Why don't Federal aviation officials tell the public what they know?

Aviation officials do not expect to know until today whether the failure was related to the Year 2000 computer problem.

But in the age of sound bites, aviation officials often do not have the time to make this point.

The identities of the dead were not immediately known, federal aviation officials said.

Other aviation officials are more aggressive about the need for expansion.

No date for a mobilization has been set, aviation officials said.

And even when the new system is completed, the agency will take some time to approve it, aviation officials said.

To the surprise of many aviation officials, few passengers have complained.

At 9:32, aviation officials in Washington finally spotted what turned out to be the missing plane.

Six people were taken to local hospitals, aviation officials told reporters at the crash site.