Han Solo can be a pilot again. Or, at least, Harrison Ford can be. The iconic actor has a hobby of piloting planes going back to the 1960s, as well as a more recent habit of almost crashing them. On April 24th, 2020, he steered his small plane across a runway that another aircraft was about to use. Apparently, he’d misheard a radio communication. Thankfully, though, no one was injured and Ford immediately admitted fault. And now that he’s taken a remedial course, all is well again and he can return to his passion.
The FAA noted:
“The FAA has closed the case involving the pilot who crossed a Hawthorne Municipal Airport runway without authorization on April 24, 2020. The FAA required the pilot to take a remedial runway incursion training course. When the pilot successfully completed the course, the FAA closed the case with no additional action.”
Meanwhile, Harrison Ford’s representatives released their own statement stressing that the incident was an honest mistake that didn’t put anyone in immediate danger, saying:
“Mr. Ford crossed the airport’s only runway in his aircraft after he misheard a radio instruction from ATC. He immediately acknowledged the mistake and apologized to ATC for the error. The purpose of the flight was to maintain currency and proficiency in the aircraft. No one was injured and there was never any danger of a collision.”
Ford’s other notable airplane incidents while flying include a landing mistake in 2017, where he accidentally flew over an American Airlines Boeing 737. More alarmingly, in 2015, his plane suffered an engine failure and he unfortunately broke his pelvis and ankle while being forced to land it on a golf course.
Hopefully, with his license now restored, the actor can focus on what we all really want: Indiana Jones 5, which is technically scheduled for a July 2022 release. However, it seems to be facing serious problems, and not just ones from COVID-19. As such, we wouldn’t be surprised to see that date get pushed back at some point.
For now, though, we’re just happy to hear that Harrison Ford has been cleared and is able to fly again. Let’s hope there are no more incidents.
