Parasail Sideswipes Aerial Banner

The skies have become rather crowded over the beach at Gulf Shores (AL), and here's proof: a parasail rider collided last week with a banner towed by a low-flying aircraft.

It happened on Thursday when the parasail tow rope, connected to a boat in the Gulf of Mexico, made contact with a towed banner. The banner-release mechanism on the towing aircraft worked as advertised. The woman riding beneath the parasail canopy was unhurt.

Now, owners of both parasail and banner-towing operations are to sit down Friday night and talk about sharing the skies.

"It's a way to try to get everyone to work together," said Gulf Shores Airport manager Russ Kilgore.

The FAA continues to investigate the incident, but parasail operator tells www.al.com he's already been cleared by federal investigators. Steve Vrondran, owner of Perdido Parasail, says his boat was almost stationary in the Gulf when the accident occurred, at about 1:00 pm CST. He says the parasail was no higher than 300 feet above the water when it was bumped by the banner. Usually, he says, banner-towing aircraft operate no lower than 400 feet.

So far, the owners of Gulf Air Aviation, which owns the banner-towing aircraft, have not commented on the incident.

FMI: www.faa.gov