dumbass pilot guy I know got intercepted by F-16s yesterday

[Yossarian]

sorry I didn't know you need to register to read the article, here it is--

L.A. Times article

Fighter jets forced four small airplanes to land Monday after they strayed into restricted airspace during President Bush's visit to Rancho Cucamonga, federal officials said.

Secret Service agents and local law enforcement officials detained and questioned at least three of the pilots, who were forced to land their private aircraft at airports in Corona, El Monte, Hawthorne and Hemet, said Lt. Jody Vazquez, spokeswoman for North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD.

ADVERTISEMENT

No arrests were made, but the Federal Aviation Administration will determine whether any of the pilots should face sanctions, Vazquez said.

As the president delivered remarks on Medicare and immigration, 30 nautical miles around Ontario International Airport and Rancho Cucamonga were off-limits to most planes except military, law enforcement, commercial and special FAA-approved aircraft, said FAA spokesman Donn Walker.

The undisclosed number of patrol F-16s shot two flares each across the nose of two of the planes to attract the pilots' attention and force them to land, said Vazquez and Chris Butler, resident agent in charge for the Secret Service in Riverside.

The flares are "one way we can try to say, 'Hey, look, you are not where you're supposed to be," said Vazquez, who added that several other aircraft entered the restricted zone but left immediately after the FAA contacted them.

The couple that landed at Corona Municipal Airport had been headed to Southern California from Northern California and were unaware of the flight advisory Monday, Butler said.

In another of the four incidents, Marcel Avery, 62, was flying his four-seat Cessna 182 from Hawthorne to Scottsdale, Ariz., when an F-16 appeared at his left side and waggled its wing at him twice, he said."I was very, very surprised to see an F-16 on my wing," said Avery, a 30-year flying veteran who said he had carefully plotted his course with his flight instructor to avoid the restricted area.

The Manhattan Beach resident was grounded about two hours; Hemet police and an FBI agent made a copy of his pilot's license and searched his plane."It was a bit confusing ? I didn't really understand and think I should be [grounded]," Avery said.

"On the other hand, you don't argue with the police, and you don't argue with the FAA. They tell you to do something and you do it, or you suffer dire consequences."

Two college students flying their father's experimental aircraft had to land at El Monte Airport, Butler said.

"This seldom ever happens here in our city," said Det. Ralph Batres of the El Monte Police Department.

The pilots entered the no-fly zone between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Monday, all cruising lower than 10,000 feet.

Although such flight infractions are common anywhere the president travels, NORAD treats "every instance very seriously and we always, from start to finish, [consider] that this could be a threat," Vazquez said.

The guy is Marcel Avery in the article, he was flying a Cessna from Hawthorne, CA to Arizona. And oh by the way the President was speaking in Rancho Cucamonga (fun name eh?) so there was a 30-mile radius restricted zone around the area. He blundered through it and was "surprised" when F-16s came up to escort him out. What a dumbass. Not only were signs posted all over the airport office, but my instructor told him that he had to have a flight plan and be talking to air traffic control in order to go that way.

I love how they quote him as saying "he had carefully plotted his course with his flight instructor to avoid the restricted area". Complete fabrication, or at least a misinterpretation by the reporter.

Guys like that piss me off because their ignorance causes more ill will towards general aviation.

 

[Megadeth]

I know someone who did that last year here in Michigan.

 

[ed21x]

i'm just imagining how cool it would be to see an f-16 in the air from a cesna 🙂

 

[Yossarian]

Originally posted by: ed21x
i'm just imagining how cool it would be to see an f-16 in the air from a cesna 🙂

yeah it would be pretty sweet 🙂 as long as you aren't the one who's gonna lose your license because of it.

this is the 2nd time he's done something like this. the first was a couple years ago. not only did he bust a restricted area but he ended up running out of fuel and doing an emergency landing in a field. he is a terrible pilot who should never go up again.

 

[KK]

Originally posted by: ed21x
i'm just imagining how cool it would be to see an f-16 in the air from a cesna 🙂

lol, those f16 would stall if they escorted an cessna. They'd be flying circles around the plane.

What happened to the pilot, was he taken away at gunpoint?

 

[cjgallen]

Originally posted by: ed21x
i'm just imagining how cool it would be to see an f-16 in the air from a cesna 🙂

That would be sweet! I still ooh and ahh when I see low flying crop dusters from my car 😛

 

[sygyzy]

What is so fun about the name Rancho Cucamonga?

 

[jEct2]

Originally posted by: ed21x
i'm just imagining how cool it would be to see an f-16 in the air from a cesna 🙂

And while in awe, you see two sparkling circles that head towards you which turn out to be cruise missle ticket to your sorry ass' hell.

 

[Gibsons]

Originally posted by: ed21x
i'm just imagining how cool it would be to see an f-16 in the air from a cesna 🙂

Seeing an F-16 that's completely ready and prepared to shoot me out of the sky doesn't seem like fun.

 

[Taggart]

Originally posted by: jEct2

Originally posted by: ed21x
i'm just imagining how cool it would be to see an f-16 in the air from a cesna 🙂

And while in awe, you see two sparkling circles that head towards you which turn out to be cruise missle ticket to your sorry ass' hell.

I hope they would use the 20mm cannon on a freakin Cesna and save the taxpayers some $$.

 

[Baked]

I'm sorry, but are you a FOB? You know this is America right?

 

[jtvang125]

Originally posted by: KK

Originally posted by: ed21x
i'm just imagining how cool it would be to see an f-16 in the air from a cesna 🙂

lol, those f16 would stall if they escorted an cessna. They'd be flying circles around the plane.

What happened to the pilot, was he taken away at gunpoint?

How fast does a cessna go, alittle over 150 knots? I think a F-16 needs to go that fast just to take off.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Baked
I'm sorry, but are you a FOB? You know this is America right?

What does that have to do with anything? Flying an airplane isn't a right...it's a priviledge and one that can and should be revoked in this case.

 

[KK]

Originally posted by: jtvang125

Originally posted by: KK

Originally posted by: ed21x
i'm just imagining how cool it would be to see an f-16 in the air from a cesna 🙂

lol, those f16 would stall if they escorted an cessna. They'd be flying circles around the plane.

What happened to the pilot, was he taken away at gunpoint?

How fast does a cessna go, alittle over 150 knots? I think a F-16 needs to go that fast just to take off.

A little 150/152 may be able to go 110/115 knots on descent.

 

[thirdlegstump]

Since I can't read the contents of the site I can't tell what kind of Cessna aircraft was being flown but typically single prop piston engine Cessnas like 15x, 17x can fly right about the same speed of an F-16 with high AOA so it's entirely possible. I have a PPL although non-current.

 

[Yossarian]

Originally posted by: KK

Originally posted by: ed21x
i'm just imagining how cool it would be to see an f-16 in the air from a cesna 🙂

lol, those f16 would stall if they escorted an cessna. They'd be flying circles around the plane.

What happened to the pilot, was he taken away at gunpoint?

I posted the article, sry I didn't know it required reg.