The Black Hawk military helicopter that crashed into a passenger plane coming in to land in Washington, D.C., was being used as a "taxi" for VIPs. On that day, it was being tested for readiness to urgently transport senior US officials to a safe zone in the event of an attack on the capital. This was reported by The Wall Street Journal, according to UNN.
Details
Both pilots were reportedly identified on Friday as Chief Warrant Officer 2nd Class Andrew Lloyd Eaves and Staff Sergeant Ryan Austin O'Hara.
The 12th Aviation Battalion, based in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, has been flying to and from hot spots, from Vietnam to Lebanon, for decades. But now the unit operates mainly within the United States, the WSJ writes.
In particular, he is responsible for the "continuity of operations plan". This allows the government to continue working in the event of events like the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
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The pilots also transport senior military and other officials to Washington. And Gold Tops helicopters have actually become a high-end air taxi for Washington VIPs, taking passengers to various locations in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland.
According to Andrew Logan, one of the founders of Helicopters of DC, a website that tracks helicopter operations, army helicopters sometimes transport three- and four-star generals from Fort Belvoir to the Pentagon.
"I've heard pilots say that they like being a taxi for generals," he said.
Recall
As UNN previously reported , 67 people died as a result of the collision between an American Airlines plane and a Black Hawk military helicopter. Among the victims were ice skaters with their mothers and coaches, a student from Ohio, Chinese citizens and a group of hunters.