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48
DisgustedByMisleadia 48 points ago +48 / -0

Pilot here.

The FAA issued a Temporary Flight Restriction for the area surrounding Bullhead City, AZ. This is normal when the President is in the area. I believe this is the one for this rally:

https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_0_9312.html

Aircraft are not supposed to enter a TFR without clearance from ATC (and ATC doesn't grant it except for specific circumstances).

I don't know the Phoenix airspace, but this TFR may have included an area where ATC communication normally isn't required. So, someone may have just been passing through and didn't know about the TFR.

Pilots are supposed to check for TFRs before flying. It's their responsibility, but some pilots don't bother.

This pilot will likely be subject to some "enforcement action" by the FAA.

Spez: LOL, Trump pointed out the flares during the rally:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1321579669234266112

Ohhhh, look at that! They gave the President a little display!

crowd goes wild

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Chick-fill-eh 27 points ago +27 / -0

Yea, these 'oopsies' aren't all that uncommon.

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DisgustedByMisleadia 22 points ago +22 / -0

Unfortunately, they aren't uncommon.

I once worked about a half mile from a major airport. I was in the parking lot and noticed a small airplane heading right for it, at low altitude.

I knew the standard procedures for general aviation at that airport (as I flew them several times), and knew that ATC would never have approved an overflight at that altitude or an approach to land from that direction. As I wondered what would happen next, the pilot appeared to finally recognize there was a huge airport in front of him and did a quick 180.

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rageous 3 points ago +4 / -1

Hang the pilot. It must be done.

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Shakakka99 14 points ago +14 / -0

During my flight training I got stuck on the taxiway during a TFR for Bush once, out here on Long Island. I sweated my balls off in the Piper for about 20 minutes, then radioed the tower and requested to taxi back.

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GreatFunana 7 points ago +7 / -0

Thanks for the clarity. Without knowledge folks like you, people jump to ridiculous conclusions. :)

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DisgustedByMisleadia 4 points ago +4 / -0

Many do so anyway.

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GreatFunana 4 points ago +4 / -0

Granted. But its not because the truth isn't out there thanks to people like you.

Don't ever let yourself become jaded. You did a good thing. :)

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Pepe 6 points ago +6 / -0

the crazy thing is how easy it is these days to get a basic, yet fairly comprehensive, briefing... e.g. tools like:

  • Foreflight / Garmin Pilot (not free, but comprehensive)
  • https://skyvector.com/ + aviationweather.gov (this would be the free route)

..these tools make it so trivial.. yet so many pilots just hop in and go.

I mean it's literally two websites in the free example, and then you just punch in your projected flight route and look. Does it cross any RED? smh...

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MaouRem 18 points ago +18 / -0

Why is it still an unknown aircraft? Did they not care to find out about the details?

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Trump2024 27 points ago +27 / -0

I bet it was a plane

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Wheredidiputit 10 points ago +10 / -0

GREAT SCOTT!!!!

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Dialectic 5 points ago +5 / -0

Holee shit! This is why I come here, the hard hitting facts

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Trump2024 6 points ago +6 / -0

I've been lurking and studying the 4chan autists techniques. I guess you could probably tell though.

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kornesque 3 points ago +3 / -0

You can't prove that...

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DisgustedByMisleadia 11 points ago +11 / -0

Per the tweet, the aircraft was escorted out. At that point, the FAA likely tracked the aircraft to its destination. Even if they lost track of him, the "escort" would have noted the aircraft's registration number, and the owner will undoubtedly get a visit from the FAA.

Also per the tweet, they were able to establish radio communication with the aircraft after dropping signal flares in front of him. After he/she soiled their pants, he would have switched to the standard guard (emergency) frequency.

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Dudemanfoo 3 points ago +3 / -0

Wonder how much new seats in his plane are gonna cost... cuz those r prly ruined.

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Shakakka99 3 points ago +3 / -0

VFR flights aren't required to file flight plans (and most don't). If they took off from a non-tower airport it's possible they're only a blip on the air traffic controller's screens, at least until they're told to ping their transponder or identify themselves.

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DisgustedByMisleadia 3 points ago +3 / -0

From my cursory look at the TFR imposed on the sectional (see my post at the top for the link), the TFR included airspace where a pilot wouldn't have any obligation to be talking to ATC at all.

Presumably, their transponder was squawking 1200.

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deleted 13 points ago +13 / -0
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deleted 9 points ago +9 / -0
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deleted 12 points ago +13 / -1
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Cram 7 points ago +7 / -0

I actually laughed my ass off at your comment because I was thinking the same thing 🤣

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deleted 6 points ago +6 / -0
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Harambe 2 points ago +3 / -1

Rofl

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Cram 7 points ago +7 / -0

Probably another one of those yahoos floating around in a lawn chair tied to 500 birthday balloons.

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deleted 4 points ago +4 / -0
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monochromedout 2 points ago +2 / -0

From the footage it seems like the aircraft was not that far away if you go by the flare. I assume that after flares things escalate very quickly when the president is outdoors on a wide-open runway.

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YaBoiJacob 4 points ago +4 / -0

Thats when the BRRRTTT starts

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williammcfadden 2 points ago +2 / -0

It was probably Bill Clinton.

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deleted 1 point ago +1 / -0
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Tenspot20 0 points ago +1 / -1

Fucking Hunter again!