I thought those F16s were admiring my plane.....

[winds_in_flight_wtf]

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/artic ... plane?bn=1

CHICAGO — Myrtle Rose was just taking a short flight over suburban Chicago when the 75-year-old aviation enthusiast looked out her cockpit window to see two F-16 fighter jets. She assumed the military pilots were just slowing down to get a closer look at her antique plane.

It wasn’t until she got on the ground that friends and the police told her the attention was much more serious — for straying into restricted airspace during a visit by U.S. President Barack Obama

Any of you old timers have similar issues?

[the_cr]

My pops accidentally planned a route that took him towards/over Comox base on Vancouver Island. Said it was quite amazing how fast the two black specks on the horizon passed him. This was a different time though, they escorted him away from the airspace, no harm no foul.

[Cat Driver]

That incident was age related?

[Beefitarian]

I'm guessing it was, "Pfft, there won't be notams tonight." related. Possibly, "Do you know who I am? My husband makes bacon for McD's." related.

[Panama Jack]

No, don't worry about it Cat Driver. This one is not another condemnation about old people. It seems her being a bit of a ditsy blond is the issue.

Actually, the written article paints her as a bit of a ditz but the video somewhat vindicates her. Highlights the importance of checking your NOTAMS before every flight.

Maybe you want to call her up, Cat Driver, to invite her out for dinner and offer to give her a little bit of free legal advice on how to deal with the Feds?

[trey kule]

I think she is a classy old broad..flying for decades. cute plane with its own name..and her husband I believe is dead.
I loved the part where she just turned off the radio.. yeh yeh I know all the issues but it is till humerous.

i guess that excludes me from the Sam the Eagle crowd moralizing ,tsk tsk ing and giving us all pointed lessons from this incident.

do you guys really have to find a lesson in everything and dish everyone? People make mistakes. No one got hurt. i dont suppose she will do it again. Try and see the humor in it. so far I dont think TC has made that a violatable offence.

[Panama Jack]

Hey, whose dissin' who now trey kule?

I am a much better pilot when I am sitting on the ground at the comfort of my desk, sipping away on an espresso with ample time to reflect, Google research my responses, spell-check and edit.

I was merely trying to comfort Cat Driver who is becoming a little sensitive about age issues in his old age. OMG!! I didn't mean to say that.

But the lesson yielded out of this remains to check the NOTAMS (I know, sometimes easier said than done). Had one nasty surprise myself a number of years ago flying into Mesa, Arizona after not having checked my NOTAMS for this familiar field. But that is another story.

[straightpilot]

It's funny how all the experts here lecture and pontificate from a safe distance ...

Checking NOTAMs wouldn't have helped his old gal. She needed to check TFRs. Before every flight in the USA, call 800 WX BRIEF and check the TFRs. They're nuts in an election year.

There was an incident where a bunch of old airplanes flew through an active TFR, a couple years back. All the guys with moustaches in uniforms went nuts. But it turned out one of the guys did in fact phone FSS before the flight, and FSS didn't know about the TFR, so they got off.

I'm glad to hear that all the pilots here possess such extraordinarily high levels of skill and knowledge that this could never happen to them.

[Beefitarian]

I think my advantage is my lack of knowledge and skill forces me to phone people to ask for tips on wx etc. before I fly.

And maybe I'm pontificating here but, I don't think I would go flying where she did with out at the very least phoning the number you posted, to inquire about significant wx like tornado warnings this time of year. It seemed pretty nice out one time I was camping south west of Chicago just before it got real nasty real fast. While on the phone I would have asked about notams, hopefully they would offer information on "TFRs" because I'm an ignorant Canadian and was not aware of them.

Maybe I would have did the same thing, she even said her computer was having issues so she decided to go anyway. Before I clicked the link I thought she just zipped off nordo without checking anything. Sometimes we make crappy decisions when something in our routine doesn't seem like a big deal yet did not do what it should have.

People still don't bother to put a stick in their fuel tanks, then take off without enough for their flight. Yes I'm typing here and acting surprised about that.

[Pratt X 3]

I find it sad that you can't even hop in your Cub and head out for a quick jaunt around the circuit (and maybe a bit farther than that) anymore. I've always dreamed about having my own airstrip and a taildragger that I could fly for about half an hour or so after dinner just to finish off the day. This story illustrates that that dream is almost impossible nowadays with all the bureaucracy and security bullshit that has taken over. In the so-called "Land of the Free", these TFR's are pointless and really do nothing but hassle those who are enjoying the freedom of flight.

[SAR_YQQ]

All the guys with moustaches in uniforms went nuts.

FWIW we only grow our moustaches "over there" at points East.

[Panama Jack]

It's funny how all the experts here lecture and pontificate from a safe distance ...

At least one guy here who didn't get the jist of my tongue-in-cheek comment.

Articles are posted here on AvCanada so that the peanut gallery can make its comments. Whatever the case, she is lucky if she doesn't face at least one violation. "Not knowing" or "the dog ate my computer" isn't a legitimate excuse in aviation these days. Even if you are a nice foxy old lady and have a cute little plane.

[Beefitarian]

Sorry Pratt it's 1978 now and planes should have radios if they are leaving Saskatchewan where there might be too many other planes.

She was pretty hot for 75 wasn't she? I think the glasses were integral to her appearance.

[Conquest Driver]

As far as I can tell those TFRs pop up like Blackflies around May 1st in the north. Lots of pilots have missed them. Apparently a GPS with NEXRAD, or an IPAD with ForeFlight is about the best defense.

Now what the lady in question needs to do immediately is to file a NASA ASRS report. If she gets that in, it may very well be her "get out of jail free card". At least in this case, she knew she had a problem. It's worse when someone finds out about it after the ASRS deadline.

[Cat Driver]

It is evident that some posters here don't have a clue how difficult it is to give an interview to the news media.

She did a very good job and dumb she is not.

However had I been given the task of assuring she was no threat to safety I would have insisted on a thorough body search, done by me of course.

[Doc]

She is lucky enough to enjoy good health, her own grass strip and a J3. Any of you who declare you would regularly bother to pick up a phone EVERY time you fly are full of crap! Nice sunny day, hop in the mighty J3 and go for a wee flight.....Is the USA not the "land of the free"??
I hope we all look that good when we're 75!

[FICU]

I hope we all look that good when we're 75!

Don't be fooled by the plastic surgery.

[trey kule]

It may be that I choose to be fooled by plastic surgery. Besides, as the lady you were so dergatory towards is living and breathing,she obviously contains much less plastic than I am sure many of the keyboard kommanders here, girlfirends, with which they spend adventerous evenings with in their parent's basement. Throw us old guys a bone for crying out loud.

Cats comment made me realize something amusing. It seems so many here post complaining about the treatment of the media towards aviation as a result of the media's desire to make everything an emotional issue. Yet, at the same time,they seem more than willing to believe everything the media puts out if it allows them to demonstrate their moral superiority.

I hope that when I am 75 I will have a little cub and the good health (non plactic related) to be able to fo for a spin in it when the weather is good. And I hope all you who disagree with doc that you have never flown without a thorough and complete preparation never make a mistake and end up in the media...

My Sunday rant

[Beefitarian]

Trey, dude, it was a joke. However further to your point. A face lift and what have you would be like trying to restore car with bondo and paint. Her strong chassis Is a result of good genes or she wouldn't hold a medical.

The silicone beauties would never hang out with young pilots, they are typically just as expesive as heavy jet sim time.