Mind your TFRs!

[Lindsey]

The forums were down yesterday, so this is a bit late, but...

 

SEATTLE -- Two F-15 fighter jets rushing from Portland triggered two sonic booms that were heard across a wide swath of the Puget Sound region on Tuesday, fraying nerves and knocking out 911 service to parts of Pierce County for about an hour.

The jets were responding to a float plane that had entered restricted presidential air space over Western Washington while President Barack Obama was in town.

 

The plane landed safely at a float plane harbor in Kenmore on the northern shores of Lake Washington.

 

Several calls from worried residents across the region, from Olympia to Edmonds, flooded emergency dispatchers and the KOMO newsroom reporting two distinct explosions that rattled windows and shook homes around 1:50 p.m.

 

A spokesman with the Oregon Air National Guard said two F-15s from their 142nd Fighter Wing were scrambled from their base at Portland International Airport.

 

NORAD spokesman John Cornelio said the float plane left the restricted area before the Air National Guard jets arrived, and there was no intercept. A source told ABC News the plane landed just before the fighter jets got to him.

 

The Cessna 180 float plane was flying to a seaplane base on Lake Washington, next to Seattle, from Lake Chelan in Eastern Washington, said passenger Laura Joseph, of Normandy Park. She told The Associated Press that neither she nor the pilot, Lee Daily, knew about Obama's visit or the air restrictions that accompany such a high-profile trip.

 

Joseph said she saw an F-15 outside the window as the plane approached Seattle.

 

"I saw a jet, just a white jet going by," she said. "I thought it was kind of odd to see a military jet."

 

The fighter only passed by the float plane once and didn't take any other action, Joseph said.

 

"The jet didn't come by us or anything. Just flew by, and it didn't circle us or do anything," she said.

 

Joseph said she and Daily didn't know anything was wrong until they landed and were told they had to talk to the Secret Service. She also said she didn't hear the sonic booms.

 

 

"(We) taxied in and parked the plane. The guy came out and said, 'You guys weren't supposed to be up; it's a no-fly zone,'" she said. "(I thought,) 'Are we in trouble? Are we going to jail?' That's all. I was just scared, mostly for him (Daily)."

 

Joseph said she and Daily were allowed to leave after being interviewed by the Secret Service and haven't heard anything yet about possible sanctions.

 

"Oh my God, I can't believe - is this the top news thing?" she said.

 

Joseph said Daily is a seasoned pilot who just had "a mishap, just a mistake."

 

"He's had that plane for 25 years. He's a pretty seasoned pilot ... We just didn't know," she said. "He's so careful and cautious, and I totally trust him."

 

 

The float plane:

 

 

Full story HERE.

 

 

 

I felt the shockwave, it blew the curtains in, felt like a gas explosion nearby. Once I figured out what it was, pretty damn cool! Curious about what's going to happen to the pilot of that Seaplane.

[SBuzzkill]

Check those NOTAMs!

Edited August 18, 2010 by SBuzzkill

[Goldy]

Check those NOTAMs!

He's so careful and cautious, and I totally trust him."

 

 

He must be so careful he never calls Flight Service!!

[Lindsey]

He's so careful and cautious, and I totally trust him."

 

 

He must be so careful he never calls Flight Service!!

 

 

If he's a pilot, flight service should be on speed dial!! :lol: