In a frantic, seven-second dash, the husky 28-year-old abandoned the truck and sprinted to the lowered passenger-entry door. Family described Russell, the man who stole a plane from Seattle's airport and plunged it into an island, as a "warm, compassionate man." In 2018, the shocking Horizon Air Q400 incident. After listening many times to the recordings, I found his voice - alternately warm, scared, and funny - to somehow be familiar, as if I could descry my own reflection in his words. Never really knew it, until now.". Views. Mr. Russell was clearly overwhelmed with the world in which he found himself, a world vandalized, a world stripped of his ancestral . This incredible true story is the inspiration for SkyKing, a video installation and project created in summer 2020. Pin Tweet. Transcripts from airplane crashes and hijackings are very rarely released, and if so are generally political, technical, or violent in nature. A fter 29-year-old airline employee Richard B. Russell stole a plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Friday night and crashed it into Ketron Island in Puget . On August 10, 2018, Richard Russell, a ground crewman with Horizon Air, stole a Bombardier Dash-8 Q400 airplane and took o from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Today marks the third anniversary of the poetic death of Richard Russell, dubbed "Sky King," the young man who took an airplane for a glorious final flight. i cut the audio from a frequency hopper that caught some of what they said to each other. In just over 30 minutes of transcribed commentary, Russell is at times excited, but mostly calm; sometimes playful, and sometimes serious. For Richard Russell. "Sky King" is a nickname given to 29-year-old ground service operator Richard Russell after he stole a Horizon Air Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 airliner from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) and died after crashing on Ketron Island in Puget Sound. Legal Information: Know Your Meme is a trademark of Literally Media Ltd. By using this site, you are agreeing by the site's terms of use and privacy policy and DMCA policy. '. This incredible true story is the inspiration for SkyKing, a video installation and project created in summer 2020. High Score Today, we're covering the true story of Richard \"Beebo\" Russell, also known by the internet as the \"Skyking\". There were no manifestos left, and no grievances or ugly affiliations. Will it though? Fearing a hijacking, the military immediately scrambled fighter jets to intercept the passenger plane. Sorted by: August 12, 2018 1:05 PM EDT. Where Did The Title "Sky King" Come From? Who was he, really? He was 29 years old. I transcribed the publicly available recordings and then ran each sentence through a free text-to-speech program. I have flown from Sea-Tac many times, and know the landmarks Russell mentions well (Mt. Many reports were devoted to the practicalities of the event, such as the speed at which he flew, how many jets were chasing him, and the way in which he learned how to fly an airplane (supposedly, by "playing video games"), but almost none delved into the complex, sometimes contradictory reactions and statements by Russell during the nearly 70-minute flight. For this project, I wanted to use Russell's own words, and the fact that a recording of his voice exists is almost unheard of. After Russell performed an unauthorized takeoff, two McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle . Richard Russell was a suicidal airport ground services worker who stole an airplane from Sea-Tac . Oldest in correct chronological orderthis took pIace over about 75 minutes. There are glimpses of real sadness, yet also a dangerously close approach to the line of sanity that he somehow never seems to cross. Comments I created this project not to lionize Russell's criminal act, especially in such a polarizing climate of violence perpetrated by disaffected white males. To this day, the reasons behind this incident and crime remain an unsolved mystery. "Cutup Test Cycle 7000" https://soundcloud.com/brian-heim-exp Atlantic Institute - Covid Grant Documentaries, Slumscapes: India, Mexico, Kenya & South Africa. This allowed me to modulate the pitch, speed, and tone of his speech, creating a feeling of alienation and disorientation that is somehow also familiar. Check your fuel, turn back around, and make sure you land the airplane safely. On August 10th, 2018, a service agent for Horizon Air named Richard "Beebo" Russell used his position to steal a Horizon Air Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 airliner from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Although authorities have not released his name, The Seattle Times identified the man as Richard Russell. Why was he so funny, so calm, and yet so relatable - and why does the story seem so familiar - not just to me, but to the hundreds and thousands of people who created a viral meme out of his experience? On July 2, 1982, a . Join us for a true storytime covering the mysterious case of Richard \"Beebo\" Russell, the Skyking. The reaction by the mainstream media, which portrayed Russell as a loner, a frustrated outcast, a criminal and a dangerous outlier, seemed to be too pat, too simple. His flight was caught on tape by worried onlookers and his last words were broadcast on air traffic control audio. "Welcome to Our Cargo Cult" https://soundcloud.com/rabbitsquirrel, "Watching The Sun Fade Away" https://soundcloud.com/inaiya, "Tape Deck 1 Oct 05 03-06-59" https://soundcloud.com/meem-koochi. Rainier, the Olympic Mountains). Newest Videos of the plane being followed by two F-15 fighter jets started going viral online as the story . Posted Sep 24, 2018. On August 10, 2018, a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 was stolen from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) in Seattle, Washington. Richard Russell, a ground control agent, died after he stole the plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in August 2018 and drove it into the ground of a remote island in the Puget Sound . Low Score I have flown from Sea-Tac many times, and know the landmarks Russell mentions well (Mt. Facebook Richard Russell plane crash video was released. Rainier, the Olympic Mountains). Little attention was given to his societal and personal context beyond the trite observation of having led a "normal" life. The incident spawned numerous image macros, photoshops and fan arts on . The Sky King of Sea-Tac Airport. A week after Richard Russell stole a Horizon plane from Sea-Tac Airport and crashed it on Ketron Island, there are few hints about why he did it or how he was able to fly the aircraft. He scrambled into the fuselage and hoisted up the hatch before flinging . The incident spawned numerous image macros, photoshops and fan arts on 4chan and other online communities. (If you need help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 . The voice of the air trac controller is there, too - a pleasant yet disembodied voice which is comforting, professional, with just a thin underlying hint of violence. The story, despite seeming near-mythic, is true. Most importantly, is there something important about Richard Russell's experience that we need to be paying attention to? Throughout the course of the roughly one hour and ten minute flight, Russell performed incredible feats of airmanship, including a successful barrel roll, that were caught on video from the ground. August 10, 2021 by Kirk Forlatt. 2007-2023 Literally Media Ltd. 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It was all over the news: 29-year-old Richard Russell stole a plane from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and the event quickly captured national attention. I'm familiar with the online communities which see him as some sort of martyr, and yet to my knowledge, his background and personality was normal and unremarkable. Updated Nov 30, 2022 at 4:37pm. I created this project in order to reflect on what it must feel like to jump the guardrails of life; flying, but also remaining tethered. "Everything will be fine". What do you do when your engines are going out? After listening many times to the recordings, I found his voice - alternately warm, scared, and funny - to . The story went viral. Favorites The perpetrator, 29-year-old Richard Russell, was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. You may remember the story of "Rich" the "Sky King", an aircraft mechanic who stole an airplane from Seattle Tacoma Airport and went on a joy ride before sadly deciding to crash it into the ground, ending his life. 0. All the while, Russell talked on open radio channels to air trac controllers about what he was seeing and feeling. This recording is none of those things. "Sky King" is a nickname given to 29-year-old ground service operator Richard Russell after he stole a Horizon Air Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 airliner from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) and died after crashing on Ketron Island in Puget Sound. Making sense or not making sense, but fumbling towards at least one singular authentic moment.