The skies over the Super Bowl are guarded by pilots of March Air Force Reserve, others – Orange County Register
Pilots at March Air Force Reserve Base near Riverside are ready to intercept if required in time Super Bowl.
Colonel Troy Havener, commander of the Fresno-based 144th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard and Air National Guard, whose fighters are parked in March, will help enforce the no-fly zone that will be in effect around the Airfield. campaigning SoFi in Inglewood during the NFL championship game Sunday, February 13.
Raquel Girvin, regional administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration’s West-Pacific, stating that one hour before the start of the match and during the match, aircraft without special permits and drones will be prohibited. fly within 30 miles of the stadium, up to an altitude of 18,000 feet.
With flight popularity and number of dronesOfficials from several agencies addressed drone owners at a media event on a Riverside County base on Wednesday, Feb.
“We are excited to see our hometown team Rams in the big game against the Bengals and we hope fans will celebrate safely,” said Girvin, who oversees Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and US territories in the Pacific said. “But we encourage everyone to please leave your drone at home.”
Girvin warned that unauthorized drone pilots and operators could face fines and criminal prosecution.
Passenger flights to and from Los Angeles airport will not be affected by the game day restrictions, she said.
Amir Ehsaei, the FBI’s counterterrorism special agent in Los Angeles, said there would be no problem during Super Bowl LVI.
“At this time, we have no indication of a credible threat to the Super Bowl or any related events,” he said.
However, Ehsaei urged people to report suspicious activity, including activity on the internet.
If something threatens security at the Super Bowl, there’s a plan to deal with that, says Air Force Major General Andrew Scott with the US Continental NORAD Region, headquartered at Air Force Base Tyndall near Panama City, Florida said.
Scott encouraged fans to have fun and “watch the game, and we’ll watch the sky. There will be a powerful air defense system equipped on Super Bowl Sunday. “
Other partners on the defense team include Civil Aviation Patrol and Customs and Border Protection air and maritime operations.
Havener said the high-speed fighter jets could be dispatched in an instant from several military bases in California. One of them was March, where the 1st Squadron of the 144th Fighter Wing was stationed, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Mark Jansky.
“There are pilots on alert 24-7, 365,” says Jansky, one of them.
He is not scheduled to be “vigilant” on Sunday, but the other pilots of March are – and will be ready to take action.
Flying at 600 mph, Jansky said, an F15 or F16 that took off in March should arrive at SoFi Stadium in four or five minutes.
F16 fighter can fly up to 1,500 mph, according to an Air Force website. But, Jansky said, “we have to do subsonic testing. No one wants to hear us go ultrasound and boom Southern California.”
If asked to intercept an aircraft traveling in the opposite direction, Jansky said he would try to contact the pilot.
“If it’s a mistake, that’s the fastest way to get them to change,” says Jansky. “Otherwise, we’ll come and block them.”
Pulling close to the stray plane, the fighter pilot will shake the fighter’s wings.
“If they respond with a winged rock, that means they probably know what’s going on and who we are, and they’ll be watching us,” Jansky said.
If the pilot fails to respond, he said, another action will be taken without explanation.
Havener, commander of the 144th Fighter Squadron, said extensive preparations were underway.
A flight exercise took place at Inglewood on Tuesday afternoon, February 8, involving F-15 fighter jets, a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, a UH-60 helicopter, and a UH-60 helicopter. other aircraft, the NORAD statement said.
“Just as the Rams and Bengals rehearsed their plays, so do we maintain the readiness and practice of our plays,” Havener said.
https://www.ocregister.com/2022/02/09/skies-above-super-bowl-to-be-protected-by-march-air-reserve-base-pilots-others/ The skies over the Super Bowl are guarded by pilots of March Air Force Reserve, others – Orange County Register
