Small plane flies under Mackinac Bridge

Looks like fun although I suspect that the FAA will have a different word to describe it.

Had a friend who did this one in California a few times, not my cup of tea!

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.co...ts-fly-under-i-15-bridge-2001jan31-story.html

Just a 30-60 day suspension? Guess they need to meet and hit another plane coming the other way to be considered serious.

Should be easy to find: That plane is a “taildragger”, kind of rare birds these days, 95% of planes have nose wheels.
Yes, he broke a few rules and may lose his ticket, but not like he endangered 500 people and should spend the next 20 in Fort Leavenworth.

No 20 in Leavenworth,that they'll save for when he meets someone hiding behind the bridge doing the same thing from the other side. But a 30-60 day suspension is what, maybe 2 or 3 times he can't go up? In fact since rules don't apply to that pilot maybe he doesn't miss any flights. Just keep flying. Who's to know? Just glad he's a top gun pilot. Too bad for the drivers if they get distracted and killed in a pile up. 2 weeks ago we had a helicopter run straight down a local parkway no more than 50' above the road I was on and I can tell you that none of the drivers I saw were looking anywhere but at the helicopter.

I'm all for daring adventures, but only when solo and all that is at stake is himself. What if he "missed?" Can you imagine the tragedy if he hit the bridge and this video was of cars dropping into the water because of his stunt? Wouldn't be such a cheap thrill to those drowning in sinking cars.

Oh the stories I could tell..... No, it wasn't me. Never me. Friend of a friend, you know. And always small. Never a Dornier 228. Never. Certainly not back in the days when we had ONE airplane left in the fleet with the 2 inch tall registration numbers on the tail. (After that they had to be much larger)......

If a pilot wants to demonstrate his supposed skills and daring there are plenty of opportunities available. He can work as a crop duster, fly air shows, the Red Bull races, join the Navy or Air Force, fly into a thunderstorm. As one who has collected body parts after a plane crash I never want that job again and I don't know anyone who does. Considering that most of these wanna be Top Guns probably fly once every month or two I think a 30-60 day license suspension. 6 months, a hefty fine and maybe a re-qualification seems a lot more appropriate.

Unless he brags about it on FB, he won't get caught.

Oh in today's environment I think you can count on him bragging on FB. People today brag about murders and robberies on FB. Plus he has nothing to lose given the lack of real penalties.

I can’t recall the exact regulation number, but, the FAA would likely require a ***check ride. Under this provision, an airman is required to prove competence for all their ratings in a single check ride. If any segment of the ride is failed, ALL of you’re ratings and license also go.

for instance: If he held a commercial rating with instrument, multi engine and seaplane, he would have to do a check ride (ground and flight) for
- Private Pilot
-Instrument Rating
-Commercial Pilot (single and multi and instrument)
Seaplane Rating
Etc...

Even for a lightly credentialed pilot, it could be the mother of all check rides. Coupled with an FAA Examiner who’s already unhappy with your “airmanship”, would be a very difficult ride to pass

If nothing else that could be embarrassing enough to make an impression. I'm sure word of that would spread through an airport like it would in a marina.

So much expertise here!

Apparently Chuck Yeager did this once at a festival at his home town and the local paper reported it. But, when Air Force investigators showed up, not one of the 350 people who lived there could remember seeing it. Later, Yeager admitted his parents had told everyone in the town of the investigation and that they needed to forget they saw it!

Richard Bong (leading ace of WW2) also did this, got grounded, and then re-instated later by the same general who grounded him, because so many of his flyers were afraid to take on the Japanese Zeroes and he figured Bong wouldn't be.

Funny how some things are considered crazy but others are not

one example. The Thriller and company “speedboat” rides loaded with pax on a open deck running 30 kts between the bridge pilings of the Mc Arthur causeway just 200 yards from USCG station Miami. Day after day....

That is crazy..
My neighbor lost steering of his fancy Formula with twin outboards going North on the ICW somewhere close to where Capt J lives, and slammed into the seawall, the neighbor got damaged and so did the boat, good thing he was flying solo and not full of pax: He is okay, but had a big limp every time he walked his dog past my house.
(It was not an autopilot problem)

"It's all fun until someone gets hurt" Mom

Not just a loss a steering but just loosing one the engine either mechanical failure or a floating line suddenly wrapping around the prop. Or of the mutiple jet skis crossing along the bridge and hidden till the last minute. I don’t understand how the USCG allows this with an inspected vessel carrying dozens of pax

That ain't the first nor last bridge to get flown under, far more dangerous things to do at altitude, nothing to see here.