jetbluedog
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2003
- Posts
- 176
What's the big deal? My "plane" violates "Bush Space" on a regular basis!!
Two Private Planes Violate Bush Air Space
17 minutes ago
MELBOURNE, Fla. - Two small private aircraft violated restricted air space Saturday over two of President Bush (news - web sites)'s campaign rallies in central Florida, authorities said.
AP Photo
In both incidents, fighter jets escorted the planes to nearby airfields.
"The president was never in any danger at either event," White House spokesman Trent Duffy said.
A small aircraft flew too close to Bush's rally at Ty Cobb Field in Lakeland and was led to Gilbert Field in Winter Haven, Secret Service spokesman Tom Mazur said. Later, in Melbourne, an F-15 escorted a plane to Merritt Island Airport near Cocoa Beach, said Greg Martin, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration (news - web sites) in Washington.
In Lakeland, pilot Richard Hart, a Winter Haven business owner, was escorted to the ground after he mistakenly violated the restricted airspace, said Col. Grady Judd, Polk County sheriff's spokesman.
Pilot Robert Hargrave, 73, was heading south from Georgia to Boca Raton, Fla., in an Aeronca Champ when he violated the 30-mile-wide ring of restricted airspace over the Melbourne rally, Brevard County sheriff's Lt. John Coppola said. Hargrave was flying at about 1,200 feet.
Fighter jets dropped flares and made several passes while trying to contact the pilot by radio as he passed the stadium heading south. When the pilot realized he was flying in restricted airspace, he turned around — sending him north, directly over the stadium, Coppola said.
"It made everybody very nervous when we saw the aircraft turn northbound," Coppola said.
The Secret Service (news - web sites) interviewed both pilots. The FAA (news - web sites) will determine whether further action should be taken, Martin said.
The F-15s were in the air at the time, a standard practice when the president makes an appearance. Reporters covering Bush's campaign event at Space Coast Stadium in Melbourne said the military jets drowned out Bush's words at one point. The activity in the sky repeatedly distracted the crowd from Bush's speech, but Duffy said the president continued speaking through the incident.
Two Private Planes Violate Bush Air Space
17 minutes ago
MELBOURNE, Fla. - Two small private aircraft violated restricted air space Saturday over two of President Bush (news - web sites)'s campaign rallies in central Florida, authorities said.
AP Photo
In both incidents, fighter jets escorted the planes to nearby airfields.
"The president was never in any danger at either event," White House spokesman Trent Duffy said.
A small aircraft flew too close to Bush's rally at Ty Cobb Field in Lakeland and was led to Gilbert Field in Winter Haven, Secret Service spokesman Tom Mazur said. Later, in Melbourne, an F-15 escorted a plane to Merritt Island Airport near Cocoa Beach, said Greg Martin, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration (news - web sites) in Washington.
In Lakeland, pilot Richard Hart, a Winter Haven business owner, was escorted to the ground after he mistakenly violated the restricted airspace, said Col. Grady Judd, Polk County sheriff's spokesman.
Pilot Robert Hargrave, 73, was heading south from Georgia to Boca Raton, Fla., in an Aeronca Champ when he violated the 30-mile-wide ring of restricted airspace over the Melbourne rally, Brevard County sheriff's Lt. John Coppola said. Hargrave was flying at about 1,200 feet.
Fighter jets dropped flares and made several passes while trying to contact the pilot by radio as he passed the stadium heading south. When the pilot realized he was flying in restricted airspace, he turned around — sending him north, directly over the stadium, Coppola said.
"It made everybody very nervous when we saw the aircraft turn northbound," Coppola said.
The Secret Service (news - web sites) interviewed both pilots. The FAA (news - web sites) will determine whether further action should be taken, Martin said.
The F-15s were in the air at the time, a standard practice when the president makes an appearance. Reporters covering Bush's campaign event at Space Coast Stadium in Melbourne said the military jets drowned out Bush's words at one point. The activity in the sky repeatedly distracted the crowd from Bush's speech, but Duffy said the president continued speaking through the incident.
