Why didn't the helicopter turn away from plane?

@whowasthatmaskedman Speaking to the pilots from I've heard on released audio.

@whowasthatmaskedman They actually have a video of the radar screen showing the collision. Apparently air traffic asked the helicopter if it could see the plane. The helicopter asked for visual seperation (I don't know what that means)

@JimboSaturn With absolutely no evidence, my gut is screaming that a Military Helicopter practicing is more likely to be out of position than a scheduled passenger airliner on a regular run.😷

@whowasthatmaskedman Same. My gut tells me the black hawk was out of position. But again no proof at all.

@whowasthatmaskedman The helicopter was on a training flight. That much is known.

But what actually happened will need to wait for the completion of the investigation. Certainly Trump's word should not be taken seriously.

@Northwest Yes. Either way. The loss of life is tragic. There will be plenty of time to learn the details. But the dead are not in a rush now...Time to mourn and support the families..😷

@whowasthatmaskedman Which trump made no mention of.

@JimboSaturn
Visual separation means that the helicopter pilot reported that he had the jet in sight visually and was requesting to proceed along his intended route using visual means from his vantage point, versus radar separation provided by air traffic control.

This request meant that the helicopter pilot would take responsibility for separation instead of the air traffic controller maintaining separation with radar.

That terminology is sometimes used if separation standards fall below a certain minimum criteria when under radar contact, such as when two aircraft get too close to each other, in which case the ATC guy will ask the pilot if he has the other traffic in sight? ...and if he does, then the pilot can proceed visually while operating below that minimum standard of radar separation as long as he keeps the other aircraft in sight.

@swirlie yes and thats what the air traffic controller asked the helicopter pilot. Thanjs for the info

@JimboSaturn

By the ATC guy asking the pilot if he'll accept visual separation, that legal absolves the ATC guy of the responsibility for keeping both aircraft separated by radar.

It's also used as means to place more aircraft in a tighter space, but also assumes that everyone involved has each other in sight and maintains that visual contact at all times.

@swirlie
Assumption is the mother of all screw ups.