Posted on 09/17/2025 2:14:40 AM PDT by fluorescence
Donald Trump's Air Force One flight to London got dangerously close to another plane while travelling in the skies of New York, it has been reported. The US President's Air Force One and Spirit Flight 1300, an Airbus A321 flying from Fort Lauderdale to Boston, were approaching Long Island when an air traffic controller observed their altitudes were close.
He also noticed that their flight paths were converging and attempted to warn the pilots of the Spirit flight to adjust their course. The encounter was first posted first by the @JonNYC account on the Bluesky media app. The unverified audio was shared by @thenewarea51 on X.
"Pay attention, Spirit 1300, turn 20 degrees right,” the controller said after the airline crew ignored his initial message. "Spirit 1300, turn 20 degrees RIGHT NOW."
Raising his voice again, the controller commanded: "Spirit Wings 1300 turn 20 degrees RIGHT. IMMEDIATELY."
Finally the Spirit pilots acknowledged the routing change.
"Spirit 1300, traffic's off your left wing by 6 miles, or 8 miles. 747. I'm sure you can see who it is,” the controller said, referring to the blue Air Force One aircraft. "I’ll keep an eye out for him, he's white and blue."
And the New York controller gave one final warning to the Spirit crew: "Pay attention! Get off the iPad!"
But if both aircraft are doing around 500 miles per hour, they can close that 11 miles in about 90 seconds.
++++++++++++
To make it easier two aircraft both doing 500mph closing is like one doing 1000mph.
1000mph = 16.66 mi/min
11 miles would be covered in 11/16.66 = 0.66min = 39.6 sec
LOTS of spit and polish there!
At 500 mph, AF1 can cover 11 miles in about a minute and a half. Add another plane converging...halve that.
Read the article. Spirit pilot knew it was AF1
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there is 0 in the story to indicate the airbus pilot knew
11 miles is a “near miss”? Really?
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near miss of planes traveling 300mph or 600mph combined - count the seconds to closing. did you get past 2?
Subscribe at amazon becoming useless with constant price changing
(But I CAN balance a checkbook, something our politians can't seem to do).
Retired ATC here.
This is fairly common where pilots don’t respond to traffic calls or just general instructions. Really bad with the various Asian airlines.
YOU read the article
It was ATC that knew it was AF1
AF1 has fighter jets escorting. The Spirit plane would have gone down in flames first.
If pilots are receiving these types of admonitions then they are a danger and should be fired.
I know that’s how it’s supposed to go but can’t help thinking the fighter pilot would keep giving the benefit of the doubt to a packed civilian aircraft until it was too late.
‘For two planes converging ad 400 Knots each, or 800 Knots total, 11 miles is less than 1 minute until they are on top of each other.’
Absolutely, thank you. Kudos to the air controller.
The title of the article has the facts reversed.
The title: Trump’s Air Force One flight to London ‘almost hit another jet’ in plane crash near miss
Should have been: A Spirit Airlines flight almost hit Trump’s Air Force One in a plane crash near miss
A crash is a ‘near miss’.
‘Look, they almost missed.’
‘Yeah, but not quite.’
-George Carlin
An Airbus can cover 11 miles in approximately 10 to 11 seconds, as most jet airliners cruise at about 450 knots (approximately 518 mph or 740 ft/sec).
If you haven’t yet found RAV=Real America’s Voice, you aren’t trying.
“...11 miles in approximately 10 to 11 seconds...”
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Check your math.
Yes they forgot to mention the F16 off each Wing. 😉
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