Parrothead Pilots Appreciate Updated Procedures At Sunshine State Airports

Pilots who are fans of the late great singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett are now able to pay homage to him when flying the JESTR ONE arrival into Palm Beach International (KPBI) or departing on the BUFFT ONE departure out of Key West International (KEYW) airports in Florida.

The FAA published the updated procedures on October 31, 2024, to give a nod to the original Parrothead who had a huge influence in Florida and on a generation of pilots and others who enjoyed his fun-loving music and lifestyle.

If this sounds familiar, the FAA did have the BUFIT ONE departure procedure out of PBI first published in 2009 but that was canceled in 2021.

Buffett was a passionate pilot himself, as many pilots already know. He flew for many years and accumulated an eclectic group of aircraft with an avid appreciation for unique amphibs. His collection reflected his personality and one that resonates with many in aviation: coastal, adventurous, and a bit unconventional.

His aircraft included a 1939 Grumman Goose, a Lake Renegade, a Cessna 208 Caravan on amphibious floats, and his iconic and beloved 1955 Grumman HU-16 Albatross he fondly named “Hemisphere Dancer.”  Buffett also owned and flew several Cessna Citation 500 series jets.

Buffett’s “Margaritaville” is a fan favorite almost everywhere but perhaps the most famous (or infamous) story is the incident was the one that inspired his song “Jamaica Mistaica.”  In 1996 he was flying Hemisphere Dancer into Jamaica with U2’s singer Bono onboard and had landed on the water off of Negril when Jamaican authorities mistook it for a drugrunning seaplane and opened fire on it. Thankfully no one was injured and Jimmy sure did have fun with that song.

FMI:  buffettworld.com/