Did anyone see the news reports where a 747 accompanied by F16s flew low over Manhattan, this morning? Turns out it was a Photo Op for Air Force One but it scared the bejeezes out of a lot of Mahattanites, my daughter among them. Most of the downtown buildings ended up evacuating and the yahoos in charge didn't even give people a heads up that this was in the works.

What were they thinking?

My older daughter ended up calling my husband to see if he knew anything about it. He is in the aviation business and immediately speculated that it was President Obama, which made her feel a little better. She was really upset because she WAS upset. She didn't realize that this would affect her so much. We have conversations, regularly, about my concerns that they'll get caught in another terrorist attack and they think their mom is a worry-wart (they all live in NYC). To react the way she did (scared to death) shocked her. She never expected that she would have reaction.

It WASN'T President Obama but it was a Photo Op for Air Force One so husband was close.

I'd like to kick the butts of the idiots who didn't think it would be a good idea to let people know the photo op was planned. Imagine how much that cost all those businesses and the stress on their employees to have them out standing in the streets for a half hour or so, scared spitless, with no word as to what was going on.

Grrr.

The maneuver was coordinated in advance with the FAA and state and local officials.

The Defense Department "coordinated the flight with FAA," FAA spokeman Jim Peters said, "and we made the notifications to the city of New York, as well as the 311 and 911 centers, the NYPD, New Jersey State Police and various operations centers in the New York area."

City officials were notified, but not the general public.

That is from ABC. Looks like typical local government not passing the word on. I remember reading a story a few months back about a place in Ohio that had marines conducting a military practice exercise in a downtown area, only to have the mayor throw a hissy fit and told them they had to leave the city. That was a case of the police department and the mayor's aid not letting others know.

How sad... probably brought up a lot of horrible memories.

It made this mama mad. Just when I think my kids are grown I am reminded that motherhood is a life sentence. I don't like seeing my kid rattled (she is fearless, usually).

^^^At least she gets to live in Manhattan. Lucky girl.

my youngest, a 16 yr old teen, had a fit over this as well. As it was related to me, he was rather vocal these folks are so stupid, have they never heard of simply using Photoshop

This decision was so poorly thought out, and so little regard was given to its potential impact on others, there's little I can add.

MORONIC does come to mind though.

That is from ABC. Looks like typical local government not passing the word on. I remember reading a story a few months back about a place in Ohio that had marines conducting a military practice exercise in a downtown area, only to have the mayor throw a hissy fit and told them they had to leave the city. That was a case of the police department and the mayor's aid not letting others know.

Well, I guess not everyone got the memo.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Monday he's furious that the federal government flew a presidential Boeing 747 and two fighter jets near Ground Zero.

Bloomberg said the flyover so close to the World Trade Center site showed "poor judgment" and was insensitive, adding that he's furious that the NYPD and another city agency were notified last week, but didn't tell him.

If he had known, Bloomberg said he would have tried to stop it.

The White House issued an apology for the exercise.

"It's clear that the mission created confusion and disruption. I apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused," White House Military Office Director Louis Caldera said in a White House-issued paper statement.

The maneuver over lower Manhattan was part of a "photo op," and not a cause for alarm, Federal Aviation Administration officials said, but that didn't stop several area buildings from evacuating.

The exercise involved two F-16s escorting President Obama's Air Force One backup plane in the vicinity of Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty, Reuters reported. FAA spokesman Jim Peters told The Wall Street Journal that the maneuver was not an emergency and was coordinated in advance with the FAA and state and local officials.

Obama was not on board, Reuters reported.

One businesswoman, who works near the waterfront in Jersey City, N.J., told FOX News that it looked like a plane was going to hit their building, and everyone in her office ran down the stairs because they were "frightened."

John Leitner, a floor trader at the New York Mercantile Exchange Building, said workers received no official prior announcement about the exercise. He said everyone panicked when they saw the low-flying planes and began running out of the building, mere blocks from the former World Trade Center site, around 10 a.m.

About 1,000 workers gathered along the Hudson River until a security officer with a bullhorn told them it was a planned exercise. Workers in other office buildings also reportedly spilled out into the street.

The New York Police Department confirmed the plane was part of a military photo shoot and buildings were being evacuated because they have their own security that thought it may have been something else.

Source: FOXNews.com - NYC Mayor Furious After Low-Flying Planes Panic Workers - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518112,00.html)

I think the "photo-op" is just a coverup story. They could be testing secret military technology. Now I'll leave that up to everyone to imagine what that could be.

I think the "photo-op" is just a coverup story. They could be testing secret military technology. Now I'll leave that up to everyone to imagine what that could be.

Tell me, Thunder, what's "the real story" here? I'm not good at imagining things like this. Do tell :please:

Thanks for your bold text artwork GWB. Pretty much just restated what I said. Now back to your troll cave of the Political Forum with you.

Thunder, I doubt any cover up issue here. Probably similar to the current main press photo of the VC-25A over Mount Rushmore, they wanted a new one with the Statue of Liberty in the background. I'm sure the photo would be neat, but probably too early. Look at how long it took for people here (and some still aren't) to get comfortable with moving trucks parked in certain areas again.

There will always be fear and worry and nerves on end. Trauma does that. We all have things that strike a nerve with us and can bring us into a very emotional state. For New Yorkers it is the sight of a low flying jet, for some here it is moving trucks in front of buildings or the next major tornado. You can't fault people for getting upset or nervous about these things. Some of us are able to work past them better than others.

Stupid move. If anything they should have planned it for a Saturday or Sunday, and gave everyone a week's notice so the local media would have had time to get the word out. Communicate Communicate Communicate.

Well, maybe one thing, they're practicing on short-range missle targeting. Places throughout the areas have hidden missle launchers.

Maybe they want to test the alertness of the citizens and survey their evacuation response time.

It could simply be the pilot gone berserk and the fighter jet was there to shoot down the plane during the negotiation process.

Whatever it may be, I still don't think it is a photo-op. It must be something else since the feds kept this highly a secret from the public.

Venture, you posted that while I was typing. lol

If it is just a photo-op, then why not the feds have it announced thru the media? Why keep it highly a secret?

Thanks for your bold text artwork GWB.

You're welcome! :smile:

I doubt it was a photo op either. Come on. I wonder if we'll ever know what really happened.

Venture, you posted that while I was typing. lol

If it is just a photo-op, then why not the feds have it announced thru the media? Why keep it highly a secret?

Talked with a few friends who are more familiar with the situation. The position of the VC-25s are never disclosed publicly apparently. So while local "need-to-know" people were told, due to security issues they were restricted from telling the public. In that situation, I can totally understand giving too much advanced noticed to the public that one of the aircraft in the Air Mobility Command's presidential fleet will be in a specific area at a certain time. However, maybe 1 hour notice over the radio and TVs would have been prudent. Reading some of the comments and news stories out of New York, a lot of people started to recognize the paint scheme on the plane being one of the presidential aircraft and disregarded any evacuation orders.

Communication is all it comes down to. Let people know an hour ahead if possible that it would be happening and the reaction would have been completely different. Instead, one of the symbols of the country brought fright and terror to people. Not to move into a political commentary, but a lot of people seem to forget what the word terrorism actually means. 9/11 was an attack on our country, an act of war you could say by a extremist faction. That image though from that day burned into our minds to where we are now terrorized by it, and when something like this triggers those emotions...it highlights exactly what they set out to accomplish. Americans fleeing in fear from the one aircraft they should probably be the least afraid of.

Okay off the soap box.

This morning the news showed a clip of people on the ground running for the lives as they were watching this plane and the two jets fly close to ground zero.

From NBC New York: Jumbo Jet, F-16 Buzz Lady Liberty, Put New York on Edge | NBC New York (http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/F-16s-at-Lady-Liberty-Put-City-on-Edge.html)

"It's completely asinine after 9/11 to do that," said Keith Mercantine, who witnessed the chaos in Jersey City. "I saw ambulances out here with pregnant women."

An Air Force One lookalike and F-16 buzzed the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor in the morning, halting work on nearby construction sites, causing residents and office workers to flee their high-rises and giving thousands of people in downtown Manhattan and New Jersey a major fright.

At least two people were treated for minor injuries at Jersey City Medical Center after falling during the rush to exit their buildings.

"Everybody panicked," said Daisy Cooper, a Merrill Lynch worker in Jersey City, who lost a nephew on 9/11. "Everybody was screaming and we all ran downstairs. I'm devastated...Everybody was running, we didn't know why we were running. We just knew it was a plane, there we go, 9/11 again."


It was reported that the DOD ordered this not to be reported and kept a secret. This was an absolutely stupid decision. The person who made this decision should be fired, or at least suspended without pay for a few weeks. There is not an ounce of logic or common sense that would justify why this had to be kept from the public, and according to reports, even Obama didn't know about it. If the reports are true, Obama was furious when he found out about this, as he should be. Say what you want, but there is no justification for this whatsoever, especially in light of 9/11.

Was it really necessary in the first place? I mean, come on, this is why we have photoshop.

have they never heard of simply using Photoshop

This decision was so poorly thought out, and so little regard was given to its potential impact on others, there's little I can add.

I was thinking the same thing. I know my photoshop skills aren't perfect, but this is the US Govt. we're talking about. I'm pretty sure they could have found someone or someway to create a seemless near perfect photo without ever moving a plane.....or three. In a time when we are all trying to cut back and save money I wonder how much it cost to have the 747, its crew, 2 f-16s, their crews, the jet fuel, the ground crews, photographers, and eveything else involved for this operation. Not to mention whatever costs were incurred on the ground due to the panic. The US govt. is famous for paying to much for supplies, and this might not add up to much, but still...every dollar counts.


Look at how long it took for people here (and some still aren't) to get comfortable with moving trucks parked in certain areas again.

Good point....for years I always looked at Ryder trucks a little differently than I used to before 4/19.

westside, I agree. There has to be more to this story that we'll never know. This was a flat out stupid idea. What kind of photoshoot do they need? As you said, there are plenty of people that could do a perfect photoshop without flying the plane. The NBC video stated that the presidential plane costs $68,000 an hour in fuel charges alone, not counting crew, etc. or the fighter jets. We're talking about a serious cost financially and emotionally. Maybe it's Obama's administration bringing hope to New York? Is that the purpose of the photoshoot?

The cost last night was estimated by one talking head I heard at about 1/3 of a million.

I'm a touch surprised Coburn hasn't had an MI over it, cause that even bothers me, and I rarely think much about the going ons out in DC

As for Ryder trucks, I'll leave it some folks still today ponder such rentals differently than they once did.

Thanks for agreeing with me, in part. I heard last night that the total of the three planes and crew was somewhere around $328,000. Not much by national standards but I could sure put that money to better use. I dont think Obama knew anymore than we did about this. To somehow think he knows where all his employees are is impossible to imagine. Hopefully hes worrying about the mid-east, H1N1, and the recession. He shouldn't have to be babysitting the military. If anything maybe the DOD did it to emberass the president for not being their buddy.

I heard Monday that the DOD didn't want to publicize this beforehand for security reasons..lol. Everytime the President goes somewhere its publicized. It would have been a great opp. for the DOD to use this as a publicity stunt and told everyone what they were doing and if they wanted to get a once in a lifetime chance to get a picture of AF1 over NYC to bring their cameras.

While it probably wasn't the best use of $300,000 + dollars, there is probably a lot about it we don't know. I'm not convinced this photo shoot was for a still photo. I'd think the primary purpose was for a promotional video for something. Something inspiring and diplomatic...kind of like the visitOKC videos...

The previous post about civilians bringing a camera for this rare event seems the most logical way to have handled it.

If that plane was shot with a video and if it is shown in the 100th day introduction to Hussein's reserved time slot, then it was all planned, including Hussein himself.

If that plane was shot with a video and if it is shown in the 100th day introduction to Hussein's reserved time slot, then it was all planned, including Hussein himself.

I'm betting that footage is going to end up in a jar somewhere. They won't trot it out after all the hoola.

It really would have been cool if they'd told people so they could get pictures.