A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Blackhawk helicopter U.S. Border Patrol
High school student uses federal helicopter to get a date
CBP pilot who dropped message over high school has been relieved of duty.
High school teens are always looking for new and creative ways to ask potential dates to their formal dances. Usually, however, they involve big signs and beautiful flowers, not a federally owned helicopter.
A Prince William County, Va., student used a Customs and Border Protection aircraft last week to drop a stuffed animal onto the campus of Patriot High School with a note that read “Fall Fest?” according to The Washington Post.
CBP confirmed the story to Government Executive, saying it already has identified and punished the helicopter pilot.
“CBP management is looking into the matter and the pilot in command of the aircraft has been relieved and reassigned to administrative duties pending completion of the review of the incident,” agency spokesman Michael Friel said in a statement.
CBP declined to confirm reports that the pilot was the student’s father.
The pilot dropped the stuffed animal on the football field, where the intended recipient, 17-year-old Victoria Burress is a kicker on the school’s football team, according to the Post.