CONTINENTAL FLIGHT #3407

Yesterday I spent several hours at my computer preparing a commentary addressing my concerns with the Stimulus Plan. Frankly, I became so frustrated that I could not prepare a thoughtfully crafted document. Thus, I am going to delay commenting on that subject and address another.

That subject is the fragility of life which comes suddenly to our attention when events occur such as the crash of Continental flight #3407 as it approached the Buffalo airport. Within a few minutes, or probably seconds, fifty wonderful, loving lives were snuffed out, and the daily lives of thousands were negatively impacted for some time to come.

Our airwaves are filled with analyses of initial facts, but the real story is months away from being known or scientifically surmised. The National Transportation & Safety Board authorities and numerous investigative agencies will spend millions studying every possible influence that led up to this devastating accident. Jumping to conclusions by reporters that have little or no in-depth knowledge of the intricacies of aviation is certainly unproductive, but it does attract listeners or viewers, but nothing more at the early juncture. Reporting without conclusive results only leads to scaring the flying public, and further negatively impacts the already struggling airline industry. America’s air lines have the best safety rating worldwide, so why raise unsupported doubts in the minds of our citizens?

Our hearts and prayers must go out to the surviving loved ones, relatives, friends and associates whose lives are changed forever. Today there are wives, children, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters who have in the bat of an eye lost a treasured part of their lives, and there is not one thing that anyone of them can do about it. One must appreciate every minute we have on this planet, and hope that God has a greater need for these departed loved ones.

Now is the time to embrace those directly affected by the crash and let the professionals perform their sad task to get the factual answers. Future aviation flights will be safer when the results are determined, and hopefully tragic incidents of this nature will be prevented as a result.

Let us appreciate every day that the good Lord provides us, and keep it in the proper prospective. Our economy may be in peril, our lives a bit confused, but it sure beats the alternative.

COMMANDER GRANGER