Puget Sound Pilot Gets An Escort

It's the kind of trip that you could almost make in your sleep. Maitland "Sam" Wirig finished painting his house near Sequim (WA) last week, jumped in his Cessna 172, and headed for his other house in Kent (WA). He pointed the nose southeast and probably spent some time trying to clear the smell of paint from his nostrils.

Imagine Sam's surprise, then, when he looked off the wing and saw that he was being paced by an F-15 configured for very slow flight. "I saw this great big F-15 (fighter jet) sitting right off my wing tip, about 50 yards away, going really slow," he said.

"I thought, 'My God, what the hell is the problem?'"

The problem was, Sam unknowingly busted one of those pop-up Presidential TFRs. The Bremerton Sun reports he had no idea President Bush was visiting Seattle Friday. He took off from a private, uncontrolled airstrip in Sequim and apparently didn't check the NOTAMs (if, in fact, reasonable notice was even available...). As you know, aircraft are generally banned from within 10 miles of the president. From 10 to 30 miles out, aircraft must have special permission.

Wirig says the F-15 pilot, with whom he was not in radio contact, kept lowering his landing gear and flaps, trying to get the GA pilot to understand. "I couldn't figure out what he was trying to get me to do," said the 69-year-old pilot.

"All you can do is look at them and try to figure out what they're trying to say. I know I was probably not where I was supposed to be, but I didn't know why."

Then the F-15 fired three flares. Hmmmm, this might be important. "That really got my attention," Wirig said. "About that time I decided that Bremerton (National Airport) was a good option. I figured the next flare might be a Sidewinder (missile)."

Wirig landed at Bremerton National Airport near Gorst (WA). The F-15 circled overhead until the fighter pilot was certain the 172 had landed. On the ground, deputies from the Kitsap County (WA) Sheriff's Department were on hand to give Sam a special greeting.

"It was the first time I've done a traffic stop on an airplane," said Deputy Krista McDonald.

After the president left Seattle at 3:15 p.m. local time, Sam was free to go. "I'm not too proud of it," Wirig, who's been flying since 1969, said of the experience.

"I'll wait until it all blows over and if I don't hear from the Secret Service or FAA, then I'll feel better. It was just a lack of knowledge. I didn't know (Bush) was here."

"I didn't get shot down. That's the good news."

Indeed...

FMI: www.faa.gov