WATSONVILLE, Calif. — People are used to seeing a passion for crabs in the Chesapeake Bay region from car stickers to apparel. But, one California pilot took the famous shape to a new frontier this week when he spent hours maneuvering over Monterey Bay in California at night to draw the creature with radar technology.
A pilot for Specialized Aviation, a company out of Northern California that offers sightseeing tours and aerial charters, took credit for a flight path that was visible using FlightRadar24, a live air traffic tracker.
"It's a really difficult design, I haven't seen anything this complex before," said Chris Gularte, President of Specialized Aviation.
Chris spent some years living in the DMV and knows what the crab means to Marylanders.
"We were tossing around ideas for new designs and someone came up with a crab. A Maryland blue crab. It's so recognizable."
Before flight trackers were so easily accessible, skywriting was a popular form of artistry for pilots looking to wow their spectators. Now with 21st-century technology, flight paths are the new way to show off your skills in the sky.
"[Pilots] like to challenge each other, to see what we can do," said Gularte, inviting anyone to try and 'Beat the crab'. "The bar has been set now. The gauntlet's been thrown down."
It appears this crab could be the start of more flight path designs to come, with private pilots from coast to coast writing and drawing with their aircraft. And new planes are paving the way with possibility.
The Vashon Ranger 7, the type of aircraft that drew the crab, is described by aviation experts as a smaller, more nimble plane with updated technological tools in the cockpit to allow for real-time tracking and increased maneuverability.
Maybe next time they will draw a mallet and bib to crack open and enjoy the tasty sky creation.
