Mark Dent, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette –
JULIAN, Pa. – From about 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., a plane towing a banner that read “Take The Statue Down or We Will” flew above State College, apparently sending a message to the Penn State administration about the Joe Paterno statue outside of Beaver Stadium.
The plane is owned by Air America Aerial Ads, a limited liability company based in Toledo, Ohio, according to its FAA registration.
Before the tail number could be identified by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Air America owner Jim Miller said the plane did not belong to him. Later calls to Miller and a company spokesperson were not immediately returned. Miller’s company has flown sports-related banners before, including an anti-Tiger Woods banner at the 2010 Masters.
The pilot of the plane declined to identify himself, his company or to speak about the flight. The plane took off and landed at Ridge Soaring Gliderport in Julian.
The gliderport’s owner, Tom Knauff, said his airport had no knowledge of what the banner said when the plane took off and that banner towing companies often use his airport.
“We [thought this] just this was a routine, ‘Happy Birthday Jim’ thing,” Knauff said.
