Pilot Myrtle Rose Prompts Alert During Obama Visit

[Abu Zolfiqar]

A 75-year-old aviation enthusiast whose plane strayed into restricted airspace during a presidential visit, prompting fighter jets to be scrambled, has brushed off the incident.

Two F-16s intercepted Myrtle Rose's aircraft as she took to the skies over the suburbs of Chicago city on Wednesday afternoon.

The widow told US media she thought the jets were just admiring her plane.

The agency which oversees air safety in America said it was investigating.

Because of President Barack Obama's visit to Chicago on Wednesday to attend a fundraiser marking his 50th birthday, restrictions were in place forbidding private pilots to come within 30 miles (48km) of the city's O'Hare Airport.

'Just looking'

Ms Rose told the Associated Press news agency that before flying her Piper J-3 Cub aircraft she normally checks for any airspace restrictions on her computer, but it was not working properly that day.

"I hadn't flown in over a week," Ms Rose told AP. "It was a beautiful afternoon."

She also said she did not have her radio on. Jets were scrambled from Toledo, Ohio, when air traffic controllers were unable to contact her.

Asked what she thought when the F-16s appeared, Ms Rose told AP: "I thought, 'Oh, well, they're just looking at how cute the Cub is.'"

When Ms Rose landed on an airstrip on the outskirts of Chicago, police were waiting.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad), which scrambled the two warplanes, said there was no excuse for not knowing about the airspace restrictions.

"The biggest thing to keep in mind is that when F-16s come screaming up to you, they are probably trying to tell you something," said Norad spokeswoman Stacey Knott.

Ms Rose said she had filled out a report with the Federal Aviation Administration, which said she could face a fine, a pilot's licence suspension, or no action at all.

BBC News - Pilot Myrtle Rose prompts alert during Obama visit


bechari!

 

[Imran Khan]

she is so innocent i hope there will be no action against her and gov let her fly in future .

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

hard to be angry at a 75 year old auntie

 

[VelocuR]

LOL LOL !!

Why BVR doesn't fire direct at her ?

 

[Imran Khan]

hard to be angry at a 75 year old auntie

yes and f-16 fire gun on her that will be really funny she say uchhhhhhhhhhh aoooooooooooooo then cry hahahhahahaa

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

Imran, you are being very militant today....what's going on

 

[Imran Khan]

Imran, you are being very militant today....what's going on

i was talking abut warning shots sir never say fire on her directly she is so innocent and no one like to kill old lady for small mistake BTW she should use radio or else on day she will be in real pain .lolz

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

ohhh i'm sure they were having some 'hot words' with her when she touch down on the tarmac

to bring down a prop driven piper aircraft, all u need is probably 1 or 2 27mm rounds of cannon to bring it down......no ejection seat in that old thing!

 

[Imran Khan]

ohhh i'm sure they were having some 'hot words' with her when she touch down on the tarmac

to bring down a prop driven piper aircraft, all u need is probably 1 or 2 27mm rounds of cannon to bring it down......no ejection seat in that old thing!

but she can use parachute and dive if she has balls ahhahahahha if she carry it with her other wise bye bye anti see you paradise lolz

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

those Pipers fly a ceiling height of around 3,500 meters......not very high, but high enough for a parachute to fully deploy

so next time if she gets shot down, she should definitely carry some parachutes......or maybe she can add BVR capability and electronic warfare/jammer pods on her old plane