Posted on 07/07/2005 3:24:15 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
Classic cars from all over the West traveled to Logan last weekend for the Cache Valley Cruise-In, but it's a low-flying airplane that has drawn police attention.
Officers are investigating two men who reportedly have admitted dropping water balloons from an airplane flying just a few hundred feet off the ground. The balloon bombing runs occurred early Sunday as Logan streets were filled with people attending the Cruise-In, the city's annual car show.
Police Lt. Rod Peterson said there were no reports of injuries or property damage, but the two men could face state criminal charges and be in trouble with federal authorities.
"I don't think they were thinking," Peterson said of the two men. "It was just a very dangerous, very foolish act on their part."
Peterson said the men were in a Cessna 150, a single-engine, two-person aircraft. The pilot was a 21-year-old Smithfield man who had a student license and was not authorized to have a passenger. His passenger was 22.
About 1 a.m. Sunday, Peterson said, the airplane made a pass over the Logan crowds and dropped water balloons. The airplane made another pass 10 or 15 minutes later and dropped more balloons.
"Of the pilot's own admission, he believes he was between 300 and 400 feet," Peterson said. "Those who were on the ground to witness it believe he was only 150 to 200 feet off the ground."
The lieutenant said the pilot shut off the plane's lights, but the aircraft was still visible from the ground. Peterson said the passenger was the one dropping the balloons and there is some discrepancy about how many were dropped, but the passenger has admitted to dropping a total of five balloons.
The passenger said he was aiming for a Smith's grocery store parking lot.
Peterson found the two men at the Logan airport. When first questioned, they denied being in the air or in the airplane, but they later admitted their roles, Peterson said.
The pair have suggested they dropped the balloons because they had friends below, Peterson said.
Peterson said he expects to meet this week with the Cache County attorney to determine whether criminal charges will be filed. He also plans to turn his case over to the Federal Aviation Administration, which could revoke the pilot's license.
ncarlisle@sltrib.com
The friends should have fired back with laser pointers.
1. Student pilots are not to fly with anyone except an instructor.
2. You are not to turn your lights off at night.
3. Dropping an object is also a no-no.
4. Flying this low over a populated area is not to be done.
What did I miss?
My Flight instructor for my CFI told me once:
"I can teach even a monkey to fly, but I can't teach judgement!"
At 21, these kids need to grow up fast!
"This joke could have easily killed someone".
When I lived in Boston, used to drop water balloons from our fraternity house on scientologist recruiters on the Back Bay. All during the miserable winter. Didn't bother me a bit.
Did I miss the pilot's name in the story? I don't suppose either of them is named Mohammed.
Flying without a brain?
When I soloed, a student could fly at night. I think that has changed (I've been wrong before though).
IIRC student pilots are required to log several hours of night flight.
First, let me agree that these guys had a long list of stupid things they did. I would rank flying the plane as their worst. That said, let's not overrate the water balloon danger.
From 200 feet, they could be going 75 mi/h max, but air resistance would cut that down a bit, maybe 60 mi/h. Water has a pretty low density compared to a rock. The air would also flatten the bottom of the balloon and increase its area. I doubt they would kill anyone. I bet they weighed about a pound, which would be a pint. If they were a quart (quite a hefty water balloon) that would be 2 pounds. Water is a heck of a lot softer than a rock or a baseball, unless your freeze it, but then it's not a water balloon. Don't tell me that "at that speed, water is hard as rock." Not true at all, especially when it is not tightly bound. (A 2-liter bottle could kill someone since the carbonation pressure makes the bottle very hard, but I doubt the water balloon would.) Think of being hit by a major league pitcher throwing a water balloon . Then cut the speed almost in half, which cuts the energy to roughly 1/3 if we go with 60 mi/h.
Now, I'm not volunteering to try it out because it would likely hurt a bit if it hit me in the schnozz and I'm not allowed to get wet.
Repeat, it WAS a very stupid set of events these guys pulled off.
"As God is my witness, I thought the water balloons would bounce!"
Thanks. I'm wrong again.
LOL -- mere moments...
This reminds me of a couple of Einsteins some years back who pulled the same prank. The difference was they were commercial pilots for a small branch airline and they waterbombed the tower at the San Luis Obispo (CA) airport. Needless to say they're no longer employed as pilots and we're all the safer for it.
jokes are supposed to be funny.
this was stupid and dangerous.
The student pilot should be disqualified from holding a license for at least 30 years.
Gravity is not funny at 300 or 400 feet.
Under Part 61 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs), you must receive a total of 40 hours of flight time, including a minimum of
20 hours of flight training from a certificated flight instructor, including at least
3 hours of cross-country, i.e., to other airports
3 hours at night, including
One night cross-country flight of over 100 nautical miles (NM) total distance
10 night takeoffs and 10 landings to a full stop at an airport
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