Ottawa RIver Departure under the Bridge

[burhead1]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/fl ... -1.2730641

A float plane pilot’s flight under a bridge connecting Ottawa and Gatineau left concerned pilots and frightened boaters in its wake last weekend.

Lana Burpee Float Plane Ottawa River Macdonald Cartier Bridge Video
Ottawa Rowing Club president Lana Burpee said she thought the person flying a plane underneath the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge was suicidal. (CBC)

A group from the Ottawa Rowing Club were preparing for one of their bigger regattas of the year last Saturday morning when they said a float plane motored past them on the water.

They said it then turned around, sped up and came right at them, lifting out of the water and taking off underneath the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge.

Rowers can be heard screaming as the plane approached in a cell phone video of the incident.

"Honestly I thought he was suicidal. I thought he was lifting and taking off right into the bridge," said rowing club president Lana Burpee.

"We expect motor boats around here, we expect rowing shells, kayaks, canoers. But a plane, never seen it before," said Paul Hawksworth, a coach at the club.

[J31]

While I do not see anything wrong with departing under the bridge. If he/she stayed on the step untill past the bidge we most likely would not be talking about this at all. I hope this nothing issue fades away.

[Rookie50]

People in Ottawa are easily frightened.

They would poop their pants if they knew
what happened elsewhere in the world:



That's Peter Besenyei, taking off from (on top)
of a bridge in Budapest. He'd probably be
considered "arrogant" in Ottawa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cw5OWK1Oxc


He's what the self-proclaimed anonymous
experts here would call an "old, bold pilot".

No op on the thread subject haven't watched the video, but that is a cool photo from Budapest. Not positive I'd want to be in the apartment facing though, in the unlikely event....

[eh3fifty]

Ridiculous! Some rowing lady thinks that a pilot is suicidal for doing a water takeoff under a bridge? I think she doesn't know much about perspectives either. And the airplane definitely was NOT coming straight at them! Geez.

[GyvAir]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/fl ... -1.2730641

They said it then turned around, sped up and came right at them

Did "they" even watch their own video that they presented as evidence of ill doings?

Rowers can be heard screaming as the plane approached in a cell phone video of the incident.

I hear excited people cheering.

If he/she stayed on the step untill past the bidge we most likely would not be talking about this at all.

I'm pretty sure there would've been a call to the CBC, regardless.


So far, TC has had no luck flushing the pilot out of the bushes:
http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/Ot ... 484840596/
Question of no-fly zones around parliament buildings brought up in above video.

[Rockie]

Same here, I do not see anything that even comes close to risk to property or persons.

I see a miscalculated takeoff that should either have been aborted or at the very least kept on the water until past the bridge. The only other option is that it was deliberate in which case TC enforcement is warranted.

You don't know who was onboard, the experience level of the pilot or whether or not there were motorists on the bridge who didn't plan on getting broadsided by an airplane flown by a pilot with unknown skills and/or judgement. So the quote above makes no sense. Just as comparing this takeoff to a sanctioned stunt flown by a professional stunt pilot with all the appropriate safety precautions doesn't.

Cat, you should know better.

[Cat Driver]

True we don't know if the person operating the controls of that airplane even had a license to operate it, it could even have been stolen.

My comment stands.....looking at the video I do not see any danger to the public and whoever it was behind the controls was either lucky or had complete control of the airplane.

It will be interesting to see if TC can find the person involved and see what if any actipn they may take.

[Rockie]

That is completely contradictory Cat. You're viewing that video as if you were the pilot when you weren't. Even if it was you, you can't say it was appropriate because nobody on that bridge knows you, or if they did would be prepared to accept the risk. Would you say the same thing if your family were onboard or driving across that bridge and you knew nothing about the pilot?

Don't bother answering, I know what you would say. You do no one here a service by tacitly condoning that.

[185_guy]

Did anyone see those reckless boaters with no life jackets on?! Those people are friggin crazy!

[eh3fifty]

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[Moose47]

G'day

This is much to do about nothing!

Cheers...Chris

[Rockie]

Oh yes, totally serious. I would never takeoff under a bridge except in the very early stages of a water takeoff. Would you whoever you are?

Maybe I should clarify something before you answer. Bridges are hard, and are what we in the aviation community call "obstacles".

[eh3fifty]

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[Rockie]

Well forgive me for saying, but that's because you have no concept of the danger either as a motorist on the bridge, a passenger on that plane, or even as its pilot.

[eh3fifty]

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[Rockie]

I was hoping you could imagine yourself as a motorist watching an airplane flying toward the bridge you were driving across, or a passenger sitting in the back of that plane wondering if you were going become part of the decor on that bridge. I guess I was wrong.

My apologies.

[eh3fifty]

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[black hole]

I don't see any danger to anyone. But: to bad in was just a supercub; and not a 185, a Beaver or a mighty Norseman. That would have gotten everyone's attention cause of the noise, but still no danger. [maybe a local noise ordinance] he he!

BH

[Rockie]

Well of course I wasn't there, I never claimed to be. Neither was anybody else on here saying there was nothing wrong with this. Kind of my point. You defend this knowing nothing about the particulars, and by your own admission knowing nothing about that kind of flying

Hypocrisy?

[eh3fifty]

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