FAA Investigates Dad Who Took His Son To School In A Chopper (VIDEO)

CLERMONT, Fla. (AP) -- The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a helicopter ride that a central Florida father arranged for his teenager's first day of school.

According a Lake County Sheriff's Office report, Bart Sutherin flew his 14-year-old son, Joseph, to his first day of classes at East Ridge High School in a blue-and-white helicopter this week.

Sutherin landed the helicopter safely, but he didn't clear the flight with the Lake County school district officials and sheriff's office first.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Sutherin told officials that he wanted to "make a positive impression on the other students" on his son's first day of ninth grade. The newspapers reports a deputy called the FAA after Sutherin's flight.

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Comments

[sloreader]

Dad sounds like a whack whack whack whack whack job to me.

[GodBlessAmerica]

I'm ambivalent about this, but that's pretty funny. Thanks for the laugh :)

[AAnLA]

how did he get home? LOL

[ephoenix5]

Did he break any laws? If did, then give a good example to his son by prosecuting him. If he didn't? Then leave him alone.

[Chad53916]

Google this school, look at the satellite view and get an idea of how far away from people and structures he landed this little chopper. It's no wonder the FAA has not cited him.

To the people with the outrage: Congratulations. You've seized a fun, harmless thing and are trying to turn it into some reckless stunt resulting from a small p*nis. Your outrage reeks of jealousy.

[knosiswar]

Whine, BE-otch, moan, complain, BIG HAIRY FREAKING DEAL. I wish we had a special continent for all the Jealous Haters and Self Rightous Hippocrits of the world, so that the rest of us could live in peace.

[knosiswar]

Whine, BE-otch, moan, complain, BIG HAIRY FREAKING DEAL. I wish we had a special continent for all the Jealous Haters and Self Rightous Hippocrits of the world, so that the rest of us live in peace.

[prestonmacdougall]

Parents with "residual issues" often try to relive their school days through their children. Ironically, educators call them "helicopter parents"! This episode will probably make it into school counseling textbooks. LOL

[sloreader]

LOL. Thanks for the revolution errr revelation.

[Chad53916]

Sounds like you have some residual issue yourself. Just because your daddy didn't take you to school in a little toy chopper doesn't make you any less special.

[Demster]

Yeah, pretty cool...unless you broke a law, which is what he did. So, he is showing his son that breaking a law is not as important as showing off to your friends.

[Merckx]

Do you know something I don't? I didn't see where the law was broken.

[Cantab81]

What law did he break? VFR in noncontrolled AS, 500 ft from any structure.Too many people with too much to say.

[dlvme2]

If the video is listened to he broke no laws and since that is the case - much ado is being made of nothing.

[SteveStephens]

pretty cool actually.

[fatmex]

Pretty stupid actually.

Not a good way to teach values and priorities to your kids.

[knosiswar]

Ridiculous comment.

[x76]

What a great stunt. Helicopters are amazing to watch in action.

>but he didn't clear the flight with the Lake County school district officials and sheriff's office first.

Somebody sounds like they're all butthurt because they weren't "in the loop"... the Clitocracy of middle schools everywhere, and the Jackie-Gle­ason-Portl­y-Sheriff-­w-Mirrored­-Sunglasse­s Southern Sheriff come to mind instantly.

He didn't "clear the flight" -- it's a helicopter. No height restrictions. Land anywhere. Hello? FAA? What *do* you do that's positive?

[GerryS]

whiners and crybabys--

whhhhhaaaa­aaaaaaa---­----------­----------­----

[ycreek]

All I have to say is AWESOME!!

[MerhabaAbi]

I wouldn't have done this to/for my kids, but I'm not him. It still is a free country and he utilized his liberty to do something he wanted to do. Each complainant should look at their own lives and criticize their own mistakes as harshly as they vilify this guys decision.

[Skiwee]

Here we go again........'free country and he utilized his liberty'..­.........T­hese words do not give one the right to not think through an idea before acting on it.

[GodBlessAmerica]

I honestly would not have thought of "clearing" a flight with the Sheriff. Even now, I'm puzzled as to any role they would have played, or why notifying them would have been either useful or obligatory.

Nobody was hurt, nobody was threatened, and nobody was inconvenienced. Am I missing something, Skiwee? Tell me your thought process and how it would have differed.

[MerhabaAbi]

Actually, those words give a person exactly that right. It was an ill-concieved plan but he didn't breadk the law or enganger others.

[Babzter]

I hope they both had clean underwear.

[jackspaw]

Good for him!

[Alonso Quijano]

Father should be prosecuted for needless and unreasonable endangerment of all the people whose houses were flown over, on the way over and back, plus endangerment of any overhead wiring (electrical, telephone, cable, etc.). People who want to live like kings in the USA should buy their own country, give up U.S. citizenship and move there or learn to put up with the rights of others.

According to eighteenth century philosopher Immanuel Kant, an act is immoral unless it would be good for others and a good idea for everybody to do it. This is clearly an immoral act by that criterion.

[GodBlessAmerica]

Alonso, I disagree, both with your conclusion -- let me tell you how many times I wish I had a helicopter to bypass Los Angeles traffic -- with your rationale -- those who are rich by legitimate means get to us their wealth for legal purposes.

And Kant was not in keeping with American values -- which was ok for him, certainly, especially given that he wasn't American, but it's not the best source.

[stormbear]

He rented his helicopter and you do not need to be rish to rent what he was flying.

[VPN]

Blah, blah, blah what a load of nonsense, how was overflying whatever was on the ground any more "unreasonable endangerment " than ANY commercial or military Aircraft overflying ANY city or town?