Donald Trump’s private Boeing 757 clipped a parked business jet owned by VistaJet at West Palm Beach Airport on Sunday morning. It hasn’t been confirmed the former president was on board, but the mishap occurred after the plane landed at about 1:20 a.m. a few hours after Trump appeared at a rally in New Jersey. It’s also not known if the 757 or the bizjet were significantly damaged.
The FAA released this statement: “A privately owned Boeing 757 landed safely at West Palm Beach International Airport around 1:20 a.m. local time on Sunday, May 12. While taxiing, its winglet contacted a parked and unoccupied corporate jet. The incident occurred in an area of the airport where the FAA does not direct aircraft. The FAA is investigating.”
Ramp control. Can we get a little ramp control out here?
..at 1:20am in PBI? How does a clearance to enter & park fix this … 757 off the taxi line? Flexjet parked incorrectly?
How about the FBO light the area and have a wing walker(s) available in congested areas.
Here we go! Will Trump get done for defrauding the insurance company because he forgot, or was too tight, to insure it properly. I can see it now!
“What do you mean that I cannot claim for damage to my Jet, the most magnificent in the world, on my pet insurance?
“This insurance company is run by Democrats and Communists out to destroy our way of life!”
Yiour what hurts?
Lose the overt politics, folks !!
No one is forcing you to read anything. Do your own selecting instead of expecting others to conform to your demands and desires.
One would and can reasonably expect that commentary on an aviation news website is focused on aviation. Political commentary bashing or promoting a candidate is as out of place here as it is in the grocery store.
Wow, a male pearl-clutcher. Get a life. This wouldn’t even be news if it wasn’t Trump’s plane. The mere publication of this non newsworthy event invites political satire.
Have you read ANY page with comments? People comment about anything and everything, regardless of the topic. The Rump posts that have a few people so agitated relate to his aircraft being involved in an incident. It never ceases to amaze me how many people have had their sense of humor surgically removed at the same time their sensitivity has been turned up to 11. You don’t have to read every post. If you encounter one that gets your knickers in a twist because it doesn’t meet your own personal definition of what should be allowed, then stop reading it and move on. I’m sure you’ll find another and another that will send you into a tizzy.
“I don’t know that jet. I’ve never met that jet. It’s not my type anyway.”
FUNNY!
Hope they sue him for every penny that he has – but, they probably would not get very much.
Too bad it wasn’t worse for the big plane
You’re wishing more ill will on others says a lot about you.
These are the same pilots that comment on Guard by meowing. Childish.
“Listen up, folks! My Boeing 757, it’s unmatched, the absolute top of the line. Sure, it had a little run-in, but let me be clear: it takes a lot more than that to slow us down. We’ve got the best team, the best technology, and mark my words, we’ll have her back in the air faster than you can say ‘Trump.'”
(courtesy of ChatGPT 😂)
Wow! So many America haters on here.
Just stay calm. It will go away.
No. Not America haters. Where did you get that from? Someone doesn’t like a politician that you like so they don’t like America?
Please folks. Don’t you know that politics is part of the entertainment industry. If you can’t laugh at “Sleepy Joe” jokes or “Billionaire but broke” Grump jokes maybe it’s time to move to Russia and try “Macho Man Putin” jokes…
AGAIN, absolute proof of the ATC concept I taught for years, the 1/4 inch rule. Once you get past a 1/4 inch of separation, it’s all open for discussion! LOL
Hoo-boy! I can’t imagine the agita that Russ experienced when he saw that news item cross his screen. He had to know that everyone would have a field-day with this story, despite its nominal significance. In addition to the obviously toxic political connection, it ignites friction among economic classes, and demonstrates that we hold the rich and powerful to higher standards. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. Politicians do plenty of stupendously stupid things that affect us and are legitimately news-worthy. This ain’t one of them.
Unless Trump was in the right seat while the pilot relieved himself, in which case, we’ve got a story. But can you imagine the hue-and-cry if Russ had passed on this “aviation-related” non-story? I guess that’s why he’s paid the big bucks to do this job …
I just thought it was interesting in that he might not have access to the plane for a few days. You’re right, Chip. I couldn’t really ignore it.
Boy the news folks should jump all over this. Double trash talks for the price of one. A Boeing built aircraft and the hated Donald Trump all in one story.
Couple things: you can’t see the winglets from the cockpit so without a marshaller, your only glance at spacing is when you swing the aircraft around to the right (if you are in the left seat). The ramp is not well lit so shadows (which we use to help judge distance) are not usable. It was a non-movement area with no assistance. As someone said, because of the name painted on the aircraft it makes news. It happens every day somewhere in the US and outside the US.
You forgot to mention “Boeing” is also involved. I thought Russ was gentle in that regard. I would have expected him to report that both Boeing and Trump are under Federal Investigation. I’m sure someplace in the world of the news media it will or has been reported just that way.
Just because you have a ramp person directing parking doesn’t mean a collision of wingtips doesn’t happen. I was parked and doing paperwork when a ramp person directed another plane next to mine and tips hit. This was at a major airport with one of the chain FBO’s. If Mr Trump’s plane was under direction of a ramper, I fell sorry for that person. If the captain of the 757 was trying to park on his own. . . Hopefully the damage was minor, as was my incident I described.
Nothing to see here folks. Time to move on. Donald Trump’s penchant for plastering his name on everything he owns is the only reason this incident made the news. The larger you live, the more attention you draw.
If DJT was driving, this MIGHT be a sideline story.
It’s very obvious that to some of you, everything is Trump’s fault. At least you try to make it sound that way.
Grow up and get over yourselves!
The replies to the article are to be expected. The comments show a polarized response, with some making light of the situation and others frustrated by the political commentary. Some commenters joke about Trump’s plane clipping another jet, using the incident to poke fun at Trump’s personality and habits. Others express annoyance at how the discussion quickly turns political, arguing that the focus should remain on the aviation incident. The incident itself highlights how difficult it is to separate an event involving Trump from broader political discussions, making it nearly impossible to focus solely on the aircraft mishap. This mix of humor, satire, and frustration in the comments underscores how Trump’s involvement inevitably brings politics into the conversation, no matter the context.
Headline: “Federal Aviation Administration opens investigation on Trump”
I saw a photo that seemed to show the 757 missing a winglet. The damage to the other aircraft’s tail didn’t look that bad, though, so I’m thinking that they may already have pulled the winglet for repair. If it was actually torn off, that’d be a pretty serious incident.
Years ago when Captain of a 747-400 leaving SFO for HKG at night my tug pushed my right winglet into the left winglet of a Korean 747 on the next gate as we started the right engines. Pushed back onto gate met by airline station engineer at door 2L holding 4 feet of painted kevlar. The winglet weighed 78kg and was 6 feet high. Eventually speedtape to the rescue lots of speedtape round wounded winglet and launched on our 15hour sector. On arrival tape and winglet still on, airplane cleared for one more sector to homebase in SIN, where it arrived still intact. If in doubt use speedtape! Mac