United DC-8 & TWA Constellation-"Mid-Air"-12/16/60-Part lll/lll

[N3794N]

Strange as it may seem, this was not the first time United and TWA had a mid-air collision.

It happened in 1956 over the Grand Canyon, too.

[keithsy75]

I was 3 years old in Bed-Stuy, sucking my thumb. I heard it. It sounded like a giant M-80 firecracker. It frightened me. I bawled my head off. It will happend again. There is too much deregulation and excessive air traffic over that nieghborhood, which is the path for LGA. I pray God not, but it is bound to happen. I attended the memorial service in December.

[johntheadams]

On December 16, 1960 I was working only a couple of miles from the scene. A few hours later I arrived there. As long as I live I'll never forget the DC-8 tail section bearing the words "United," the child's doll lying in the rubble, or the temporary morgue setup at the Citi Service gasoline station which reeked from formaldehyde.

Stephen Baltz' parents have since died. It was that long ago.

[rockyPants4000]

Yeah. No way I would have flown commercial in the 40's/50's. They're using "steam gauges", no TCAS, no altitude reporting, no visual representation in the cockpit of location or terrain... all real old-school "living on the math" type of flying.

IFR based on the accuracy of your navigators' math skills? And no actual connectivity between aircraft other than voice radio? NO THANKS.

We live in a substantially safer airspace system today - thank goodness.

[phillyslasher]

@rockyPants4000 And Air Traffic Control was fighting to keep up with the growing air traffic in those days. But, no matter what you say, that was real flying back then. Not to say that pilots today aren't as good. But in those days they just didn't have the systems and "help" that todays pilots have.

[rockyPants4000]

@phillyslasher It's really irrelevant how "real" the flying and the pilots were, I'm just talking about staying ALIVE! I'd rather not have been a guinea pig/beta tester for the FAA, thanks. You only get to die a horrible, flaming death once, thanks.

But I actually would like to have been a pilot back then for awhile... cause I like being in control!

[MerleOberon]

what had to happen for things to change