Pittsburgh hospital flyover to salute those on front line of covid-19 pandemic

Jeff Himler | Saturday, May 16, 2020 10:21 a.m.

Staff Sgt. Bryan Hoover | U.S. Air National Guard

Pennsylvania Air National Guard Captain Matthew Saccone and Major Jeremy Ketter, assigned to the 171st Air Refueling Wing, pose for a photo in front of a KC-135 “Stratotanker” aircraft on January 31, 2020. The same type of aircraft is slated to be part of a flyover of Pittsburgh-area hospitals on May 19, 2020.

The Pennsylvania Air National Guard is planning a flyover of several Pittsburgh-area hospitals Tuesday afternoon in honor of covid-19 front-line responders.

Two aircraft, piloted by airmen from the 171st Air Refueling Wing at Pittsburgh International Airport and the 193rd Special Operations Wing at Middletown, are slated to appear in formation above Forbes Hospital in Monroeville shortly after 12:15 p.m.

They are tentatively scheduled to proceed over seven other facilities — UPMC Presbyterian, UPMC Mercy, UPMC Mercy Greentree, St. Clair Hospital, Heritage Valley Hospital, Allegheny General Hospital and UPMC Children’s Hospital — before completing the flyover above UPMC Shadyside shortly before 12:30 p.m.

The pilots then will head to the Johnstown and Harrisburg areas for additional flyovers.

The event is part of Operation American Resolve, a nationwide salute to those supporting covid-19 response efforts. They are conducted at no additional expense to taxpayers, according to Air National Guard officials.

Officials urged those observing the flyovers to practice social distancing.