Cessna plane escorted by F-16 fighter jets away from restricted airspace near President Obama (Fla.)
Source: WPTV (West Palm Beach)
A small Cessna was flying east over the Florida Turnpike at Becker Road had entered a restricted zone where President Barack Obama is staying nearby.
The small aircraft was intercepted by a Coast Guard helicopter, which was flying along side it. Two Air Force F-16 fighter jets circled the Cessna at a low altitude shaking the nerves of residents in the Southbend Lakes neighborhood below.
The Cessna began to turn north, away from the Floridian where Obama is staying. One jet was seen flying behind the civilian aircraft while the second one continue circling over Port St. Lucie," said Cubillos, a Treasure Coast newspaper freelance writer.
Resident Suzanne Eovaldi emailed: "The sonic booms over my home in St. L. West about 12:10 p.m. were awful." The sounds were "very frightening, very LOUD."
Read more: http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/region_st_lucie_county/port_st_lucie/cessna-plane-escorted-by-f-16-fighter-jets-away-from-restricted-airspace-near-president-obama
See also the Associated Press version via ABCNews.com "Jets Escort Plane From Where Obama Is Vacationing"
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)Buzz Clik
(38,437 posts)boom.
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)snort
(2,334 posts)fighter pilot and I miss sonic booms, being a base rat myself. They were actually quite popular in the 60's but so were picture windows.
csziggy
(34,137 posts)As they passed over North Florida, there would be a boom.
We used to get mysterious booms off the Gulf, usually on cold clear days in the winter. The military always denied that they were responsible for the booms and the UFO nuts went crazy over them.
mokawanis
(4,452 posts)I wonder if he'll lose his license?
Xithras
(16,191 posts)This sort of thing happens fairly often. They sometimes temporarily suspend a license, but more often than not they'll simply get a formal warning or a fine. License revocation usually only occurs if you violate the airspace deliberately. There was a case in Colorado a few years back when a news helicopter pilot went for a flight fully knowing that there was a TFR in place, and they had a witness who overheard him say that he knew about the TRF and went flying anyway. That guy got his license revoked.
Most of these are simply recreational flyers who were unaware of the restriction. They always get investigated thoroughly, but if it turns out to be genuinely unintentional, they'll get a slap on the wrist punishment (which, really, is all they should get).
Hissyspit
(45,788 posts)when the President goes to Florida. It's not a surprise this happened.
mokawanis
(4,452 posts)Last edited Sun Feb 17, 2013, 04:27 AM - Edit history (1)
when w was in Alabama and a pilot in a Piper was intercepted and escorted out of the no-fly.
The line that made me chuckle was "the pilot entered restricted airspace as soon as he left the runway."
Unfortunately, he was giving his daughter her first flying lesson that day.
Grins
(7,228 posts)Loud? Yes. Sonic? No.
How can you hit that speed while circling or escorting a Cessna? You can't.
And you are right. This thing happens often enough. All of it an overreaction to 911.
Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)I'm guessing he'll get a 60 day suspension of his certificate at the least.
watoos
(7,142 posts)he once landed his plane on a closed runway that was being worked on.
He almost ran into a worker. He not only didn't get in trouble, he complained
about the people who were in his way.
delrem
(9,688 posts)Hassin Bin Sober
(26,337 posts)I'll show them some of the tricks that made me famous (anyone remember that Odd Couple episode?).
DrewFlorida
(1,096 posts)The noise from the F16s was extremely loud, I didn't know what was causing the noise at the time, nor what was going on. As soon as I saw this story I knew what I had heard yesterday!
Light House
(413 posts)there was a Cessna that entered restricted airspace over the Nevada Test Site, 2 F-16's intercepted it and forced it to land at the airstrip on the Test Site.
Story is that after a very unpleasant grilling by the FBI and FAA, he was allowed to leave, but not by flying the plane out, he had to take it apart and truck it out.
They take that restricted airspace issue very seriously.