The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "jets" ...
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HBO Real Sports: Hockey's Darkest Day
In 2011 a plane carrying a Russian hockey team crashed shortly after takeoff--the deadliest accident in the history of professional sports. A five-month Real Sports investigation uncovered massive safety problems in the Russian hockey league. The league spent millions on player salaries but "a few bucks" on everything else--including travel. The plane that crashed was operated by a cheap, third-rate company that had been banned from flying to Europe because they had been cited so many times for major safety violations. The crew of the plane hadn't even completed their training. Our investigation showed that the lack of safety in the world’s second best hockey league—called the KHL—often extends to the ice where KHL team doctors use IV’s and drugs to get their players to perform better on the ice. One young star died after receiving an injection of banned drugs from team doctors. When it came to travel, the lack of safe conditions was nearly universal. Practically every team flew on a Soviet-era jet—jets that make up 3% of the world’s fleet but account for 42% of the world’s accidents. These jets are in such poor condition that most Russian airlines wont use them. Yet even after the crash the KHL continued to use these planes, a fact they initially denied. Shortly after we interviewed the KHL Vice President, the league changed its rules. Now teams fly strictly on modern equipment.
Tags: Russia; Russian hockey team; plane crash; the KHL;
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Outsourcing Safety: Boeing Jets Repairs in El Salvador
KIRO Team 7 investigators travel to El Salvador, uncovering a series of safety lapses at a Boeing jet maintenance facility. We found unqualified $2 an hour mechanics, the use of broken parts, failures to properly connect electrical wiring inside aircraft and the hiring of a work force that had trouble reading English-only Boeing jet repair manuals. This team of reporters also uncovered the locations of where major U.S. carriers take their jets out of the country for repair (Guadalajara, Taipei, Hong Kong, El Salvador, Beijing, Mexico City and Guatemala).
Tags: Boeing; jets; broken parts; U.S. carriers
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The New War
The information age has created new vulnerabilities to US national security. This investigation reveals the holes in the nation’s defense against cyber spies and pushing policymakers to do something about it. Some examples are the “breaching of the US electric grid, an expensive fighter-jet project and the US drones in the war in Iraq.” Further, this investigation also reveals innovative technologies to stop these cyber spies.
Tags: information age; US national security; spies; cyberspies; cyber espionage; technology; cyberspace; US electric grid; Iraq
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Scott Rothstein coverage by Bob Norman
Fort Lauderdale attorney Scott Rothstein over the past few years began amassing fortunes, sweeping the political scene, and donating large sums to charities. New Times reporter Bob Norman broke the story on Rothstein's rise to affluence which was funded by a $1 billion Ponzi scheme. Norman was the first journalist to question Rothstein's legitimacy, and his continued coverage of the Rothstein case broke additional developments. Two months later Rothstein fled to Morocco on a private jet.
Tags: Fort Lauderdale; attorney; Scott Rothstein; fortune; power; charity; Morocco; Bob Norman; scheme; fraud; Ponzi; New Times;
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Preaching for Profit
The story exposes of the nation's top televangelists, Kenneth Copeland, and his extravagant lifestyle through the donations from members of his church. Records obtained show that Copeland purchased a $20 million dollar jet, expensive cars and motorcycles, and 18,000 square foot home.
Tags: evangelical; Senator Charles Grassley; ministry; God; funding; payroll; for-profit
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Access to Steal
KIRO-TV investigated the security flaws in airports "that allow baggage handlers to enter luggage storage areas, steal items, then remove the goods from the property." The investigative teams also "tracked dozens of missing handguns, stolen by criminals, who had direct access to loaded passenger jets."
Tags: airports; security; theft; baggage; hidden camera; luggage; handguns; property
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Under the Radar: U.S. Aire Force purchase of air defense shields against terrorist attacks raises questions
"The Pentagon charged the US Air Force Electronic Systems Command, or ESC, with the task of developing a radar system that would marry NORAD and FAA radars together in a manner meant to prevent terrorists from using hijacked jets for 9/11-like attacks. Under the guise of such work, ESC instead used the panic of the 9/11 charter to fund another project that the Air Force and Pentagon had rebuffed years earlier as being too expensive: the funding of a mobile air defense system."
Tags: air force; defense; military; federal government; FOIA; government spending
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Inside the Hidden World of Earmarks
Javers reports on how much cash is actually generated for companies because of lobbyists. It found that for every one dollar spent on earmark lobbying, $28 would be the average return rate. Even the US Navy used this to its advantage to by a new Gulfstream jet for the Naval officials.
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Clipped Wings
White House appointees at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration were found to be limiting the flow of scientific information which has to do with potentially dangerous and growing human influence on the climate.
Tags: NASA; conservative; religion; Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Mars; moon
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Congress's Private Air Force
Being a part of Congress has its perks. Congress men and women often use lobbyists, businesses, and donors to get bargain airline flights on corporate jets. Also they have "the opportunity to be feted virtually every meal of the week" by lobbyists and corporations.
Tags: Congress; corporations; lobbyist; perks; free meals; airlines; jets; power