German-Wings Copilot "one of us"?

I'm very much saddened to have just learned the Andreas Lubitz, the 28- old who deliberately seems to have flown the A 320 into the mountains started flying in a Glider Club (Montabaur). He was still a member and renewed his glider license in 2014 that he had since his teenage-years. If confirmed, this mass murderer is a stain on what we all believe is a brotherhood of ethical and morals-driven individuals. Using Occam's Razor, the explanation given by the French prosecutors this morning is highly likely.
I'm further troubled that this horrible act ended precisely on what the French call "Le Parcours", a much beloved mountain range that allows fast and long North-South glider flights along the French Alps. I had a wonderful glider vacation in Barcelonnette, a couple of km from the crash site. This is all very sad. It must multiply the pain of the survivors of those on board.

Herb

I am also so sad to see the Parcours, where my own glider pilot, my US Team pilots at WGCs in 2005 and 2006, and many of our friends have flown many hours, as the scene of such horror. Seyne, where the recovery efforts are based, is also a glider field. Thinking of all of the people affected by this tragic event.
Susan "EY Crew"

On Thursday, March 26, 2015 at 11:09:46 AM UTC-5, wrote:
I'm very much saddened to have just learned the Andreas Lubitz, the 28- old who deliberately seems to have flown the A 320 into the mountains started flying in a Glider Club (Montabaur). He was still a member and renewed his glider license in 2014 that he had since his teenage-years. If confirmed, this mass murderer is a stain on what we all believe is a brotherhood of ethical and morals-driven individuals. Using Occam's Razor, the explanation given by the French prosecutors this morning is highly likely.
I'm further troubled that this horrible act ended precisely on what the French call "Le Parcours", a much beloved mountain range that allows fast and long North-South glider flights along the French Alps. I had a wonderful glider vacation in Barcelonnette, a couple of km from the crash site. This is all very sad. It must multiply the pain of the survivors of those on board.

Herb

An optimistic view is that he was not one of us based solely on his last flight. He possessed a glider rating, but he was not one of us. To be a glider pilot, you have to be an optimist, (JJI) ~Barny

On Thursday, March 26, 2015 at 6:53:23 PM UTC-7, wrote:
An optimistic view is that he was not one of us based solely on his last flight. He possessed a glider rating, but he was not one of us. To be a glider pilot, you have to be an optimist, (JJI) ~Barny

Exactly, Barny. To be one of us, one had to have a passion for, care about, and share in the kindred spirit of those who fly, be they bird or man.

bumper

In article ,
, says...

I'm very much saddened to have just learned the Andreas Lubitz, the28-
old who deliberately seems to have flown the A 320 into the mountains
started flying in a Glider Club (Montabaur). He was still a member and
renewed his glider license in 2014 that he had since his teenage-years.
If confirmed, this mass murderer is a stain on what we all believe is a
brotherhood of ethical and morals-driven individuals. Using Occam's
Razor, the explanation given by the French prosecutors this morning is
highly likely.
I'm further troubled that this horrible act ended precisely on what
the French call "Le Parcours", a much beloved mountain range that
allows fast and long North-South glider flights along the French Alps.
I had a wonderful glider vacation in Barcelonnette, a couple of km
from the crash site. This is all very sad. It must multiply the pain
of the survivors of those on board.

Herb

Depression, just like religion, is a terrible and horible thing. There
were no survivors.

--
Duncan.

At 16:09 26 March 2015, wrote:
I'm very much saddened to have just learned the Andreas Lubitz,
the 28-
old=
who deliberately seems to have flown the A 320 into the
mountains started
=
flying in a Glider Club (Montabaur). He was still a member and
renewed his
=
glider license in 2014 that he had since his teenage-years. If
confirmed,
=
this mass murderer is a stain on what we all believe is a
brotherhood of
et=
hical and morals-driven individuals. Using Occam's Razor, the
explanation
=
given by the French prosecutors this morning is highly likely.
I'm further troubled that this horrible act ended precisely on what
the
Fre=
nch call "Le Parcours", a much beloved mountain range that allows
fast and
=
long North-South glider flights along the French Alps. I had a
wonderful
gl=
ider vacation in Barcelonnette, a couple of km from the crash site.
This
i=
s all very sad. It must multiply the pain of the survivors of those
on
boa=
rd.

Herb


One of the most idiotic posts I have seen in a long time.
1) Not all the facts are out yet -your jumping the gun about this
young man.
2) Just because your a glider pilot does not make you whiter than
white or make you in any way any ethically or morally superior to
any other human being on this planet- indeed many glider pilots
have been complicit in the past either directly or indirectly with the
deaths of many, many more people than this. Whether you feel
these deaths were justifiable depends usually on your politics.

Personally it saddens me that mankind has not yet reached the
stage where it cannot find other resolutions than violence to sort out
differences, and can take a thing such as beautiful as flight and use
it has a method of death and destruction. One can only hope the
human race will one day grow up, before it annihilates itself.

"To be a glider pilot, you have to be an optimist," (JJI) ~Barny

Like

On Friday, March 27, 2015 at 6:30:05 AM UTC-5, Paul T wrote:
At 16:09 26 March 2015, wrote:
I'm very much saddened to have just learned the Andreas Lubitz,
the 28-
old=
who deliberately seems to have flown the A 320 into the
mountains started
=
flying in a Glider Club (Montabaur). He was still a member and
renewed his
=
glider license in 2014 that he had since his teenage-years. If
confirmed,
=
this mass murderer is a stain on what we all believe is a
brotherhood of
et=
hical and morals-driven individuals. Using Occam's Razor, the
explanation
=
given by the French prosecutors this morning is highly likely.
I'm further troubled that this horrible act ended precisely on what
the
Fre=
nch call "Le Parcours", a much beloved mountain range that allows
fast and
=
long North-South glider flights along the French Alps. I had a
wonderful
gl=
ider vacation in Barcelonnette, a couple of km from the crash site.
This
i=
s all very sad. It must multiply the pain of the survivors of those
on
boa=
rd.

Herb


One of the most idiotic posts I have seen in a long time.
1) Not all the facts are out yet -your jumping the gun about this
young man.
2) Just because your a glider pilot does not make you whiter than
white or make you in any way any ethically or morally superior to
any other human being on this planet- indeed many glider pilots
have been complicit in the past either directly or indirectly with the
deaths of many, many more people than this. Whether you feel
these deaths were justifiable depends usually on your politics.

Personally it saddens me that mankind has not yet reached the
stage where it cannot find other resolutions than violence to sort out
differences, and can take a thing such as beautiful as flight and use
it has a method of death and destruction. One can only hope the
human race will one day grow up, before it annihilates itself.

Paul, if holding yourself and the people you associate with to a high standard is idiotic then yes, I'm an idiot. Thanks for the name-calling btw, very classy. Mankind has proven that it can "weaponize" nearly every seemingly peaceful activity and flying gliders cannot be exempted. If confirmed further by facts, the copilot's name will be added to the roster of mass-murderers and suicide bombers. The families of the victims, already numb with pain, will be scarred for life by this crime.

At 14:09 27 March 2015, wrote:
On Friday, March 27, 2015 at 6:30:05 AM UTC-5, Paul T wrote:
At 16:09 26 March 2015, wrote:
I'm very much saddened to have just learned the Andreas
Lubitz,=20
the 28-
old=3D
who deliberately seems to have flown the A 320 into the=20
mountains started
=3D
flying in a Glider Club (Montabaur). He was still a member
and=20
renewed his
=3D
glider license in 2014 that he had since his teenage-years.
If=20
confirmed,
=3D
this mass murderer is a stain on what we all believe is a=20
brotherhood of
et=3D
hical and morals-driven individuals. Using Occam's Razor,
the=20
explanation
=3D
given by the French prosecutors this morning is highly likely.
I'm further troubled that this horrible act ended precisely on
what=20
the
Fre=3D
nch call "Le Parcours", a much beloved mountain range that
allows=20
fast and
=3D
long North-South glider flights along the French Alps. I had
a=20
wonderful
gl=3D
ider vacation in Barcelonnette, a couple of km from the crash
site. =20
This
i=3D
s all very sad. It must multiply the pain of the survivors of
those=20
on
boa=3D
rd.

Herb

=20
One of the most idiotic posts I have seen in a long time.
1) Not all the facts are out yet -your jumping the gun about
this=20
young man.
2) Just because your a glider pilot does not make you whiter
than=20
white or make you in any way any ethically or morally superior
to=20
any other human being on this planet- indeed many glider
pilots=20
have been complicit in the past either directly or indirectly with
the=20
deaths of many, many more people than this. Whether you
feel=20
these deaths were justifiable depends usually on your politics.
=20
Personally it saddens me that mankind has not yet reached
the=20
stage where it cannot find other resolutions than violence to
sort out=20
differences, and can take a thing such as beautiful as flight and
use=20
it has a method of death and destruction. One can only hope
the=20
human race will one day grow up, before it annihilates itself.

Paul, if holding yourself and the people you associate with to a
high
stand=
ard is idiotic then yes, I'm an idiot. Thanks for the name-calling
btw,
ve=
ry classy. Mankind has proven that it can "weaponize" nearly
every
seeming=
ly peaceful activity and flying gliders cannot be exempted. If
confirmed
fu=
rther by facts, the copilot's name will be added to the roster of
mass-murd=
erers and suicide bombers. The families of the victims, already
numb with
p=
ain, will be scarred for life by this crime.


Did not call you an idiot - I don't know you to make that judgement
- called your post idiotic.

I will reiterate. Just because your a glider pilot does not make you
in any way any ethically or morally superior to any other human
being on this planet, which appears to be you assumption.
Gliderpilot or not we are all fallible to the same weaknesses. I have
seen the full gamut of personality types in gliding that I have seen
in the wider world and if one thing that history has taught me is
that mankind is capable of the most incredibly heinous acts,
'gliderpilots' included.

I'm sorry but the ability to fly a motorless plane around the sky does
not grant you 'superpowers or a higher moral enlightenment', or
entrance into some' mythical brotherhood of superior beings' - as
you would seem to infer - that's just B/S.

Whilst this is an incredibly sad occurrence and one can feel for the
families affected, I will not condemn this young man, has you have
done - trail by media whilst common these days, is not my thing, I
would rather wait until all the facts are out - if indeed they ever will
be.. . and then try to understand not blame, banish, or condemn -
because ultimately that gets you no where.

Herb: I, too, was disturbed to read in the Wall Street Journal that Lubitz had a "passion for gliders and competitive running". Just like me. Responding to your critic, I think you qualified your remarks well; none of us yet knows what really happened but the official reports to date are horrifying.

It's true that we tend to think of fellow gliding pilots as ethical, with very high standards in many regards. The truth, as we all know, is that soaring is not perfect. We have our share of folks for whom integrity is sometimes practiced when it is convenient. We also have our share of enthusiasts who suffer from various physical and mental ailments. I suspect I'm not alone in saying that soaring has helped to keep me upbeat and healthy in times of acute stress in the past. But it's not a panacea.

I can't imagine the feelings of the families and loved ones of the victims, knowing not only how senseless and terribly unfair these deaths were but also what the passengers and crew must have felt in the moments before the crash.

I suspect there is not much for us to learn from this isolated tragedy, perhaps with a single exception. One of my daughters flew into Paris the morning of the crash from NYC. It was totally unrelated but it did remind me, as if I needed to be, how uncertain is life and how foolish it is to take anything for granted.

Chip Bearden
ASW 24 "JB"
U.S.A.