain lack of seatbelt, or how he got up from his seat
You have to be able to handle a door or window opening in flight because there can be mechanical failures where that happens. And if we’re stretching things, the student pilot panicking could cause a sudden jerk of the wheel, throwing an unrestrained passenger out. It could happen. Extremely unlikely but it could …… except the seatbelt.
Authorities initially looked at whether a mechanical issue with the aircraft may have played a role
I think they may have meant if there was a gas leak or something that might have affected his mind? Afaik there were some flight and diving accidents where that was a contributing factor.
Yeah, cabin monoxide comes up now and then
During the flight, Bertazzo allegedly told Rosario, “You know what to do” before removing his headset, arranging his belongings, taking off his seatbelt and exiting the aircraft.
Importantly, the article also says she was trained, but still needed some hours with an instructor or pilot before being allowed to fly solo. He must have decided his other student that day wasn’t ready but felt she’d be safe without him. Better than some suicidal pilots who have crashed the whole plane.
Landings are pretty much your first focus after basic air work, and you can solo in 15-20 hours typically. A full license is around 80 hours (at least here in Canada), and she had a ppl already.
When i soloed my instructor was kind enough to get out of the plane while we were on the ground. What a horrible experience for this student.
She had a private licence, so she was more than capable of flying solo.
Did you actually read the article?
Rosario already had a private pilot license but was still building up her flying hours, meaning she was required to fly with an instructor or safety pilot.
She was required to specifically not fly solo due to her inexperience. Source: the article
Do you realise how little journalists know about aviation? I wouldn’t trust them to know which end of the plane goes forward.
Don’t say “did you read the article?” when someone states something that’s in the article if you’re going to turn around and say “well, the article is wrong”. It makes it sound like you didn’t read the article.
Having a private license does not imply she was qualified to solo the aircraft she was in. If her private license was for hot air balloons or gliders, for example, her private license alone would not qualify her to solo a powered aircraft. Assuming Argentina’s process is comparable to the US process, she would need a solo endorsement from a qualified instructor in her logbook before she would be considered capable of flying solo.
It’s a Cessna, a child could fly one.
And it’s probably the type she got her license in.
Agreed, but the article did expressly point out that she was required to have an instructor or a safety pilot, and that she was not actually qualified to solo in that aircraft.
I have a private license. I am certainly not “more than capable of flying solo” in a Cessna 150: I am rated to fly hot air balloons. I am reasonably confident I could get a Cessna 150 on the ground safely, but that confidence alone does not make me “more than capable” of doing so.
And it’s probably the type she got her license in.
Based on the claims in the article, that is very unlikely. If she got her private license in it, she would be qualified to solo. But they explicitly claimed that she was not. It is likely that she is qualified in some other single-engine fixed-wing aircraft and just needs to be checked out in the 150. But the article does not specify, and we should not assume.
If Argentina’s licensing structure mirrors the US, she might have a private license in “weight-shift-control aircraft”. She might be qualified to hang glide with a passenger, but that license would not make her “more than capable” of soloing in a 150.
During the flight, Bertazzo allegedly told Rosario, “You know what to do” before removing his headset, arranging his belongings, taking off his seatbelt and exiting the aircraft.
Instructor: (Encouragingly) “If you can handle this, Rosario, it’ll all get easier from here on out. The most stressful moments are when you’re just learning.”
Student: “Thanks, but I’m sure that…”
Instructor: dives out plane door
Student: …
“She was very shaken, but with complete professionalism she flew the plane to the airfield and made a perfect landing,”
Dude may have been having a rough time, but definitely knew his students.
Student:
I mean, if I were an immortal, I would get a job as a flight instructor just to pull this prank.
“Um, could you just fly over the airport for a minute? Great. Alright, see you later, maybe.” And proceeds to step out of the plane so she can have her oh shit moment and he’ll still be there to congratulate her when she lands.
That’s kinda strange. The process I’m familiar with, you get your student pilot license during training, then you get an endorsement from your instructor to solo. After you’ve had sufficient instructional and solo time, you take your practical test / check ride, and get your private license.
Maybe this was a requirement of the flight school rather than a licensing requirement? Maybe she got her private license in gliders or balloons, and wasn’t yet qualified to solo a powered aircraft?
could be getting an instrument rating or checked out on an unfamiliar aircraft.
Journalists know jack shit about aviation, chances are she was able to fly solo, but was working with an instructor to move towards a CPL. I did plenty of time with an instructor after getting my PPL.
I suspect you’re right. I’m in that process myself, but with balloons.
Better than some suicidal pilots
Is this a common occurrence?
It isn’t what I would call “common”, but it happens: Suicide by aircraft
Most of those are the pilot crashing alone, but there have been some high-profile crashes of commercial flights that have either been confirmed or are strongly suspected to have been intentional, like EgyptAir 990, Germanwings 9525, and SilkAir 185. The mysteriously missing MH370 was also likely an intentional act.
I wouldn’t call it common but there’s been enough for a Wikipedia page:
I will never understand why people do things like this. You want to end your life? Cool. Why do you feel this need to traumatize and/or murder others in the process?
Also really, really wish we as a species took mental health more seriously.
Maybe the idea was that he could end his life, without risking crashing the plane? Why he chose this method specifically will, unfortunately, never be answered.
Yup, no way to know. Maybe he had a psychotic break in that moment and didn’t ever expect to do it. I just have a concentrated hatred for people who do these things and take innocent people with them.
I have past attempts and I agree, it’s the most selfish thing you can do. Get help people, it can get better.
If someone’s so traumatised as to end their life this way, they’re probably not very concerned of the consequences. Not excusing this, just trying to explain it for myself.
If you think that’s even a glimmer of a concern in the mind of a suicidal person, I urge you to think further about it. If anything, this man knew he wasn’t condemning the student as well.
And furthermore, this makes the other person a suspect in your death. Just a super shitty way to do it all around.
A lot of people include “I don’t give a shit about anyone else” in their “I don’t give a shit [about myself]” suicidal thoughts.
- Ex-cop, dealt with lots of suicide-by-cop attempts and investigated a lot of suicides
When you get into that head space, you don’t care about anything at all. The worst postpartum depression I had even made me stop caring about my kids. Then you dissociate and there’s very little of what makes you, you, left. When I think back on it it’s like I was trapped in my mind and someone else took over.
As a country. Metal health in America is bullshit. Other countries take it way more seriously.
The story says this happened in Argentina.
Yes, I was specifically talking about America. I don’t know how mental health is in Argentina.
You’re probably being dogpiled for perceived Ameri-centrism.
The irony, in my mind, is that while you were kinda veering the discussion in a different direction, per your edit you explicitly did so because you have no knowledge of mental healthcare in Argentina which is very much not Ameri-centrism.
If I had to put words to most of the downvotes, they would probably say “fuck you, this is a discussion about Argentina’s mental healthcare, not mental healthcare more broadly,” which again in a bit of irony, detracts from the discussion of how to address mental health crises.
I think it’s just annoyance at the idiomatic use of “America” when the discussion is about the Americas.
Huh, never considered that.
It’s hard to get into the minds of a sea of semi-anonymous voters to determine their motivations. I’m sure they all had their own reasons, and yours may be one of them.
The minds of the sea of semi-anonymous lemmings is likely hard to understand due to endemic parochialism in the USA.
Ah, the double-down. Interesting gambit
Doubling down on what? Do you know what “doubling down” actually means?
The comment I replied to was talking about humanity as a species. I responded by narrowing the discussion to individual countries because mental health care varies dramatically from one country to another. Some countries have excellent mental health systems; others don’t. The United States, in my view, has a particularly poor one.
The fact that the original incident occurred in Argentina is irrelevant to the point I was making.
More importantly, I can only speak from my own experience. I’ve lived in the United States for the overwhelming majority of my life, so that’s the system I know. Why would I pretend to speak authoritatively about countries I’ve never lived in?
not any better
Is there an American defaultism community on Lemmy yet?
Yes, I was specifically talking about America.
I think we really need it lol
I imagine it’s more like an intrusive thought when he was vulnerable. He was likely having a bad time, feeling desperate and suicidal with no help. Then the thought came that he could just open the door, so he did. No planning, no consideration, no real thought once triggered. Other people just weren’t relevant
Arguably if you have the wherewithal to consider other people, there’s at least a sliver of something to live for
“They expect one of us in the wreckage, brother. The fire rises.”
I uhh, presume he landed?
No. He’s still up there.
Well he didn’t float away.
Spoiler
If you ignore any information provided by the article and completely bastardize statistics,
There’s a 70% chance he ocean’d!
‘Fuck me, you’re a bad pilot. I’m going to take my chances out there’.
I feel bad for laughing so hard at this. Bravo.
since the article is already categories as “entertainment”, the comment feels kinda appropriate
Is the thumbnail photo of the instructor who killed himself?
Yes, it is.
That seems so morbid when the article is more focused on the student than the pilot.
Especially when he looks so pained in the picture.
As it should be. Fuck that guy for traumatizing that poor unsuspecting person.
Don’t worry. I think the ground punished him enough.
“…I wonder if it will be friends with me!”
Maybe it’s better not to publically focus too much attention on why someone kills themselves. People on the edge with the same problems might be prompted to do the same. I dunno, I’m just guessing.
Have you thought that maybe they meant that the photo didn’t make sense with the article instead of vice versa?
His shift was over
Clock out time is clock out time, especially if you get in trouble for overtime.
- Me, fired over an overtime dispute
She was a qualified private pilot, so easily capable of landing the plane unassisted.
What a bizarre thing to do.
Landing planes unassisted is hardly bizarre in GA - it’s rather normal.
Bizarre but it has a certain insane logic. He wanted to die by jumping out of a plane but he didn’t want the plane to crash and kill anyone, cause a fire or whatever. He even told her “you know what to do” to give her confidence.
Incredibly cruel. What a monster.
Mens mental health is already a disaster, but in the airline industry it’s made worse by the fact that you can lose your piloting license just by seeking help. This is a tragic story. I’ve joked about this story elsewhere, but I’ve learned more about it since then.
Very similar in law enforcement as well.
I personally worked alongside three people who committed suicide for years in our tiny district of maybe 50 patrol deputies over the span of about three years. Kirk Keithley was my zone partner for a long time, then it was Terry Strawn, and then finally Daniel Leyden.
Of course, they also murdered their S/Os and other family members as well, so I’m not exactly pouring one out for them, but it’s an undeniable trend more broadly - that spaces that theoretically require the utmost in mental health often paradoxically result in mental health crises because of the stigma and practicality of undermining your paycheck; when the problem is still solvable, it’s “not big enough of a deal to risk my job over it.”
It’s a messy picture with cops, too because that job so strongly attracts cluster B personality types. You’re not just working a job that is institutionally trying to drive you crazy (Killology seminars and all), but the job itself is highly attractive to the most unstable people in society.
True. It’s a mess.
Pedantically that doesn’t take away from your point but asserting just for clarity because I see people bring it up a lot:
The infamous Killology lecture isn’t taught to the vast majority of law enforcement in the US as I understand it. We certainly didn’t receive it (or similar) at my academy.
I’ve heard it isn’t quite as bad as cherry-picked-and-taken-out-of-context-to-malign, but I’ve personally never watched it, much like I haven’t read Mein Kampf; “That seems like a soup sandwich of nasty, so I’m not going to waste my time.”
It should be the other way around. LEO should be required to get regulator mental health help. It’s a stressful job, potentially dangerous, they’re armed and have people’s lives in their hands. We need to make damn sure they are capable of handling that with a sound mind.
As previously mentioned, they simply bottle it up. It’s not hard to “I’ve never had any suicidal ideations” your way out of any mandatory screening as currently implemented. Some are better at rooting out deception like that, but apparently that’s not in the budget. I received an MMPI-style questionnaire and subsequent interview, but so did all three of those peers I mentioned who passed just the same as I did. Hell, one of my academy classmates told the psychologist he thought he was Batman. When pressed for why, he relented and said it was an outburst because he was distraught due to his goldfish dying. He obviously made it through with a Pass and I think is still on the force many years later? His social media is intentionally obscure so it’s hard to say.
Truth be told, reforming law enforcement in this and other ways is simply not politically motivating for most Americans; they’re generally either focused on other single issues, “The police are perfect and criticizing them is immoral,” or “The police are all bastards and need to be abolished.”
I’m not dumb enough to tell everyone I meet I was a cop so all of my discussions about the matter are generally relegated to the internet, but of the people I bump elbows with on the topic on Reddit, 90% of the time it turns into name-calling and other bad faith tactics. The other evidence I use is… -gestures broadly at the state of US politics-. Remember when people were marching in the streets to fix the police? Remember how it generally didn’t?
