"Montblack" wrote in message
...
("Dudley Henriques" wrote)
[snip]
Perhaps intellillectual stupidity is the wrong phrase to use to describe
Yeager. Closer would be his inability to keep his mouth shut after his
point has been made. He has always had an unbridled propensity to take it
out there "one bridge too far".

This latest statement about Crossfield is a perfect example.

Facing a CNN reporter, Yeager was asked for a comment on Crossfield's
death. His gut reaction and his initial response was correct. He simply
stated that he was "sad this had occurred".

But then something else kicked in. I won't presume to actually know what
that was, but knowing about and his relationship with the civilian test
pilots of his era, and especially his feelings about Crossfield;
Armstrong and a few others, his next remark came as no surprise.

Saying it was "not surprising" and commenting on Crossfield's alleged
propensity to take unnecessary risk was not only out of place, but it took
Yeager right into that area he should know by now causes him trouble.

His follow-up remarks suggesting that Crossfield took unnecessary risks
when a civilian test pilot and got himself into trouble with weather, and
attributing the cause of the crash to Crossfield himself were simply
inappropriate, and based on Yeager's relationship with the civilian test
pilot community, downright mean and intentionally made.


Not intending to ruffle feathers here, but...

In these days of media savvy interview subjects, I found Yeager's remarks
refreshingly honest.

This is what Chuck Yeager thinks vs. This is the APPROPRIATE thing to
say - is how he handled the question.

Was Yeager right in saying what he did?
I don't know. Maybe, maybe not.

Was it an un-classy thing to say?
I don't know. Maybe, maybe not.

Was it (refreshingly) honest?
Yes.


Montblack

Doctor to family of person who just died on the operating table;
"Listen up gang. She's dead!"
Refreshing honest? Perhaps.
Tactful? Don't think so.
Necessary? Absolutely not!
There is a time and a place for being honest and direct and a time and a
place for avoiding it.
What makes one intelligent and in possession of what we like to call "class"
is in knowing the difference.
If for no other reason, Yeager should have passed on ANY public comment
suggesting a DIRECT cause for the crash based on nothing more than the fact
that the investigation is on-going.
Dudley Henriques