Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

mahatmakanejeeves

(56,897 posts)
Wed Oct 28, 2020, 07:08 PM Oct 2020

US fighter jet intercepts aircraft near Trump rally, deploying signal flares

Source: CNN

US fighter jet intercepts aircraft near Trump rally, deploying signal flares

By Barbara Starr, Jeremy Diamond, Nikki Carvajal, Jason Hoffman and Caroline Kelly, CNN

Updated 6:24 PM ET, Wed October 28, 2020

(CNN) -- An aircraft entered restricted air space over President Donald Trump's rally in Bullhead City, Arizona on Wednesday, leading to a fighter jet being scrambled to intercept it.

"On October 28 at approximately 1400 MDT, North American Aerospace Defense Command directed F-16 aircraft to investigate a general aviation aircraft that was not in communication with air traffic control and entered the Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) area surrounding Bullhead City, Arizona, without proper clearance," said John Cornelio, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), in a statement to CNN.

"The violating aircraft was non-responsive to initial intercept procedures, but established radio communications after NORAD aircraft deployed signal flares," Cornelio added "The violating aircraft was escorted out of the restricted area by the NORAD aircraft without further incident."
The smaller aircraft was not visible to CNN reporters on the ground in Arizona but the fighter jet could be heard overhead, leading to a reaction from the rally crowd and the President himself.

{snip}

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/28/politics/trump-rally-fighter-jet-arizona/index.html



Hat tip, the NBC nightly TV news.

I thought at first that this was a misuse of the military, but it's legit.

Unless the private pilot was deliberately trying to provoke this reaction, for the prime-time spectacle that would ensue.

Where's my tin foil?
19 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
US fighter jet intercepts aircraft near Trump rally, deploying signal flares (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Oct 2020 OP
Easy to miss the TFR notice in General Aviation pfitz59 Oct 2020 #1
Someone may end up with losing their FAA license. ffr Oct 2020 #2
More than likely Sherman A1 Oct 2020 #4
what a waste of taxpayer money. nt yaesu Oct 2020 #3
No, the private pilot wasted the taxpayers money. oldsoftie Oct 2020 #6
When it comes to protecting fascists, YES, its a waste of time and money nt yaesu Oct 2020 #7
The President is to be protected regardless of the level of assholery. oldsoftie Oct 2020 #8
The day when the military decides who in our nation is worth defending Steelrolled Oct 2020 #10
Wow!!! dware Oct 2020 #13
So let me get this straight, dware Oct 2020 #14
We absolutely have to protect the President, no mater who he or she is Polybius Oct 2020 #19
Is there any additional cost from this? JustABozoOnThisBus Oct 2020 #17
It is absolutely a legitimate use of the military Sherman A1 Oct 2020 #5
Weird that they held the event at an airport, though. Gore1FL Oct 2020 #9
Airport rallies are convenient for impotus. Not so much for the Kool Aid drinkers. Marcuse Oct 2020 #11
I just remember when Clinton got a haircut on a runway Gore1FL Oct 2020 #12
Apparently, the story was half right. JustABozoOnThisBus Oct 2020 #18
If he hadn't turned his radio on after the signal flares, I wonder... LudwigPastorius Oct 2020 #15
Even more tin-foil-y, perhaps it will come out that the private pilot was promised payment royable Oct 2020 #16

ffr

(22,649 posts)
2. Someone may end up with losing their FAA license.
Wed Oct 28, 2020, 07:17 PM
Oct 2020

That's a no-no.

Oops. wrong reply button. Sorry pfitz59.

oldsoftie

(12,410 posts)
6. No, the private pilot wasted the taxpayers money.
Wed Oct 28, 2020, 07:44 PM
Oct 2020

Maybe people should get billed when this happens

oldsoftie

(12,410 posts)
8. The President is to be protected regardless of the level of assholery.
Wed Oct 28, 2020, 08:53 PM
Oct 2020

We dont tell the secret service to take the week off just because the current office holder is a prick. We may not like it, but thats how we do things. We're not yet a 3rd world country

 

Steelrolled

(2,022 posts)
10. The day when the military decides who in our nation is worth defending
Wed Oct 28, 2020, 09:35 PM
Oct 2020

will be the beginning of the end.

dware

(12,092 posts)
14. So let me get this straight,
Wed Oct 28, 2020, 11:47 PM
Oct 2020

just because you think the US President is a fascist, and he is BTW, that he shouldn't be protected?
Words can't describe just how uncool this is.

JustABozoOnThisBus

(23,283 posts)
17. Is there any additional cost from this?
Thu Oct 29, 2020, 05:12 AM
Oct 2020

AF pilots have to put in some number of flight hours anyway. This should count toward that pilot's goal.

Sherman A1

(38,958 posts)
5. It is absolutely a legitimate use of the military
Wed Oct 28, 2020, 07:38 PM
Oct 2020

The private pilot was completely in the wrong and should not have been there.

Gore1FL

(21,031 posts)
9. Weird that they held the event at an airport, though.
Wed Oct 28, 2020, 09:27 PM
Oct 2020

I don't know. I've been to Omaha on business on numerous occasions at a previous job, but I've never really got to know the area.

JustABozoOnThisBus

(23,283 posts)
18. Apparently, the story was half right.
Thu Oct 29, 2020, 05:16 AM
Oct 2020

Yes, he got a haircut on AF1. No, it didn't affect air traffic, the airport continued operations while he got clipped, washed, dyed, whatever.

But, any time a Dem president does anything, count on the right to go ape shit.

To Clinton's credit, I don't remember any scandal about him wearing a tan suit. That was a great blot on Obama's legacy.


LudwigPastorius

(8,944 posts)
15. If he hadn't turned his radio on after the signal flares, I wonder...
Thu Oct 29, 2020, 12:38 AM
Oct 2020

if the next "intercept procedure" was a Sidewinder/AMRMM up his nose.


Time to give up the stick, pal.

royable

(1,263 posts)
16. Even more tin-foil-y, perhaps it will come out that the private pilot was promised payment
Thu Oct 29, 2020, 12:41 AM
Oct 2020

by the drumpf campaign, which of course was never paid.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»US fighter jet intercepts...