Joe Sharkey, Living on Borrowed Time

I’ve oft mocked Joe Sharkey of the New York Times for being a fusspot who is late to catch onto trends and enjoys belaboring the obvious. While I don’t take it back—he’s an established enough journalist that he can fend for himself—I do feel slightly guilty, since he did have a near-death experience this week.

Sharkey was in the “other plane” that experienced a mid-air collision with a Gol 737. The Gol plane crashed into the Amazonian jungle, killing all 155 people aboard. Sharkey was visiting Embraer’s headquarters, on a test flight of the new Legacy 600 with several Embraer executives (the company is Brazilian). The collision sheared of part of the stabilizer and the wing—the 737 actually hit Sharkey’s plane twice.

We hear time and time again that flying is safer than driving, staying at home or bathing near the toaster. But only with flying is your life in the hands of someone else: the pilot. That’s what makes it scary for a lot of people, and Sharkey was able to survive thanks to the capable crew aboard the Embraer, who were able to land at a military base without the aid of many of the plane’s computerized controls.

Still, I’m not testing any Brazilian aircraft after this incident: consider me a dyed-in-the-wool Canadair man. Also, Sharkey gets major points for filing another story today. Doesn't he get a few days off or something?

Comments

[Designer Handbagss]

Good Work dude! I will visit your website again.

[vme]

Wonderful and informative web site.I used information from that site its great.

[Alexander Kolbasoff]

I wanted to thank you for the time you spent building this page. I will visit your website again. Thank you