Police pilot under investigation

[Chuck K]

The FAA is investigating whether a police pilot endangered fans during a helicopter stunt at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' football stadium during a Super Bowl victory rally.
Police failed to get FAA clearance before two officers descended by ropes Monday from the police helicopter hovering over the field at Raymond James Stadium, as some 65,000 fans looked on. "We are investigating it as an unsafe operation," Christopher White, an FAA spokesman in Atlanta, said Tuesday. "They didn't get the required waiver, which would have allowed our safety people to evaluate the operation. There might have been security concerns, too." The FAA said pilots who violate safety regulations can be fined and have their licenses suspended or revoked. The police pilot's name has not been released.
Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the federal government has declared all sports stadiums no-fly zones, but FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said Wednesday that was a separate issue. She said the FAA is investigating only whether the pilot's actions endangered spectators.
Tampa police spokeswoman Katie Hughes said the department's aviation squad approved the stunt. The FAA is "reviewing video and will get back to us as to whether they think we put the public in danger," she said.

Not enough info yet to see how any fans were endangered. :confused:

[Hoverman]

Unless he genuinely endangered anyone, the pilot should be OK.
He's lucky he hasn't got the CAA investigating. The imagination of our CAA deskpilots knows no bounds at times like this. They can make endangering out of anything.

[B Sousa]

The complaint ,no doubt, is from some disgruntled dude with a bone to pick with Law Enforcement. In our ever increasing regulated world its happening more often. Someday the Wolf will call for help and be told that Regulations wont allow it.

[GLSNightPilot]

I'm not sure what the FAA thinks it can do about it. Public use aircraft (and police-operated aircraft certainly are such) are not regulated by the FAA. The pilot doesn't have to have an FAA license, & the FAA can do nothing about preventing the department from flying its aircraft. It's exactly the same as if it were a military aircraft - the FAA has no jurisdiction.

[Capn Notarious]

I could ask you folks.
At the main event itsef, the singer performed at half time,
Was it perchance recorded for broadcast?

[Red Wine]

Its all prerecorded........they only look good.........not sound good in public.

[B Sousa]

GLSNightPilot writes: "I'm not sure what the FAA thinks it can do about it. Public use aircraft (and police-operated aircraft certainly are such) are not regulated by the FAA. The pilot doesn't have to have an FAA license, & the FAA can do nothing about preventing the department from flying its aircraft. It's exactly the same as if it were a military aircraft - the FAA has no jurisdiction."

You certainly cant be flying in the same sky as other follks in the states. I have heard the above before many times as an excuse to defame Law Enforcement Pilots.
It may be true that Public Use Aircraft may not come under the same control. BUT I would like for you to name one agency that is using anything but an FAA rated and most likely Commercially Rated Pilot here in the states.

[SASless]

or ATP pilots and operate to FAR Part 135 standards too....