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Even though the pilot stretched things a bit and needs his hands slapped, I'd start by firing the photographer. She was screaming while the airplane was still a long way dawn the runway and I can't stand people who scream like that.
Pilots like this make us all look bad. One more inch and we would have had a fatality caught on tape. Just because your skill level is good enough to fly like that doesn't mean you should.
The fact that this stupid act was captured on film, that the photographer was screaming while the plane was still a mile out and that the guy on the quad or whatever was right there at the right moment says loud and clear that this was no coincidence, the whole thing was staged by all these three jerks. Now, can anybody ride a motorbike or a car or any kind of vehicle down this particular runway at anytime.
I'm sure our USAF is looking for dare-devil guys like this! Draft him, send him over there... give him back his (new military) ticket... and watch the Bad Guys start screaming instead!
The USAF is not looking for dare-devils. These guys endanger everyone and you certainly don't want some hot dog running around in jet doing stupid shit.
There is an old saying in aviation. There are old pilots and there are bold pilots. But there are no old, bold pilots. This is a bold pilot. Probably not a good idea to fly with him or near him.
It is just speculation on the viewers part as to just how this happened. The people at fault here are the folks who where to be providing the security at this event. I commend the pilot for his action in missing the guy on the 4 wheeler, the camera person is only alive becauseof sh:-( luck. Put yourself in the pilots seat, your making a pass down the center of the runway,a few feet off the deck at 200 mph with the smoke on. The first thing recognizable in your flight path at 2C is going to be the Moran on the scooter. I assume this was at some type of event and it appears there are not any spectators to the pilots right resulting in the right turn. The second person would have been the last thing he would have become aware of, if at all. Lastly, if this was a setup, all three should be prosecuted for extreme STUPIDITY ! ! !
I agree with gofaster72 (above)
First off if it was not a "set up" by the three idiots..... Then why the hell was an adult riding a toy size quad on a runway?
And yes the pilot missed the quad rider, and was probably shocked a nanosecond later to pass a camera woman, in one piece....wing intact.
I just visited the website of this guy´s outfit http://www.viperairshows.com/ and it is obvious that he has some sort of a frightening connection between his very low flying high performance aircraft, motorcycles and people (not bystanders) so the whole episode was a totally orchestrated film. I agree with those bloggers that denounce him as a stupid pilot.
I'm a little perplexed as to why someone was riding an ATV on a runway in thew first place. Seems like they should have not been there, and were possibly violating some FAA rule/law. Wonder if the FAA will go after them, or at least send the appropriate law enforcement branch after them for action. What the pilot did may not have been smart, but he may have been trying to land and saw them on the runway at the last moment.




