A private pilot has marked the United States’ 250th anniversary by flying in a Cessna Skylane RG to ‘draw’ a message in the sky over Ohio. 

The light aircraft, N4936T, a Cessna R182 Skylane RG II, completed a six-hour and 11-minute flight that traced the words “USA 250” within the outline of the continental United States.

Cessna pilot’s tribute to the USA

The flight took place on 3 July, with the pilot flying a Cessna aircraft over northern Ohio and Lake Erie. 

The tribute was created through a carefully planned GPS flight path that was visible through online flight-tracking platforms such as FlightRadar24.

Starting with the letters USA, the pilot then drew the numbers 250 in a sequence, which eventually led them to overfly the city of Cleveland. 

Cessna Skylane completes commemorative flight 

The aircraft continued, following the outline of the contiguous United States, in a manoeuvre that likely tested both the pilot’s flying skills and the ability of the aircraft and its occupants to remain in the air for such an extended period of time. 

The route the unnamed pilot flew resembled the outline of the United States, with the words “USA 250” inside the map. 

With a flight time of just over six hours, the stunt put the aircraft close to its maximum endurance. 

How other pilots have drawn shapes in the sky

The stunt marking the US’ 250th birthday is not the first time a pilot has ‘drawn’ a shape in the sky using an aircraft and a carefully plotted route. 

Source: aerospaceglobalnews