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FAA probe shows pilot buzzed mall, home at 500 feet
US Airways passenger Flight 4343 was on its way to the Salisbury-Ocean City: Wicomico Regional Airport when a rapid descent caused the flight attendant to look out the window. What she saw was scary. The plane was low, and it was going fast. "My brain went into emergency/evacuation mode," flight attendant Charlene Helgason said, according to a record of her phone interview with Federal Aviation Administration officials. (www.usatoday.com) Plus d'info...
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Watched a crew of those "young and inexperienced" pilots do a very Pitts like low pass at Aero Country (T31) back in the 80's. They were flying a 727 and caused more than one distress call when they were observed at well less than 500'. Ah buzzing, older than the Wright brothers. The birds do it all the time. Not condoning, just sayin.
This Guy Was Not Young and Was VERY Experienced.. As a Maintenance Controller that used to work there, I would have to say that he was one of the best pilots in the fleet. He had many thousands of hours flying those Dashes since they first came out many years ago... Him above anyone else I would have never expected such a maneuver.. If I was to guess, I would say that he had 45,000-50,000 hours easy.
I was being sarcastic "Sparkie" The article claimed that most of the guys that did this sorta thing were "young and inexperienced" hence the quotation marks. The 727 incident I refer to was a shiny silver one, Dallas based crew, very experienced. The poke was at the author, and old experienced buzzers!
I've flown with him. No way he has 45-50,000 hrs, but he does have a lot of experience in the airplane and knows it very well. Among the most knowledgeable in the company.
The location of his house in relation to the airport and mall makes it easy to fly over his house both safely and legally. That part is not a big deal and flying at or below 500 ft is not something he did regularly, or more people within the company would have known about it. I fully believe there is more to this story. Why else would it surface nearly two years after the fact?
As far as the captain is concerned, he did fly too low. He had his ATP revoked and was terminated. He will not get another flying job, especially at any airline. He's paid in full for his actions, as has his family. For this to surface as he is trying to get on with his life is below the belt.
The location of his house in relation to the airport and mall makes it easy to fly over his house both safely and legally. That part is not a big deal and flying at or below 500 ft is not something he did regularly, or more people within the company would have known about it. I fully believe there is more to this story. Why else would it surface nearly two years after the fact?
As far as the captain is concerned, he did fly too low. He had his ATP revoked and was terminated. He will not get another flying job, especially at any airline. He's paid in full for his actions, as has his family. For this to surface as he is trying to get on with his life is below the belt.
I did not know he was terminated... But I am not surprised either...
Sparkle, there are only a few pilots on the planet who have logged 45,000 flight hours. The pilot may be experienced, but his actions will probably end his aviation career in the US. "There is no fool like an old fool."
