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Military jets intercept private plane during Bush's trip
By SCOTT WILLIAMS and LARRY SANDLER
[email protected]
Last Updated: Oct. 3, 2003
Waukesha - A private plane flying through restricted air space during President Bush's visit to Milwaukee on Friday was diverted to Crites Field after authorities could not identify who was flying the aircraft.
The Cessna 172 was at 2,900 feet when it ventured into restricted air space near Kenosha at 10:25 a.m., said Tony Molinaro, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman in Des Plaines, Ill.
At that time, Air Force One was on the ground and Bush was on his way into the Midwest Airlines Center in Milwaukee for a speech.
Because the air space was restricted for a 30-mile radius around Mitchell International Airport from 9 a.m. to noon, the FAA reported the incident to the Defense Department.
Keith Markano, manager of Waukesha County's airport, said military fighter jets accompanying Bush escorted the private plane to Crites and directed it to land. The pilot could not be identified, although Markano said the flight originated in Terre Haute, Ind.
Federal Aviation Administration records show the Cessna aircraft, which can carry six people, is registered to an Indiana man.
Markano said air-traffic controllers in Milwaukee could not identify who was the plane's pilot because technical difficulties on board made it impossible for officials to access his flight plan. Without that information, Markano said, air-traffic controllers have no way of knowing who is flying a plane or where it is going.
"It just shows as a black dot on a radar screen," he said. "They don't know who it is at that point. And they brought him down."
Jill Scheffner, office manager at Waukesha Flying Services Inc., the airport's fixed-based operator, described the pilot as a middle-aged man who was flying with three passengers, and said she did not know his name.
Scheffner said the pilot and his group indicated they were leaving to have lunch, but after about 90 minutes, the plane was towed to a hanger for storage.
Scheffner said the pilot had called back to say his group would be spending the night in the Milwaukee area.
Bush was in Milwaukee to give a speech on the economy and hold a political fund-raiser.
By SCOTT WILLIAMS and LARRY SANDLER
[email protected]
Last Updated: Oct. 3, 2003
Waukesha - A private plane flying through restricted air space during President Bush's visit to Milwaukee on Friday was diverted to Crites Field after authorities could not identify who was flying the aircraft.
The Cessna 172 was at 2,900 feet when it ventured into restricted air space near Kenosha at 10:25 a.m., said Tony Molinaro, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman in Des Plaines, Ill.
At that time, Air Force One was on the ground and Bush was on his way into the Midwest Airlines Center in Milwaukee for a speech.
Because the air space was restricted for a 30-mile radius around Mitchell International Airport from 9 a.m. to noon, the FAA reported the incident to the Defense Department.
Keith Markano, manager of Waukesha County's airport, said military fighter jets accompanying Bush escorted the private plane to Crites and directed it to land. The pilot could not be identified, although Markano said the flight originated in Terre Haute, Ind.
Federal Aviation Administration records show the Cessna aircraft, which can carry six people, is registered to an Indiana man.
Markano said air-traffic controllers in Milwaukee could not identify who was the plane's pilot because technical difficulties on board made it impossible for officials to access his flight plan. Without that information, Markano said, air-traffic controllers have no way of knowing who is flying a plane or where it is going.
"It just shows as a black dot on a radar screen," he said. "They don't know who it is at that point. And they brought him down."
Jill Scheffner, office manager at Waukesha Flying Services Inc., the airport's fixed-based operator, described the pilot as a middle-aged man who was flying with three passengers, and said she did not know his name.
Scheffner said the pilot and his group indicated they were leaving to have lunch, but after about 90 minutes, the plane was towed to a hanger for storage.
Scheffner said the pilot had called back to say his group would be spending the night in the Milwaukee area.
Bush was in Milwaukee to give a speech on the economy and hold a political fund-raiser.
