http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2011/10/01/2011-10-01_small_plane_hits_ferris_wheel_during_festival_in_australia.html
(http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2011/10/02/alg_plane_ferris_wheel.jpg)
(http://i.thisislondon.co.uk/i/pix/paimages/2011/10/N0695521317463410814A.jpg)
(http://m2.ttxm.co.uk/images/feeds/pa/news/2011/10/01/460x259/N0695521317463410814A.jpg)
OOOPS!!!!!!
"I am tremendously chagrined by the situation we find ourselves in, mate."
The look on the guy in the left seat is classic.
"How are we going to talk our way out of this one?" ;D
Thoughts:
If you hit a small Ferris wheel, you are flying too low.
Situational awareness is great. Not seeing a Ferris wheel is probably a bad indication of any number of things.
Please do not fly into things with children in them.
I guess it's slightly better than strafing a school in an F-16. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/04/national/main653804.shtml (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/04/national/main653804.shtml)
If you check out "the rest of the story" you will find out that this fair was set up right next to a small grass strip airport and that the small homebuilt aircraft had an engine failure right after takeoff.
He wasn't buzzing anybody...
Interesting. I watched the video in which the pilot said that he took off, didn't even see the Ferris wheel, and next thing he knew, he was in it. I don't see a link to anything about the engine.
All I can say is... Yikes. :o
See: http://www.aerotrike.co.za/cheetah/ (http://www.aerotrike.co.za/cheetah/) for more information on this aircraft.
Not sure what type of pilots license is required in that country to fly it.
Locally, we've got a ultra light club that was flying on land next to a closed small airport. Over the past 5 years or so, there's been 3 or 4 crashes. The last one involved an individual that bought a top of the line ultra light ($30K+), took only 1 lesson and than took off, apparently didn't know how land and crash and ruined the aircraft and had some serious injuries. I think the club has since placed some restrictions to avoid in experienced/no experienced pilots from flying out of that location. Past incidents primarily where mechanical related engine failures versus direct pilot error.
RM
Yep, a Ferris wheel makes a pretty efficient ultralight strainer.