CNN is dumb...but we all knew that...

[kenjr]

thought you guys would enjoy this one. Yup, it's a 'developing story'...still not exactly sure why the 777 has trouble here...but CNN will keep us posted.

 

[MachFly]

Is that today's news?

 

[Fearless Tower]

Is that today's news?

No, I posted it a few days ago. Came from a friend's FB page.

 

[Geico266]

That is simply amazing.... on many levels.

 

[acrophile]

I had the same reaction when this photo was first posted and discussed here a few days ago. But then I learned what point CNN was actually making: not merely that the plane would be unable to maintain its altitude when the engines stop, but that the autopilot would pitch increasingly upward in an (ultimately futile, of course) attempt to maintain altitude, which would slightly delay the onset of the descent.

So it wasn't CNN who was being dumb here. It was those of us (including me) who pounced on a conclusion armed only with a misleading snippet of information.

 

[Geico266]

I had the same reaction when this photo was first posted and discussed here a few days ago. But then I learned what point CNN was actually making: not merely that the plane would be unable to maintain its altitude when the engines stop, but that the autopilot would pitch increasingly upward in an (ultimately futile, of course) attempt to maintain altitude, which would slightly delay the onset of the descent.

So it wasn't CNN who was being dumb here. It was those of us (including me) who pounced on a conclusion armed only with a misleading snippet of information.

Ahhh, I don't think so. Is it news that an AP would try and maintain altitude when the engines stopped? Pretty sure that is self explanatory even to non pilots.

 

[Fearless Tower]

So it wasn't CNN who was being dumb here. It was those of us (including me) who pounced on a conclusion armed only with a misleading snippet of information.

Like I said in the other thread that is total BS. It is one thing to try and explain what the airplane does when it runs out of fuel, bit that doesn't make it a good headline on the screen.

Think about it. Half the time, people in workplaces have it on but the volume turned down so all they see are the ticker tapes and headlines. That one does an extremely poor job of getting the point across.

 

[acrophile]

Think about it. Half the time, people in workplaces have it on but the volume turned down so all they see are the ticker tapes and headlines. That one does an extremely poor job of getting the point across.

A headline is meant to refer you to the associated story if you're interested in the topic, not to substitute for the associated story if you don't look deeper.

 

[acrophile]

Ahhh, I don't think so. Is it news that an AP would try and maintain altitude when the engines stopped? Pretty sure that is self explanatory even to non pilots.

I'm pretty sure it's not self-evident to non-pilots. Try asking a non-pilot sometime.

 

[Geico266]

I'm pretty sure it's not self-evident to non-pilots. Try asking a non-pilot sometime.

I wouldn't waste my time talking to anyone who thinks a plane can continue to fly with no fuel. Then again, most people who watch CNN would probably think that. .

 

[acrophile]

I wouldn't waste my time talking to anyone who thinks a plane can continue to fly with no fuel.

But that's not what we're talking about. What CNN was explaining is that autopilots would compensate for the loss of thrust by pitching upward, thereby trying ("struggling") to maintaining altitude for as long as possible following the fuel exhaustion.

That autopilot behavior is what you (implausibly) claimed would somehow be self-evident to non-pilots.

 

[kenjr]

...up next...."Your car will fail to maintain highway speeds with an empty fuel tank".

If someone doesn't understand that a plane will not fly without fuel, they are an idiot. Period.

That said, most people are dumb...so yeah. There's that.

 

[tinerj]

A lot of things that are not self-evident.

A few years ago the director of a submarine movie had to add a scene after the movie was test shown to explain that water pressure at depth could cause the sub plates to bend and spring a disastrous leak. The movie goers didn't understand why the sailors were so tense as the sub went lower than its design limits.

A simple explanation -- he had one of the submariners talk about pressure and crush an egg in his hands and show the goo oozing out.

 

[acrophile]

If someone doesn't understand that a plane will not fly without fuel, they are an idiot. Period.

How about if someone doesn't understand--even after it's been explained several times just above--that flying-requires-fuel was never the point that CNN was making?

 

[Scott@KTYR]

thought you guys would enjoy this one. Yup, it's a 'developing story'...still not exactly sure why the 777 has trouble here...but CNN will keep us posted.

Thanks for the laugh!!!

 

[C182P]

How about if someone doesn't understand--even after it's been explained several times just above--that flying-requires-fuel was never the point that CNN was making?

I can't speak for others, but for me: that truth does not change the truth that the on-screen headline was chosen very poorly.

 

[kenjr]

How about if someone doesn't understand--even after it's been explained several times just above--that flying-requires-fuel was never the point that CNN was making?

Then make the blip on TV say something more appropriate...I mean if you're going to talk about the autopilot and fuel and the relationship...and you're assuming the audience can get it...then make the caption work.

The reality is, as I mentioned, most people watching that are too dumb to know any different even if they spelled it out for them with crayons...but in the 24 hour news cycle they have to find something to talk about.

 

[acrophile]

that truth does not change the truth that the on-screen headline was chosen very poorly.

But you're substituting a different, much weaker criticism of CNN's coverage than the one this thread was about. Even if your new criticism were valid, it's very different from the false criticism that's being endlessly repeated here, despite the clear explanation of why it's false.

"John Doe murdered his neighbor."
"No, actually, it turns out he didn't."
"Well, that truth does not change the truth that John Doe was rude to his neighbor."

 

[MAKG1]

Terrible headlines are not new. That's what happens when you combine limited space with people in a hurry. They make errors just like rushed pilots do. It doesn't kill them, but it sure gets seen by a lot of people.

My favorite one -- which I had hanging in my office for years -- was "Bush, Davis butt heads in California."

Most autopilots do not know about throttles and will struggle to maintain altitude even if there is insufficient throttle. To the point of stalling the aircraft. Having said that, I'm pretty sure a 777 has an auto throttle, but that's not going to work very well without fuel.

Yes, we all know airplanes don't fly well without fuel. But they WILL maintain altitude for a short time in alt hold, until the airspeed decays too much.

The analogies to a car are ridiculous. Your car cannot descend independently of the road to maintain speed.

 

[Shawn]

Although they are grasping at straws now for headlines and the overuse of "Developing" and "Breaking News" is over done...I'm not sure that CNN is the dumb one if one can not discern that the "developing story" is the overall story of the missing flight and the tag line is a highlight of the talking points of the guests.

Take a snapshot of anything these days outta context and you can use it for "gotcha" arguments.

...I am now going back to my multi screen view of CNN, FOX, MSNBC cuz I just heard there is breaking news that there is no new developments...standing by!

 

[Silvaire]

I'm pretty sure, in fact I'm going to say I'm positive, that an unscheduled engine shutdown is going to set off a master caution and the autopilot is going to trip off. It's not going to continue attempting to hold altitude and stall the airplane. The news reporters are bad enough but some of their so called "experts" are real sketchy too.

 

[Greg Bockelman]

I'm pretty sure, in fact I'm going to say I'm positive, that an unscheduled engine shutdown is going to set off a master caution and the autopilot is going to trip off. It's not going to continue attempting to hold altitude and stall the airplane. The news reporters are bad enough but some of their so called "experts" are real sketchy too.

It will definitely trigger a Master Caution warning. It won't necessarily trip the autopilot off.

 

[mikea]

Just surfing by, I was amazed that CNN is STILL Flight MA370 all day, all the time.

Big weather map graphics of the 230,000 square mile search zone...

They had Miles O'Brien on one panel.
"On the Air France, they didn't hear the pinger."

- "How heavy is that black box? Will it float? Why don't make one that floats?"

In other news, not on CNN, 148 people died in traffic accidents in Illinois so far this year.

 

[Geico266]

How about if someone doesn't understand--even after it's been explained several times just above--that flying-requires-fuel was never the point that CNN was making?

These people do not exist in my world. Please tell me you are kidding.

 

[tinerj]

Does it make you feel superior to label other people idiots? Does that boost your ego?

 

[kgruber]

At least Anderson Cooper is saying "nautical miles per hour" tonight. All month he has been saying "knots per hour".

 

[EppyGA]

It appears to be the only way they can get ratings.

 

[us AAirways]

Just surfing by, I was amazed that CNN is STILL Flight MA370 all day, all the time.

Big weather map graphics of the 230,000 square mile search zone...

They had Miles O'Brien on one panel.
"On the Air France, they didn't hear the pinger."

- "How heavy is that black box? Will it float? Why don't make one that floats?"

In other news, not on CNN, 148 people died in traffic accidents in Illinois so far this year.

It's "Breaking News" but they have been saying the same thing for the last three weeks.