Why you saw a large military plane fly over Philly Friday morning

Did a large plane flying around Center City give you a scare Friday morning? You're not alone.

But there's no cause for concern — the Air Force's C-17 gliding above Market Street was a part of Fox 29 Salutes the Military, an event that pays tribute to members of the military, according to tweets from the Fox affiliate.

But for those who didn't know about the event, which temporarily closed the 300 block of Market Street, the sight was a bit jarring. Some on social media said they thought the plane was flying a bit too close for comfort.

The Fox Salutes flyover was coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administraion, according to a spokesperson. The agency's minimum safe altitude guidelines for flying over congested areas say "an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft" is needed.

Christian DeLuca, a spokesperson for the 514th Air Mobility Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, said the C-17 Globemaster III flew in around 9 a.m. at about 1,500 feet.

DeLuca said the aircraft, a cargo plane that's big enough to fit tanks and helicopters and is typically used for moving troops and equipment, was slowed down for a longer flyover, making it louder.

Fox29 did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for the Philadelphia police said the department didn't receive any calls.

Fox 29 celebrated its 10th "Salutes the Military" event Friday.