Gyro Pilot Saves a Life today!

[ventana7]

Mike Bantum, whom many of you know as the Sun n Fun choppertown air traffic controller and who is also the Florida Xenon Dealer used his gyro to save a guy's life today in Florida.

A friend was practicing touch and gos in his new Aventura sea plane out in the middle of Lake Okechobee, while Mike watched from nearby in his gyro.

On a bad landing the friend cartwheeled the plane and then moments later took off then crashed it in the middle of the lake.

Mike flew out from the shore and circled the wreckage while using his radio to call a nearby airport to alert 911 and send rescue boats. Mike continued to circle but never saw anyone swim out of the plane.

Over half an hour went by and no resucuers had arrived and no sign of a swimmer. Finally Mike saw a pair of white arms a mile away from the wreckage. The guy was drowning when Mike spotted him and Mike then started circling him while still waiting on rescuers in boats who had not arrived.

Mike could see his friend below tiring and waves breaking over his head, but there was nothing he could do but circle overhead.

Finally Mike saw a fisherman on the lake and flew just feet above the guy giving him arm signals to follow Mike. Eventually the guy caught on and followed him to the wreckage and stopped there. Mike had to nearly attack the guy again to get him to follow him another mile away to where his exhausted friend was nearly drowning. It had been almost 45 minutes and the eldery man was exhausted.

The boat got there just in time and the fisherman pulled Mike's friend from the water as the friend was on his last moments afloat.

In any aircraft except a helicopter or gyro this would have been impossible.

Mike deserves a hero's recognition for his quick thinking and great flying!!

Yea Mike

[Friendly]

Mike is a person of character for sure.

[bogman]

Great job Mike !!!

[barnstorm2]

Fantastic!!!

Congratulations Mike!!

I hope this gets some postive news coverage!

.

[Fl90]

Good job. BTW, Lake Okeechobee is 40 miles in diameter. The waves, especially in wind like today, can be 6'. An errie sight to see a gator body surf!

Phil.

[scottessex]

Way to go Mike! Hopefully this will shed good light on our sport.

[skypuppy]

Not being funny, but Priase God that the guy survived that long in the water as you can practically walk accross the lake on the backs of gators.

[rgraffeo]

Great job Mike!

[dragonflyerthom]

Great job and a cool head. Way to go.

One more reason to fly gyros.

[gyro]

Mike, I hope you get the credit you deserve!

[fiveboy]

First off - great job. To help another is our obligation as Brothers.

As regards a recent thread about how we get the word out and create an 'image' for the Gyro community - here is a prime example. If PRA had some person who had a list of media outlets at hand, this is the kind of thing that needs to be touted.

Please dont think I am being crass and Machiavellian - I know the man risked his own life to save another and that is reward unto itself - but as regards our sport - you dont get better PR.

Just my two cents - moreover. Bless you Mike on behalf of everyone.

[mark treidel]

Mike, you're the 'man of the hour'....One can only imagine what mental anguish YOU were going through as well. Good on you!!!

[Falcon]

Mike,

Great job, this is proof that the gyro is a useful tool. I hope you are well and the pilot of the plane makes a full recovery and choses to fly gyros as well!!!

[RockyMeLad]

Mike is absolutely "the man of the hour".

Rob, Anyway you could slip that story to the media? Especially if you could get someone to interview the swimmer and the boater, too.

Such a story with all the details and personal insights would be great in the PRA Mag.

[Arnie Madsen]

Amazing story Rob. Do you know how the pilot ended up a mile away from the aircraft ? And what does it mean "the plane cartwheeled and then took off again?

Hope the news people give this rescue some coverage.

Thanks
Arnie Madsen
47-G2