N.T.S.B.: Hands Free Device Responsible for Statue of Liberty Incident.

On June 18 2009, Air Force One streaked by and almost hit the Statue of Liberty. The incident incurred panic in the citizens of New York City. Polly Esther describes her fear of feeling the vibrations and then seeing Air Force One scream by Lady Liberty. “I was shaking and feeling as if the jet was going to rip us apart.” Thousands of New York City citizens panicked and rushed out of the city’s sky scrapers. Joe Scmohe, a business analyst, describes his experience of seeing the presidential jet streaking towards him. “The jet came closer and closer. I yelled to my colleagues to get out of the building. I screamed it’s going to crash into us! I was worried that I was going to get involved in the next 9/11.”
The incident has spurned controversy and critism from both national and local leaders. The president ordered a full investigation of the incident on the 19th of June. The N.T.S.B. Board has issued its findings today. The major contribution was the pilots hands free communication device. The Air force requires its members to install and use hand free devices in their duties. The device was fully operational. The pilot became distracted when he received a phone call from his wife. Apparently she wanted a gallon of milk when he came home. The N.T.S.B. stated the pilot followed all procedures. The safety board recommended a change in policy forbidding receiving personal calls. Lt. Col. Steve Harley, the pilot, has been suspended without pay. He will be subjected to a court-martial. Is it really the fault of the pilot or is it the requirement that is responsible for the incident?
The black box recording was also released this morning. It is a very comical and party like scene in the cabin. You can hear the music blaring from the main part of the aircraft. You could hear the song “Y.M.C.A.” in the back ground. The warning sirens of the cockpit start blaring. Then you hear warnings from the air craft controller from J.F.K. Airport. The Co-pilot was in the bathroom at the time of the incident. The device dropped the call automatically when it sensed the sever drop in altitude. The aircraft cleared the statue by no more than 8 and half feet. The N.T.S.B. called the environment totally unacceptable. The distractive environment could lead to a deadly incident.
The device, model # 12 made by Crash Test Dummies Inc., there has been recalled multiple times for safety defects. Apparently, the shock collar idea was not reasonable for traveling at high speeds. This particular model has been blamed for large numbers of vehicular accidents. The device is implanted in the frontal lobe. It allows the user access to a mobile phone, G.P.S. directions and a calendar. The devices became popular when the states and localities banned hand held cellular phones while driving. It is interesting to note that the legislators who proposed those bans failed to secure any studies to ensure that hands free devices are any safer. Co-founders, Joe and Bob Dummies came up with the idea of the device during their employment at the crash safety ratings board. Psychologist Howard Quack states the problem with the hands free devices is they portray an image in your mind. You are having conversation rather than performing the task at hand. The situation can become dangerous, especially when the individual needs high cognitive abilities to adapt to rapidly changing conditions.
Long standing Senator Verizon is calling on members of congress to ban these devices. He is also leading the call for reinstating the hand held phones as the primary source of communication. We almost lost to one of our national treasures because of one wife asking for a gallon of milk. These hands free devices have proven to be unsafe and deadly. Legislators should be careful when they change and implement future laws so that they do not place lives endanger by their votes. Is it ethical to pass legislation that will do harm?