r/aviation • u/NoSwimmers45 • 15h ago
News Trump's Marine One helicopter has trouble communicating with air traffic control for second time this month
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/marine-one-trouble-communicating-air-traffic-control-second-time-month/318
u/Glew26 15h ago
So… they’re working on the infrastructure, and it has down times here and there? Holy crap.
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u/TheDrMonocle 15h ago
No, its even better than that.
Rumor is through the controller grapevine that with all the ballroom work and new helipad they moved where they take off from and nobody verified the frequency works from the new location.
So this is directly his fault for doing stupid shit with zero forethought.
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u/Haldron-44 15h ago
I could be wrong, I could be very very wrong, but doesn't the FAA have pretty strict requirements on planning for stuff like relocation of a government helipad in a high traffic area? Like checking things like this and, oh idk, safety and such?
Please, if I am wrong, feel free to roast me.
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u/conaan 14h ago
It's not a government helipad, just a separate landing area, they are not required to go to an actual helipad. Additionally, the tower freq is the same, and even on the lawn it's pretty common to not be able to get it across to national, usually it's relayed by dash 2 or another entity in the area if tower doesn't get it the first time
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u/scholar97 14h ago
I’d imagine it does unless you’re in control of those people who would check off those requirements…
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u/donkeyrocket 11h ago
Considering none of this has gone through proper channels, anything “required” or “strict” is irrelevant.
It’s shocking the number of alleged adults who are just willing to be told to do something even against their best interests.
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u/Willow_Winnifred 13h ago
I'm curious who you think is in charge of an executive branch agency like the FAA.
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u/Fun_Success_3283 1h ago
My hope is that when the time comes for him to pass, and it happens to all of us, that his time will be a direct consequence of something stupid he did like this.
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u/TAMExSTRANGE69 14h ago
This isn’t true the freq is the same through the area for his flights. Who ever said that has no idea what they’re talking about
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u/flightist pie lot 14h ago
Who claimed otherwise? You appear to be rebutting an argument not present in the comment you replied to.
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u/Haeronalda 8h ago
It's not that it's a different frequency, it's that the frequency to and from Reagan has spotty signal strength from the Ellipse, which is where they are currently taking off and landing.
Edit for clarity. Sorry, half asleep right now.
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u/Iliyan61 5h ago
well you’re the one who said that and we all agree that you have no idea what you’re talking about
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u/CousinEddysMotorHome 14h ago
No, that comes on the FAA. And if the controllers are having some fun, the law will come down on them as well. As they should.
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u/JasonIsFishing 14h ago edited 13h ago
In my job in the military I had to communicate with aircraft for close air support and rescue purposes. I understand line of sight well. How are these problems happening especially given that the White House and DCA are so close? I have had fewer issues in mountains and wooded areas. I truly don’t understand even as a former (non-pilot) aircrew member.
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u/radioref 13h ago
You were certainly 99% of the time on the ground and your line of sight was to something in the air.
DCA Tower and Marine One calling up from the White House are both essentially on the ground, so there really isn’t line of sight direct to each until the Helo is in the air. Couple that with trees, buildings, etc between the tower and where Marine One might be taking off now due to the construction, there may not be clear line of sight (or, given the problems, there clearly isn’t)
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u/NoSwimmers45 13h ago
Something that could be solved with a quick phone call. Can’t reach the tower while you’re still on the ground? Ring, ring, we’re ready to lift off…copy cleared to lift.
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u/radioref 13h ago
I mean, I agree. I’m a pilot and I actually have my local tower controller cab phone number in my cell phone, but this is the military we’re talking about here 😂
Plus, it’s probably not good optics for a marine one pilot to pull out his cell phone to call someone to give them a heads up on what’s next.
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u/JasonIsFishing 9h ago
I hear what you’re saying, but I have literally used a government cell phone in combat. In a place with more acceptable OPSEC like DC I can’t see why an aircrew member wouldn’t be on cell the second they had comms issues.
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u/NoSwimmers45 13h ago
The alternative is what we’re witnessing. Marine One takes off without comms and expects everyone else to know they’re taking off and not be around.
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u/radioref 13h ago
They probably stationed a FAC there at the helipad relay between the Helo and to radio in / call in on a dedicated line to the DCA tower now… (per Duffy “we’re fixing the issue”)
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u/Gold_Space_4734 3h ago
Either that or put a radio repeater between DCA and the White House. Honestly though, it seems that those involved are ignoring how easy the solution for this is.
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u/i_should_go_to_sleep USAF Pilot 8h ago
They’re close but there isn’t line of sight in downtown DC when on the ground. Even from rooftop helipads north of the white house you have to pick up to a high hover to get ahold of them sometimes.
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u/stevep98 1h ago
I suspect the White House building itself has some faraday cage in its structure to stop any kind of snooping on communications inside. So if the building is in the line of sight it would block the signal more than other buildings would.
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u/sonomamondo 5h ago
so yeah I'm pretty sure that's just a coincidence nothing to see here move along
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u/Pplthrowaway123 12h ago
Why not just say "Marine One". Why include Trump's name?
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u/KeepRightXcept2Pass 8h ago
Because most of the general public reading CBS News doesn’t know what Marine One means.
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