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Fighters Escort Two Small Planes Away From Bush Rally
http://www.wesh.com ^ | October 23, 2004 | The Associated Press

Posted on 10/23/2004 2:43:45 PM PDT by sheikdetailfeather

Fighters Escort Two Small Planes Away From Bush Rally

POSTED: 3:48 pm EDT October 23, 2004 UPDATED: 5:31 pm EDT October 23, 2004

MELBOURNE, Fla. -- Federal authorities said Saturday two small private planes violated restricted air space over a campaign rally by President George W. Bush at a Melbourne baseball stadium.

Fighter jets escorted the plane to Merritt Island Airport near Cocoa Beach, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The Secret Service has interviewed the pilot. FAA spokesman Greg Martin said further action is possible.

Reporters covering Bush's campaign event said the military jets drowned out Bush's words at Space Coast Stadium.

Earlier at a Lakeland event, a plane was escorted to an airport in nearby Winter Haven after it violated the president's airspace.

The activity in the sky repeatedly distracted the crowd from Bush's speechs.

Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: bushrally; escort; lakeland; melbourne; planes
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To: tort_feasor
Secret Service was looking up nervously and moved out of position. --------------------------------------------------------

Moved out of position? How so?

81 posted on 10/23/2004 3:44:30 PM PDT by daybreakcoming ("The American press is all about lies! All they tell is lies, lies and more lies!",,,,,,Baghdad Bob)
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To: Mojohemi

Beautiful, just beautiful!!!


82 posted on 10/23/2004 3:46:07 PM PDT by rjmeagle (Future Generations Will Say the Republican Party is the Party of Lincoln and GW Bush!!!)
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To: jimthewiz

Here is how it works.

Any pilot going anywhere has the responsibility to know the current airspace classifications they intend to fly through.

To do this all one needs is a route briefing from Flight Service (just before you take off) or there is a fabulous on line service called DUATS that you can get all the info you ever wanted at your pace.

Contrary to some of the less than well thought out first dozen or so posts here (do you people not occasionally relish the glory of the unwritten/unspoken thought??, you might want to try it sometime you're giving us a bad name here) no pilot willfully disregards these restrictions. (even a 500 hour pilot has about $40 to $50 thousand wrapped up in his license).

But when they (TFR - Temporary Flight Restrictions) pop up according to Bush's campaign schedule it does turn out to be a random, quickly occuring event and previously unrestricted airspace now becomes severely restricted. A student buddy of mine was avoiding Bush just in the past few days here in the Denver area for example. Everywhere Bush goes, a TFR is published. You don't get a lot of warning.

Florida has more general aviation traffic than any other state with the possible exception of California sometimes.

The real miracle is that only two pilots out of thousands did not get the info.

Nothing will be done to them. The general aviation community has not been a problem of any kind since 9/11.


83 posted on 10/23/2004 3:51:29 PM PDT by Pylot
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To: sheikdetailfeather

Just wondering... How does a fighter intercept a small plane? Isn't there a great disparity in speed capabilities of a fighter jet (at the low end of the dial, so to speak) and a small single-engine prop-driven airplane? Or, can the fighters simply adopt a landing approach wing profile and slow down to match speed with the offending plane?


84 posted on 10/23/2004 3:53:59 PM PDT by Zeppo
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To: Mojohemi


"I think the President is in THE HANDS OF GOD"...

As was our first great president, George Washington.

Thank you, Lord.


85 posted on 10/23/2004 3:55:36 PM PDT by Paperdoll (.........on my knees!)
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To: Zeppo

Regrettably, this is one of the very few times I do not have the intelligence nor knowledge required to answer such a question! hahaha!


86 posted on 10/23/2004 3:57:12 PM PDT by sheikdetailfeather
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To: shield

Given the rise in 'Rat violence, the Don now keeps me company in my vehicle at all times.

Don Benelli, that is.

Never underestimate the persuasive power of Brenneke slugs and 000 buck.


87 posted on 10/23/2004 3:57:32 PM PDT by Noumenon (The Left's dedication to the destruction of a free society makes them unfit to live in that society.)
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To: EGPWS
splash that Cub with your wash!

Now that sounds like a really great idea!!!

88 posted on 10/23/2004 4:01:59 PM PDT by shield (The Greatest Scientific Discoveries of the Century Reveal God!!!! by Dr. H. Ross, Astrophysicist)
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To: Noumenon
Hmmm!!!! Sounds like the right recipe to me!!! And it works sooo well!!!
89 posted on 10/23/2004 4:05:26 PM PDT by shield (The Greatest Scientific Discoveries of the Century Reveal God!!!! by Dr. H. Ross, Astrophysicist)
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To: FairOpinion
I was at the event and the plane was not a crop duster - although i would have taken this guy out especially when he turned back north straight at the baseball field. The president didn't even flinch while the jet roared overhead, he kept his head, knew the finest pilots in the world were watching his and our backs. and even the sharpshooters had a bead on this clown in the plane. The plane was deliberately circling and no way didn't see the F-16 minutes earlier as it approached the stadium. How can you miss a fully loaded F-16 in your face, 2 large helicopters with the presidential seal on them, and 3 other huge helicopters below. This guy knew what he was doing and the timing was too coincidental. I say take this guys license and fine him.
90 posted on 10/23/2004 4:08:40 PM PDT by conservative2000
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To: conservative2000

There were two separate incidents in two separate locations.

I don't know which was the one with the crop duster.

Thanks for the firsthand report.

From what you say, they should go and investigate this guy further and find out if he had any connections to terrorists or Democrats.


91 posted on 10/23/2004 4:12:27 PM PDT by FairOpinion (GET OUT THE VOTE. ENSURE A BUSH/CHENEY WIN.)
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To: FairOpinion

I hope further action is taken. Two planes together?


92 posted on 10/23/2004 4:13:47 PM PDT by Mamzelle (Fast Eddie and Big Betty--let them sue McDonald's and leave us alone)
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To: Mamzelle; conservative2000

My understanding is that there were two planes, one each on separate appearances of Bush, but both on the same day.

They should investingate this seriously, not just in a cursory fashion.

Also see post 90 for a firsthand report.


93 posted on 10/23/2004 4:15:31 PM PDT by FairOpinion (GET OUT THE VOTE. ENSURE A BUSH/CHENEY WIN.)
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To: FairOpinion
re: How can you miss a fully loaded F-16 in your face, 2 large helicopters with the presidential seal on them, and 3 other huge helicopters below. This guy knew what he was doing and the timing was too coincidental. I say take this guys license and fine him.)))

If he was being a deliberate pain in the butt, why not put him in jail to boot?

94 posted on 10/23/2004 4:18:38 PM PDT by Mamzelle (Fast Eddie and Big Betty--let them sue McDonald's and leave us alone)
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To: crazyhorse691
"Those jets really wouldn't fire on an unarmed single engine plane, would they?"

With what were the civilian aircraft on 9/11 armed??

95 posted on 10/23/2004 4:47:21 PM PDT by Southack (Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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To: Boundless
I expect that in the not too distant future, the Jepp charts will be real-time moving maps showing the latest info.

Since we already have GPS/map guidance in cars (my wife's friend has it in her SUV, it's nice), I would be surprised if it was not already available at a very affordable price for planes.

Have the box also have a receiver, and digitally broadcast TRF updates, and you have a box that will keep you out of a lot of trouble.

96 posted on 10/23/2004 4:59:48 PM PDT by SauronOfMordor (What Is Best In Life? To crush your enemies and see them driven before you)
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To: Southack
OK. Enough is enough. I did not put a sarcasm off after that question because it is so blatantly stupid I thought it was apparent. My mistake. Some people seem to be wired a little to tight right now and need to relax. I am on your side. The interceptor pilots were armed and would have been justified to shoot.
97 posted on 10/23/2004 5:04:22 PM PDT by crazyhorse691 (I volunteer to instruct JFK on the meaning of a purple heart!!)
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To: sheikdetailfeather

Was there TWO planes or ONE plane??? It says TWO small planes...then it say PILOT! That is some trick!


98 posted on 10/23/2004 5:08:17 PM PDT by Claire Voyant ((visualize whirled peas))
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To: daybreakcoming

A couple of agents moved, it looked like they may have been creating different escape routes if the plane came down.


99 posted on 10/23/2004 5:12:12 PM PDT by tort_feasor (www.swiftvets.com)
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To: Claire Voyant

It IS written in a manner which confuses! There were two rallies and each rally had one plane. I can only assume that there were also two seperate pilots as well!


100 posted on 10/23/2004 5:50:38 PM PDT by sheikdetailfeather
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