Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Helicopter pilot reports 2nd near miss with remote-controlled plane near JFK
ABC-TV7 New York City ^ | June 29, 2026 | Staff

Posted on 06/30/2026 5:05:06 AM PDT by Red Badger

VIDEO AT LINK............

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A helicopter pilot says he was almost hit by a remote-controlled plane near John F. Kennedy Airport - the second close call reported on Monday.

"Just almost ran into a gigantic RC airplane right over there at Floyd Bennett," he told air traffic controllers. "...A big one, at 500 feet."

The FAA said it is aware of reports that a helicopter pilot reported a remote-controlled plane flying close to it and has notified local authorities. The agency is not investigating at this time.

Earlier in the day, a JetBlue flight was hit by a drone while landing at JFK Airport.

According to the JetBlue pilot, the incident occurred at around 3,000 feet during the airline's approach to the runway. The plane landed safely, and JetBlue says there was no damage.

The FAA and the FBI are investigating.

This all comes after another close call at Newark on Friday.

The FAA says it gets more than 100 complaints a month of unmanned aircrafts in airspace they shouldn't be in, which is exactly why it launched a public safety campaign just this month.

"The fact is that people are still not following the rules and all it takes is one to end up wrecking an engine or impacting a cockpit," said ABC News contributor and aviation expert John Nance.

Nance says because drones can't be detected unless they're physically seen, the distraction alone can be dangerous, since that can happen too late to avoid it.

"Drones simply do not carry transponders," he said. "It has to do with the weight and the amount of equipment that you put on board. But the fact is, that makes it even more important that nobody operates one in the wrong place, close to an airport, especially at 3,000 feet."

It is a federal crime to interfere with the operation of an aircraft, with penalties of up to $100,000. Flying a drone near an airport is considered exactly that, and the FAA encourages anyone who witnesses someone doing this to report it.

In a statement, the FBI asked the public to report


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Military/Veterans; Outdoors; Travel
KEYWORDS: aviation
Message from Jim Robinson:

Dear FRiends,

We need your continuing support to keep FR funded. Your donations are our sole source of funding. No sugar daddies, no advertisers, no paid memberships, no commercial sales, no gimmicks, no tax subsidies. No spam, no pop-ups, no ad trackers.

If you enjoy using FR and agree it's a worthwhile endeavor, please consider making a contribution today:

Click here: to donate by Credit Card

Or here: to donate by PayPal

Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794

Thank you very much and God bless you,

Jim


1 posted on 06/30/2026 5:05:06 AM PDT by Red Badger
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: 04-Bravo; 1FASTGLOCK45; 1stFreedom; 2ndDivisionVet; 2sheds; 60Gunner; 6AL-4V; A.A. Cunningham; ...

AVIATION PING!....................


2 posted on 06/30/2026 5:05:35 AM PDT by Red Badger (Iryna Zarutska, May 22, 2002 Kyiv, Ukraine – August 22, 2025 Charlotte, North Carolina Say her name)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Training for the upcoming attack


3 posted on 06/30/2026 5:13:19 AM PDT by The Louiswu (USA FIRST...USA FOREVER)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Could be just idiots. Could be probing and practicing by our enemies.


4 posted on 06/30/2026 5:13:50 AM PDT by Sirius Lee ("Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

When laser lights become a drag they go to remote-controlled planes they are in dire need of a real life.


5 posted on 06/30/2026 5:28:05 AM PDT by Vaduz (NEVER TRUST A DEMOCRAT)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: The Louiswu
I am not certain we are prepared for the next sort of war fare. I had a conversation with a Navy pilot (F18's) who said there was no way they'd ever face more than a half-dozen drones and it would be easy to defeat them.

The Ukraine used 660 drones in their last offensive against Russia...
6 posted on 06/30/2026 5:34:53 AM PDT by TexasGunLover
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: TexasGunLover

Drones are the new AtA missiles - just push launch and they all do their thing together, automated in perfect harmony. Lot cheaper. But are they as effective, in general? No. But someday soon they will be.


7 posted on 06/30/2026 5:58:05 AM PDT by Battlestar (1776 - Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
As George Carlin always said: "It's NOT a near-miss. It's a near-hit!"

A near miss means you almost missed it, but didn't. Crash.

A near hit means you almost hit it but didn't. Phew that was close.

English language usage escapes so many folks these days

8 posted on 06/30/2026 6:06:35 AM PDT by 4Runner ("I gotta join a union to get paid for loafin'?" " Sure ya do!" --Abbott & Costello)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Definitely, they are practicing for a big strike...

However, it will be either ignored or laughed at, just like when the Saudis were taking flying lessons before 9/11...

When the Huns are inside the gates, you are ALWAYS screwed...


9 posted on 06/30/2026 6:12:23 AM PDT by SuperLuminal (Where is rabble-rising Sam Adams now that we need him? Is his name Trump, now?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: The Louiswu

Training for the upcoming attack
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Makes one wonder just how little it could take for the enemy to shut down airports all across the country.


10 posted on 06/30/2026 6:26:36 AM PDT by hecticskeptic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SuperLuminal

“ When the Huns are inside the gates, you are ALWAYS screwed...”
Invited inside the gates. Paid to invade this country by the democRATS. Yes, we are screwed until people develop the fortitude to wipe out the rats.


11 posted on 06/30/2026 6:49:45 AM PDT by 9422WMR
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: TexasGunLover

The solution is going to be cheap, and probably old tech.

How much does a missile shot from a plane cost to build?

Who wins when we have 6000 said missiles and they have 60k drones that cost 50k a piece?

Going to be Flak cannons and


12 posted on 06/30/2026 8:22:55 AM PDT by SPDSHDW (A sinner saved by Jesus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: 4Runner
As George Carlin always said: "It's NOT a near-miss. It's a near-hit!"

The word "near" can mean "narrowly separated in time or space" or it can mean "barely incomplete". The near miss vs. near hit joke, such as it is, relies on substituting the latter meaning for the former.

13 posted on 06/30/2026 8:33:16 AM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

When did it change from “near hit” to “near miss”?

To me, “near miss” means it ALMOST MISSED (so it hit) something.

What is this, Brit English?

(I think I started noticing the change about 10-15 years ago.. and it is annoying.)


14 posted on 06/30/2026 11:25:25 AM PDT by Bikkuri
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

(John) Nance says because drones can’t be detected unless they’re physically seen.

.

Total lie.

ABC News contributor and aviation expert John Nance?

mmm, not so much.

.


15 posted on 06/30/2026 11:34:12 AM PDT by TLI (ITINERIS IMPENDEO VALHALLA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

So much for the Freepers who claimed yesterday’s “near-miss” was really a near-bird strike and a pilot with an overactive immagination.


16 posted on 06/30/2026 12:03:00 PM PDT by Paal Gulli
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Paal Gulli

Why don’t the ‘journalists’ just say ‘near collision’? Then everybody knows what happened.........


17 posted on 06/30/2026 12:04:27 PM PDT by Red Badger (Iryna Zarutska, May 22, 2002 Kyiv, Ukraine – August 22, 2025 Charlotte, North Carolina Say her name)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson