Brickbats

Straighten Up and Fly Right

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Helicopter pilot Jeremy Johnson is being hailed as a hero by people in southern Utah. He braved strong winds to rescue a family stranded in a flood. He then raised money for the family—which had its trailer, mobile home, and camper washed away—by flying people over the flooded area. But the Federal Aviation Administration isn't impressed by Johnson's efforts. It says he broke federal laws by not giving seven days advance notice of his flights. It also says he may have broken the law when, at the request of local authorities, he flew explosives and an explosives expert across a river to blow up debris that was contributing to the flooding.