Richard Heene thought about sending one of his kids flying through the air at high, uncontrollable speeds before -- though the first time, he didn't actually stage an elaborate hoax around the idea.
TMZ has obtained a clip of Heene's Internet show -- which he also sold on DVD -- called "The Psyience Detectives." Heene often put his kids on the show, which featured Richard trying out his various crack pot scientific theories. His wife Mayumi also served as an editor.
In this particular clip, Richard shoots a 60lb rocket into the air and shouts, "60 pounds! That's like launching one of my little children" ... foreshadowing faux-flying-Falcons to come.
Unlike the balloon, Heene had full FAA approval for this launch.
It may be the least of his problems, but TMZ has learned the FAA is investigating whether Richard Heene released a tethered balloon without authorization, according to an FAA official.
In addition, the FAA is looking at whether Heene filed a false report with the agency.
Neither offense is criminal ... they're civil issues and the penalty is a fine.
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office just held a press conference on the Heene family's flying saucer caper -- and they said, as of now, they feel it was a "real event" and not a hoax.
Sheriff Jim Alderden said Falcon's parents "expressed statements, non verbal communication, body language, and emotions that were consistent with the events taking place."
He confirmed Richard Heene called the FAA first, then a local TV station before calling 911 -- because 9 News had a helicopter they believed could help the situation.
Also interesting to note -- Falcon's parents were asked if they wanted to be present when investigators interviewed him yesterday, but they didn't care, so he went solo.
Alderdon said the video of Falcon from Larry King has raised skepticism in the department and they will re-interview the family tomorrow -- giving the boy time to recover from that puke filled interview on "Today."
UPDATE: Correction: Wick tells us the chopper is NOT meant to carry Michael's body and is just there for "emergency purposes only."
Law enforcement tells us their contingency plan to get Michael Jackson from Forest Lawn to Staples Center has some danger associated with it.
L.A. City Fire Captain William Wick says if a processional on the freeway is too dicey, a fire dept. chopper will take Jackson's body to downtown L.A. But he says "I'm concerned for our pilot's safety," because of the 20 news choppers hovering around in a tight air space.
Capt. Wick says he's considering calling the FAA to restrict the airspace.
Again, the plan is to take Jackson's body by motorcade -- the helicopter plan is the contingency, but they're getting ready for it.
UPDATE: Captain Wick told us the FAA has granted permission to clear a one mile area of airspace -- called a "temporary flight restriction" -- and says he's "highly considering" using the grant.
Laura Brown, the FAA spokesperson who gave TMZ this quote about Billy Mays -- "The passenger needs to wear a seat belt during landing and he didn't" -- now says she didn't say it.
She now tells TMZ, "At this point in time, we cannot have any idea who was or wasn't wearing their seat belt on the plane."
Mays was one of the passengers aboard a plane that landed roughly at Tampa International Airport yesterday. He told a local FOX affiliate he was hit on the head by falling items.
The FAA is already deflecting blame for the death of Billy Mays -- claiming the legendary TV pitchman wasn't wearing a seat belt when he took a shot to the head during a rough landing on a flight he was on yesterday.
Here's what we know -- Billy Mays was aboard US Airways Flight 1241 flying from Philadelphia, which landed roughly when the front tire blew out as it touched down. After the flight, Billy told FOX 13 in Tampa that something struck him in the head -- here's Billy's actual quote: "All of a sudden as we hit you know it was just the hardest hit, all the things from the ceiling started dropping. It hit me on the head, but I got a hard head."
We called the FAA for comment, and a spokesperson told us, "The passenger needs to wear a seat belt during landing and he didn't."
A spokesperson for US Airways did not want to comment until more information comes to light.
Billy posted about it last on his Twitter last night, saying, "Just had a close call landing in Tampa. The tires blew out upon landing. Stuck in the plane on the runway. You can always count on US Air."
So remember the video we got of the pilot who got serviced by a porn star as he flew his helicopter over San Diego? He's the celeb pilot who got in hot water flying Tommy Lee ...
Well there's an FAA hearing underway to permanently revoke the license of one David Martz, and it's almost as entertaining as the in-flight movie.
Several pilots have just testified in the case. One said he would not fly with Martz while he was getting oral sex but would have felt safe with Martz under every other circumstance.
Another pilot, Tim Sears, who has flown with Martz since 2001, testified he would have no problem flying with Martz during oral sex, provided there were dual controls, aka sticks.
Martz then took the stand and choked up, while talking about a mishap in Mexico.
Martz has had his license revoked twice and suspended twice for various violations. After TMZ ran the video of the in-flight oral sex escapade, the FAA temporarily yanked his license.
The hearing continues.
UPDATE: The prosecution argues that had there been one wrong move during the "oral" flight, the porn star could have bitten the pilot's junk off.
Martz legal team countered -- claiming it's NOT reckless to conduct oral sex in an aircraft and that a pilot does not need both hands on the controller at the same time.
Oral sex doesn't fly with the FAA. TMZ just found out helicopter pilot David Martz's pilot's license has been pulled.
An FAA spokesperson tells us they issued an "emergency revocation" of his license.
A statement from the agency says they reached the decision based on video that, "showed Martz receiving oral sex while flying his helicopter over San Diego." He was flying with a porn star at the time of the incident.
Martz, who's flown rockers Tommy Lee and Slash, has already appealed and there will be a hearing in the next 30 days.
TMZ has obtained an explosive videotape -- well, a prematurely explosive videotape -- showing the extremely graphic and dangerous activities inside the chopper of celeb pilot David Martz... and let's just say they don't call it the cockpit for nothin'.
The tape proves Martz -- who's currently being investigated by the FAA -- was undeniably distracted by his porn star passenger Puma Swede ... for 47.5 seconds anyway ... while his chopper was flying high above San Diego and his pants were flying down around his ankles. And there were many minutes of foreplay, where at least one hand -- in particular, several fingers -- was definitely not on the controls.
While Martz recklessly buzzed over crowded freeways and residential neighborhoods, his passenger took off her clothes and orally took control of Martz' other joystick ... if you catch our drift.
The camera rolled for 45 minutes, though the flight was longer. It begins with Puma topless on the tarmac at Montgomery Field. Puma says the in-flight entertainment was a way to "compensate" Martz for allowing his chopper to be used for a porno shoot in a nearby hangar.
Martz has had his pilot's license suspended twice and revoked twice, but he's still flying -- at least for now.
It may be the least of his problems, but TMZ has learned the FAA is investigating whether Richard Heene released a tethered balloon without authorization, according to an FAA official.
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office just held a press conference on the Heene family's flying saucer caper -- and they said, as of now, they feel it was a "real event" and not a hoax.
UPDATE: Correction: Wick tells us the chopper is NOT meant to carry Michael's body and is just there for "emergency purposes only."
Laura Brown, the FAA spokesperson who gave TMZ this quote about Billy Mays -- "The passenger needs to wear a seat belt during landing and he didn't" -- now says she didn't say it. 
The FAA is already deflecting blame for the death of Billy Mays -- claiming the legendary TV pitchman wasn't wearing a seat belt when he took a shot to the head during a rough landing on a flight he was on yesterday. 
So remember the video we got of the pilot who got serviced by a porn star as he flew his helicopter over San Diego? He's the celeb pilot who got in hot water flying Tommy Lee ...
Oral sex doesn't fly with the FAA. TMZ just found out helicopter pilot David Martz's pilot's license has been pulled.
