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Coast Guard, MSP looking for pilot who flew underneath Mackinac Bridge
WSBT ^ | Wednesday, August 19th 2020 | Trevor Drew

Posted on 08/20/2020 8:16:27 AM PDT by jaydubya2

MACKINAC BRIDGE, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) — The Coast Guard and Michigan State Police are asking the public for any information to help identify a private aircraft that flew underneath the Mackinac Bridge during a busy travel weekend.

Specifically, detectives are looking for clear photos, video, or other information that might help them identify the aircraft.

"This was extremely reckless behavior on the part of the pilot, and it imperiled the safety of everyone on the bridge that day,” State Police Detective Sgt. Gary Demers said. “We hope that someone can come forward with information to help us make sure it doesn't happen again."

(Excerpt) Read more at wsbt.com ...


TOPICS: Weird Stuff
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To: treetopsandroofs

It is illegal to fly under bridge under any circumstances.


21 posted on 08/20/2020 8:51:00 AM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets ("Women's intuition" gave us the Salem witch trials and Kavanaugh hearings. Change my mind.)
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To: Magnatron

Pilots have been flying UNDER the Mackinac Bridge ever since it was built.

I have heard stories like this for 30 years.


22 posted on 08/20/2020 8:51:40 AM PDT by woodbutcher1963
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To: VanDeKoik

I remember Dennis Miller on stage around 2002 saying he felt sorry for young muslim-American men REALLY wanting to take up a career in crop dusting.


23 posted on 08/20/2020 8:52:41 AM PDT by treetopsandroofs
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets

Thank you for the correction. I looked after I posted. I wondered who would jump on it.

I thought about this some more. I’m wondering if they suspect the pilot for flying low to evade radar. Maybe there is more to this story then just some ‘Maverick’ flying low and supposedly endangering public safety.


24 posted on 08/20/2020 8:53:12 AM PDT by z3n
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To: jaydubya2

“Busy travel weekend”

In any other year, I would accept. Not so much in The Rona Times.


25 posted on 08/20/2020 8:54:10 AM PDT by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: treetopsandroofs
Correction:
In the US, under the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) it’s usually illegal to fly under or even particularly near a “person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.” FAR 91.119 specifies the Minimum Safe Altitudes above and near man made objects.

However, under certain conditions, it is legal to fly under a bridge here in the US.

Under that proviso I’ve flown under a particular bridge in California a number of times.

As a “seaplane” pilot it is legal to fly under a bridge if the act of flying under the bridge is required as part of a safe takeoff.


26 posted on 08/20/2020 8:57:10 AM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets ("Women's intuition" gave us the Salem witch trials and Kavanaugh hearings. Change my mind.)
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To: woodbutcher1963

Pilots have been flying under bridges all over the world ever since mostly reliable planes came on the scene.

See barn stormers, wing walkers, etc.

Now if somebody did it with an SR-71 or the Spruce Goose, THAT would be exciting.


27 posted on 08/20/2020 8:58:35 AM PDT by Covenantor (We are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern. " Chesterton)
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets
I wonder if they'll ever catch this guy. Plane like that is hard to ID.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf3UtmHLKUU

28 posted on 08/20/2020 9:00:10 AM PDT by Sirius Lee (They are openly stating that they intend to murder us. Prep if you want to live.)
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To: Covenantor
Now if somebody did it with an SR-71 or the Spruce Goose, THAT would be exciting.

Under the seaplane exception to FAR 91.119 it might even be legal for the Spruce Goose.

29 posted on 08/20/2020 9:00:26 AM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets ("Women's intuition" gave us the Salem witch trials and Kavanaugh hearings. Change my mind.)
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To: jaydubya2
"As Real As It Gets"
30 posted on 08/20/2020 9:00:29 AM PDT by RckyRaCoCo (Please Pray For My Brother Ken)
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To: z3n

In general aircraft have to keep 500 feet above terrain (crop dusters are excluded, obviously) except during take off and landing. Flying low over water is an invitation to tragedy, which can well involve non-participants.


31 posted on 08/20/2020 9:03:22 AM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets ("Women's intuition" gave us the Salem witch trials and Kavanaugh hearings. Change my mind.)
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets

;>)


32 posted on 08/20/2020 9:03:41 AM PDT by Covenantor (We are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern. " Chesterton)
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To: woodbutcher1963
Pilots have been flying UNDER the Mackinac Bridge ever since it was built.

I’ve heard those stories, too. I remember all the backslapping at the Pellston airport when my father landed. My father flew A-6 Intruders in the Navy and T-38s for NASA. At least he knew what he was doing.

33 posted on 08/20/2020 9:03:58 AM PDT by Magnatron
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To: 1Old Pro
"Harrison Ford looking for the runway?"
There was a snake in the plane. Purely an evasive maneuver, ready to bail out if necessary.

;-)

34 posted on 08/20/2020 9:04:53 AM PDT by Tunehead54 (Nothing funny here ;-)
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To: Magnatron
A friend of mine flying cargo over the desert many years ago, decided to break the 3:00 am boredom by doing a loop in a 727. Ground controller jumped right after him, hey are you all right? Watch your altitude.

Laughing he responded, straight and level here, everything's fine.

35 posted on 08/20/2020 9:06:30 AM PDT by WhoisAlanGreenspan? (Keep looking up.)
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To: jaydubya2

Tell them to get the FREE Flight Radar 24 app for their iPhone. They will have an answer of who did it in a few minutes!

Every aircraft flying is tracked in real time.


36 posted on 08/20/2020 9:07:45 AM PDT by Bartholomew Roberts
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To: crz

Hmm. Wikipedia says a B-52H is 40’ tall and also that clearance beneath the Mackinac Bridge is 155’. That means it needs to be at least 110’ off the deck or lower to clear the bridge!


37 posted on 08/20/2020 9:08:00 AM PDT by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: jaydubya2

Maybe it’s just the Yugo Patrol?


38 posted on 08/20/2020 9:09:53 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog (Patrick Henry would have been an anti-vaxxer.)
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets

Cool, thanks for the response.


39 posted on 08/20/2020 9:13:35 AM PDT by treetopsandroofs
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets

Spruce Goose is 80’ tall. She’d have to be at 70’ or lower to clear the bridge!

She might have done it, going by that first run she made and lifted out of the water for a bit.


40 posted on 08/20/2020 9:15:57 AM PDT by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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