NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman flew a privately owned Northrop F-5 Tiger II over the National Mall on 4 July after the Federal Aviation Administration rejected a request to authorise four of the jets for the Freedom 250 flyover.
The FAA's 30 June decision called the aircraft 'very high-risk' and identified potential danger to people and property on the ground. The flight nevertheless went ahead after Isaacman said the operation had been placed under NASA control and should be treated as a government operation, not a civil one.
