Fox News host mocked for speculating that AsiaAir flight went missing because foreign pilots use the metric system

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

What a moron.

Fox News host mocked for speculating that AsiaAir flight went missing because foreign pilots use the metric system

A Fox News host has drawn the ire of the internet after speculating on air what could have caused the disappearance of AsiaAir Flight QZ8501.

The flight from Surabaya, Indonesia to Singapore went missing early this morning over the Java Sea, shortly after the pilot asked for a change in altitude due to severe weather.

Fox News co-host Anna Kooiman interviewed former FAA spokesperson Scott Brenner about the search for the missing flight Sunday morning, asking the airline industry insider whether foreign pilots were at a disadvantage since they were trained using the metric system.

'Even when we think about temperature, it's Fahrenheit or Celsius,' Kooiman said. 'It's kilometers or miles. You know, everything about their training could be similar, but different.'

While the Imperial System may provide a conversion challenge for metric users, it likely was not a problem since the vast majority of the world excluding the U.S. uses the metric system.

Brenner pointed out that the bigger difference was foreign pilots' reliance on auto-pilot, which he says they are often required to switch over to after take-off. This requirement is due to the fact that most crashes are due to pilot error.

He added that he believes 'our U.S. pilots are very well trained' for 'situations like this' because 'they actually fly the aircraft when they're in the cockpit'.

But Kooiman continued to ask Brenner if the difference in measurements were to blame, and if that makes international travel riskier.

'It's not just a difference in the way that we measure things?' Kooiman asked. 'Is it not as safe in that part of the world? Because our viewers may be thinking, "International travel, is it safe? Is it not safe?"'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2889354/Fox-News-host-denounced-speculating-AsiaAir-flight-missing-foreign-pilots-use-metric-system.html

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Fox News hosts are a special breed. Always keep in mind who they're catering to. Hint: it's not the well educated.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I wonder why she thought the imperial vs metric systems would be the angle to pursue in relation to this story. Odd.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I wonder why she thought the imperial vs metric systems would be the angle to pursue in relation to this story. Odd.

Because it would support the idea that using the imperial system - as we inexplicably still do in the US - is superior. That's just what the Fox News audience wants to have validated.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Banal.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Banal.

Which is really just another word for Fox News.

[JohnR! 5,495]

SNL will be all over it. Fox is just an endless source of good material!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Next week it will be that the plane's onboard instruction manual was in Spanish.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Next week it will be that the plane's onboard instruction manual was in Spanish.

It was probably smuggled across our southern border as well.

[JohnR! 5,495]

Eventually Sean Hannity will pinpoint the reason for the accident as being caused by the aircraft being built in Europe.

Next week it will be that the plane's onboard instruction manual was in Spanish.

It was probably smuggled across our southern border as well.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Eventually Sean Hannity will pinpoint the reason for the accident as being caused by the aircraft being built in Europe.

France probably had some part in the construction of the aircraft. And everyone knows that French people can't do anything right but make baguettes and wine.

[JohnR! 5,495]

The assembly line is in Toulouse!!! Wait until Rush gets wind of this piece of intel!!!!!

France probably had some part in the construction of the aircraft. And everyone knows that French people can't do anything right but make baguettes and wine.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

Because it would support the idea that using the imperial system - as we inexplicably still do in the US - is superior. That's just what the Fox News audience wants to have validated.

I had a discussion last night about imperial vs metric with my husband. His defence as to why the USA uses the imperial still? "Because we are just so awesome." Case closed

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I had a discussion last night about imperial vs metric with my husband. His defence as to why the USA uses the imperial still? "Because we are just so awesome." Case closed

Convincing argument, isn't it?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The assembly line is in Toulouse!!! Wait until Rush gets wind of this piece of intel!!!!!

There are two assembly lines for the A320 - one of them is indeed in Toulouse and the other in Tianjin, China. Do we know which assembly line this one came off of?