Pilots report drone sightings near JFK Airport

News 12 Long Island has learned there are three reports of drones flying dangerously close to planes at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Officials say a JetBlue pilot notified the tower yesterday

News 12 Staff

Nov 21, 2014, 2:47 AM

Updated 3,664 days ago

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News 12 Long Island has learned there are three reports of drones flying dangerously close to planes at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Officials say a JetBlue pilot notified the tower yesterday afternoon that a drone was only 2 miles from runway 31 in Nassau County airspace. The FAA says the JetBlue flight landed safely.
The FAA confirms a Delta Air flight and a Virgin Atlantic jet both spotted a drone Sunday about 10 miles from a runway. They both landed safely.
Dennis Angermaier, chief pilot for the Nassau County Police Department, and his crew responded to all three incidents this week. He says drones pose a potential danger to airplanes.
"We know that birds have taken down aircrafts. We know there's potential danger of the unmanned aircraft causing windshield damage...which could impair the pilot's vision," said Angermaier.
This week, the National Transportation Safety Board ruled drones are now classified as aircraft. Fliers are subject to fines if the FAA determines they are being flown in a reckless manner, such as near an airport.
The FBI and the FAA are investigating the incidents. Police are asking the public to report any incidents of seeing someone flying a drone in an effort to keep track of who has them and what their intentions are.