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 ...
It is illegal to fly under bridge under any circumstances.
Pilots have been flying UNDER the Mackinac Bridge ever since it was built.
I have heard stories like this for 30 years.
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.
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.
“Busy travel weekend”
In any other year, I would accept. Not so much in The Rona Times.
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.
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.
Under the seaplane exception to FAR 91.119 it might even be legal for the Spruce Goose.
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.
;>)
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.
;-)
Laughing he responded, straight and level here, everything's fine.
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.
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!
Maybe it’s just the Yugo Patrol?
Cool, thanks for the response.
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.
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