Arkansas Again Flight Tests Turkeys and Again with the Predictable Result

In this Oct. 7, 2016, photo, an airplane passes over the Yellville Turkey Trot in Yellville, Ark., while someone aboard drops a live turkey to the ground. The Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017, that it had an investigator at the fair in 2016 and that the pilot complied with the plan to drop turkeys away from a crowded area. Organizers are hoping that a "phantom pilot" won't pass over the town this weekend and drop live turkeys, as has been done for decades.

Jason Ivester /The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP, File

ABC:  Dropping turkeys from planes triggers Arkansas festival flap

Dropping turkeys from aircraft was made famous by WKRP in Cincinnati when Arthur, the station manager, tried the same stunt only to be shocked by the result which is when he woefully said, "As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.

In fact, turkeys can fly but not all that well and they definitely weren't designed for flying out of Cessna aircraft.


"It means Fall is here," the Yellville Chamber of Commerce wrote in an open letter. "It means a turkey dinner a few weeks earlier than the rest of America. It means homecoming for many. ... Turkey Trot is so much more than turkeys being released from an airplane."

- ABC

Zen Yogi:  that's probably all it has to be for the turkey

Definitely, Yogi, since the turkey won't much care what else is in the Festival.


"They can fly a long ways," Woods told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette last year. "We treat the turkeys right. That may sound ironic, but we don't abuse those turkeys. We coddle and pet those turkeys. We're good to them."

- ABC

Zen Yogi:  sure they're good to them ... right up until they chuck them out of the aircraft.


That claim of the turkey's flying ability is belied by the number of turkeys which don't survive this flight test.

Zen Yogi:  what goodness is there in that?

That comes when they stop but there's no law so the FAA can't force them to stop.

Zen Yogi:  it's too late to decertify the Louisiana Purchase but there would be some great comedy in dumping Arkansas back on France

Yep, it's probably too late for that, Yogi.  All we have is to try talking with them but they have already done it for this year and it will start again just the same next year as if it's Groundhog Day except with birds.