A woman in Naples, Florida riding her bike on Thursday morning was blown across the road beside the Naples airport as a plane took off.
The woman reported she “went sideways. So immediately as I started flying, that was the first thing that came into my mind, oh my god are there cars coming?” She wound up on the ground.
Her concern is that there is no signage to warn people about the jet blasts. But the airport does have blast deflectors at the end of its runway.
“If a blast can carry me and my bicycle clear across the road to the other side, it could take a baby carriage, it could take a stroller, it could injure an elderly person,” said Carman.
The Naples, Florida airport no longer has commercial air traffic. American Airlines pull its Miami Eagle flights out in late 2001 and US Airways Express ended Tampa flying in 2003. Delta Connection operated from Atlanta between 2004 and 2007. Elite Airways tried for a year and a half between October 2015 and March 2017. The area is largely served from Fort Myers.
Some people actually chase the thrill that caught this woman by surprise. With smaller private aircraft in Naples though you aren’t going to be able to get the same thrill John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton experienced in Pushing Tin.
She is not telling the truth. Jet blast does not approach that far.
Yeah pure BS. People looking for either attention or a pay out. Theres a reason this was in Florida.
John. I ride my bicycle along that path, almost everyday. And have done, for years. I’m not interested in so called 15 minutes of fame. I am interested in a second deflector at the airport and signs, warning of possible jet blasts. The jet was not on the runway, where the deflector is located. It was in a spot close to the fence. With it’s tail end facing the fence and road. When the Airport Authority interviewed me. They were shocked that the jet was ever in that spot. Let alone blasting it’s engines there. As I rounded the curve on the path, past the plane. I was suddenly blown sideways. Down the grass verge and across the road. It’s a sudden force, that carries you along. It was sudden, fast and strong. Everything in my bike’s basket was blown across the road into the field and woods and lost. Nothing valuable, just a water bottle and a towel. I also ended up on the other side of the road. My sunglasses were instantly blown off my face and broken. My bicycle handlebars completely twisted around. But not damaged. I was fortunate not to have been injured,. Blown into a tree, or lamp post, or hit by a car had one been traveling down the road, at that moment. The danger is clear. The blast was sudden and unexpected. And the proximity to the road, makes it extremely dangerous. A baby in a stroller could have have been thrown out of it. A frail person, or somebody with a heart condition, could have suffered serious consequences.The scenarios for a serious outcome are endless. From my understanding, after my interview with the airport authority. The jet was very possibly, in the wrong place. like you I cycle that path many times a week. I have never seen a jet sitting in that spot before. Only the occasional very small plane, as it waits for the final taxi, onto the runway. And even then it’s unusual as most approach up past the observation platform and then turn right, onto the runway. This jet was past that point, up closer to the fence, facing back down the taxiing path. It’s tail end facing the fence. It would have to move forward a little, then left .. to get to the runway, were the deflector is. There is no room for error when you have people cycling and walking along a multi use pathway, alongside an airport. People and their belongings shouldn’t suddenly be blown around, as they take a stroll, or bicycle ride. Especially that close to a 2 lane road. I called the airport immediately after I got home. And contacted the media solely for the purpose of awareness. My only goal, is that this doesn’t happen to somebody else, resulting in a more serious outcome. And that the airport takes action, by way of a second deflector and warning signs. That’s it, I have no agenda other than awareness of the danger.