4 responses

• todd Jun 07, 2008
   

  a better link at the associated press tells the story: "Water distorted preflight readings in three of the plane's 24 sensors, making the aircraft's control computer force the B-2 to pitch up on takeoff, resulting in a stall and subsequent crash."

   
• jhota Jun 07, 2008
   

  love this quote from the AP article: "the aircraft actually performed as it was designed." context is everything. i'm glad the pilots are O.K., too - i could give a damn about the money.

   
• Jim Cowie Jun 07, 2008
   

  For context, $1.4B is also the average market capitalization of the companies in the Russel 2000 index. Can I make it a little more concrete? Imagine blowing up every Krispy Kreme donut store in America. Six times. Ok, you're getting up towards $1.4B in damages. Please, nobody actually do that.

   
• jhota Jun 07, 2008
   

  but it's just money. we can print more. or borrow it from China. considering the cost of the war in Iraq is up over half a trillion dollars, a measly billion-dollar aircraft lost with no fatalities just doesn't seem THAT bad. plus, the video is kind of impressive.