We must do more to prevent disasters, on air and land

There’s a disturbing correlation between the air disaster in Washington, D.C. and the wildfires in California (“Officials say remains of 55 of 67 victims of midair collision have been recovered and identified,” Feb. 2). What I find tragic is how the warnings about both were there, yet no one took action. For instance, insurers recognized the heightened wildfire risks a year earlier. State Farm announced last March that it would discontinue coverage on tens of thousands of homes and apartments due to the rising possibility of fires. Why did no one pay attention?

And as your report points out, a lot of senators were alarmed about the overuse of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, including Maryland U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen. Again, no one listened. Instead, more flights were crammed onto the busiest runways in the United States. As someone who flies into National many times said, “You’re always trying to put ten pounds of potatoes into a five pound bag.” Even worse, U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters occupy the same airspace for night training.

As a nation, we have become too complacent. We trust good fortune and not our instincts. As Murphy’s Law points out, “If something can go wrong, it will go wrong.” Even though there was no real Murphy, those words prove life isn’t fair. That’s why it’s essential to anticipate disasters. I grieve for anyone connected to that Potomac River horror. We all have 20/20 hindsight, but it will never change what took place.

— Roz Nester Ellis, Baltimore

Widening the pilot pool makes flying safer

The recent midair collision in Washington, D.C. was a tragedy. Our thoughts should be with the victims and their families and ensuring we learn all we can from this disaster so that it never happens again.

Unfortunately, the President of the United States chose to assign the blame for the disaster on diversity programs (“Trump blames diversity hiring as probe into deadly midair collision begins,” Jan. 30). Besides being poorly timed, disrespectful and baseless, these claims show a striking lack of understanding concerning the way diversity programs operate. As the director of Empowerment Through Aviation (ETA), a local program aimed at increasing diversity in aviation, I find his comments deeply troubling.

There are many factors contributing to the current lack of diversity in aviation but two of the main causes are related to exposure and economics. When young people go to the airport or board a flight, they often see only white men wearing the uniform of a pilot. ETA demonstrates to young women and young people of color that these jobs are open to them and that if they rise to the challenge, they can earn a great career.

It can cost up to $150,000 to obtain the training required for a job as an airline pilot. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2021 the median wealth of white families was over $250,000 compared to $25,000 for Black families and $49,000 for Hispanic families. ETA hopes to help children from these families earn a spot as a pilot by funding some of their flight training.

Airlines, aircraft manufacturers and government organizations like the Federal Aviation Administration, benefit when they have the largest possible pool of candidates. In the current environment, too often, only those with enough money and support make it into the applicant pool. These individuals are not better skilled, better trained, or better suited to be pilots than those with less familial wealth, they are just better funded.

ETA does not lower standards. We cannot alter the requirements for passing an Airline Transport Pilot evaluation, nor do we reduce the number of flight hours required to be an airline pilot. We don’t control the FAA’s medical and vision requirements or ask airlines to alter their hiring practices. We simply try to make the pool of applicants as large as possible. When that happens, everyone benefits — from airlines to the flying public.

Diversity is not the problem — it’s the solution.

— Mike Jacobson, Baltimore

The Baltimore Sun is seeking nominations for its 10th annual Business and Civic Hall of Fame, recognizing individuals who’ve fostered transformational change in the Baltimore region. Email nominations by Feb.10 to talkback@baltimoresun.com with a brief description of the nominee’s accomplishments and background. We will announce the 2025 inductees in March, and honor them with an event and special newspaper section in June.