Narrative:

'Fly-by' over sql. On jan/xx/97, a 'V' formation of 3 high fixed wing aircraft made a low pass over runway 30 at sql. This was a practice 'fly-by.' on jan/xx/97, a 'V' formation of 5 high fixed wing aircraft performed a 'fly-by' over runway 30 at sql as part of a formal memorial service. On both occasions, the altitude over the airport was 200 ft followed by a slow climb along the centerline of runway 30 for about 2 mi, then a slow climbing right turn along belmont slough to a sunken ship in mid-bay and south of san mateo bridge where the formation broke up and returned to sql. On both occasions, contact was maintained with sql tower and the flts were cleared for the low pass. While there are no known complaints, it is possible that occupants of residences and office buildings along the centerline of runway 30 and to the north may lodge noise complaints, leading to an examination of a possible violation of far 91.119 (minimum safe altitudes). In the opinion of the reporter (the lead plane in both formations), the 'fly-by' at pattern altitude (800 ft) would have been simply inappropriate and would have destroyed the desired effect. On both occasions, the formations initiated a slow climb at the end of runway 30 in order to maintain the integrity of the formations. Had the climb been any more abrupt, the participating aircraft probably would have scattered, a highly undesirable result given the occasion. It is estimated that at the end of the clear zone beyond and along the centerline of runway 30, the formation were at 350-400 ft and climbing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ACFT. RPTR PLT WAS LEAD PLT IN A 5 PLANE LOW FLY-BY. LOW FLY-BY WAS COORDINATED WITH THE TWR, BUT RPTR WAS NOT CERTAIN ABOUT THE OCCUPANTS OF OFFICE BUILDINGS AND RESIDENCES CONCERNS FOR THE LOW FLYING.

Narrative: 'FLY-BY' OVER SQL. ON JAN/XX/97, A 'V' FORMATION OF 3 HIGH FIXED WING ACFT MADE A LOW PASS OVER RWY 30 AT SQL. THIS WAS A PRACTICE 'FLY-BY.' ON JAN/XX/97, A 'V' FORMATION OF 5 HIGH FIXED WING ACFT PERFORMED A 'FLY-BY' OVER RWY 30 AT SQL AS PART OF A FORMAL MEMORIAL SVC. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, THE ALT OVER THE ARPT WAS 200 FT FOLLOWED BY A SLOW CLB ALONG THE CTRLINE OF RWY 30 FOR ABOUT 2 MI, THEN A SLOW CLBING R TURN ALONG BELMONT SLOUGH TO A SUNKEN SHIP IN MID-BAY AND S OF SAN MATEO BRIDGE WHERE THE FORMATION BROKE UP AND RETURNED TO SQL. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, CONTACT WAS MAINTAINED WITH SQL TWR AND THE FLTS WERE CLRED FOR THE LOW PASS. WHILE THERE ARE NO KNOWN COMPLAINTS, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT OCCUPANTS OF RESIDENCES AND OFFICE BUILDINGS ALONG THE CTRLINE OF RWY 30 AND TO THE N MAY LODGE NOISE COMPLAINTS, LEADING TO AN EXAMINATION OF A POSSIBLE VIOLATION OF FAR 91.119 (MINIMUM SAFE ALTS). IN THE OPINION OF THE RPTR (THE LEAD PLANE IN BOTH FORMATIONS), THE 'FLY-BY' AT PATTERN ALT (800 FT) WOULD HAVE BEEN SIMPLY INAPPROPRIATE AND WOULD HAVE DESTROYED THE DESIRED EFFECT. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, THE FORMATIONS INITIATED A SLOW CLB AT THE END OF RWY 30 IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE FORMATIONS. HAD THE CLB BEEN ANY MORE ABRUPT, THE PARTICIPATING ACFT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE SCATTERED, A HIGHLY UNDESIRABLE RESULT GIVEN THE OCCASION. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT AT THE END OF THE CLR ZONE BEYOND AND ALONG THE CTRLINE OF RWY 30, THE FORMATION WERE AT 350-400 FT AND CLBING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.