The White House has apologised after a low-level flight by a presidential jet and a fighter plane sparked panic among New York City office workers.
The half-hour flight triggered the evacuation of a number of office buildings in the city.
Pentagon officials said the fly past - a photographic exercise not involving President Obama - had been co-ordinated with city and state authorities.
No general public notification was issued in advance.
"While federal authorities took the proper steps to notify state and local authorities in New York and New Jersey, it's clear that the mission created confusion and disruption," Louis Caldera, director of the White House military office, said in a statement.
"I apologise and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused."
Correspondents say many New York residents are still scarred by the September 2001 attacks when airliners ploughed into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington DC.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he was "furious" about the incident, criticising those responsible for failing to warn the public.
"The good news is it was nothing more than an inconsiderate, badly conceived and insensitive photo op with the taxpayers' money," said Mr Bloomberg.
The Boeing 747 jet is one of two planes known as Air Force One when the US president is aboard.
My question is, how the hell does something like this happen? Are the people who arranged this, thought of this, etc. completely unaware of what happened in 2001?
9/11 happened nearly 8 years ago and by all means, we shouldn't live our lives thinking we are going to die each day, but when the federal government completely ignores telling the people of New York City that when that big jumbo jet with an F-16 heading straight towards you not to panic because they are taking photos, I have to wonder who thought of this and who approved this venue, this form of going about a photoshoot.
The FAA approved it, but I really think they should have let the news networks know so that they can tell people and it wouldn't have them freaking out. Worst part is, it doesn't even seem like the White House, nor Mayor Bloomberg, really knew what was going on.
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Re: Air Force One photo-op
Admiral Antilles
April 27th, 2009 07:59 PM
Yes, i heard about this on the news.
I must say, probably one of the stupidest things the FAA Has done....
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Re: Air Force One photo-op
AlDaja
April 27th, 2009 08:30 PM
Wow…is it possible to get non-retarded individuals in the White House…I thought we voted change…my mistake.
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Re: Air Force One photo-op
Stratopwn3r
April 27th, 2009 08:59 PM
I don't really see the problem, yes it would be scary. But, the VC-25s that the Air Force operates have very distinctive markings. It's almost like an American not knowing what the White House is.
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Re: Air Force One photo-op
Crazy Wolf
April 27th, 2009 09:07 PM
Oh, lack of proper communication, you strike again.
Am I the only one who, if seeing a fighter jet I knew was American flying low overhead, would say "Cool!" instead of freaking out?
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Re: Air Force One photo-op
Stratopwn3r
April 27th, 2009 09:08 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crazy Wolf
Oh, lack of proper communication, you strike again.
Am I the only one who, if seeing a fighter jet I knew was American flying low overhead, would say "Cool!" instead of freaking out?
I would orgasm.....
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Re: Air Force One photo-op
Jeffro
April 27th, 2009 09:15 PM
Sorry, but what a bunch of whiny maggots.
I understand 9/11 happened and the memory of it is fresh, however a low-flying aircraft doesn't automatically spell doom. The panic is ridiculous.
That being said, this was a boneheaded move by the government. Anyone with an ounce of sense can understand shitheaded moves by our puppetmasters.
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Re: Air Force One photo-op
Smitty025
April 27th, 2009 09:25 PM
I was in Manhattan all day and I didn't even find out about this until late afternoon.
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Re: Air Force One photo-op
Anlushac11
April 28th, 2009 02:38 AM
One of the new Boeing 747's for use by President Obama as Air Force One was being delivered and someone decided it would be cool to get a photo op of the new Air Force One with two F-16's as escort zooming the Statue Of Liberty.
The FAA was informed but apparently did not properly forward the data so when a Boeing 747 started flying low over New York with two F-16's in tow the city panicked.
I can see being rattled by the Boeing 747 but I would have also realized that there were two F-16's flying with it instead of trying to shoot it down.
The 747, while technically only called Air Force One while the president is aboard, has a distinctive paint job that apparently no one noticed either.
Obama was not on board.
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Re: Air Force One photo-op
Admiral Donutz
April 28th, 2009 04:21 AM
To repeat my post from the FH OT forum:
Heh:
- Waste of money (oohh a photoop)
- Miscommunication
- The location is questionable, though I'd either have gone for Washington (flying over the whitehouse at low altitude) or New York (yes, despite the terrible thing that happend). IF I would have did such a wasteful photoop to begin with (I don't think I would have).
- Poor communication again, if this simply "had" to happen it should have been all over the news a day or two in advance. Calling the various authorities (cityhall, emergency services and all the shit they did call) is nice but they should also have released a memo to the press you think. Fuckup.
- A waste of money, did I mention that?
-----------------
It is quite clear that this ain't a normal airplane that is being hunted down by jet fighters. So it might have looked cool, and I guess it might have been appriciated if it was announced to the public properly, but it has "waste of money" written all over it. But then the goverments around the world waste money on all sorts of things.
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