Obama plane photo op startles new yorkers [Archive]

View Full Version : Obama plane photo op startles new yorkers

ELVIS

04-27-2009, 05:25 PM

April 27, 2009 (http://www.nypost.com/seven/04272009/news/regionalnews/obama_plane_photo_op_startles_new_yorker_166470.ht m)

"I take responsibility for that decision," said Louis Caldera, Dir. White House Military Office...

<object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WbDXgVXHp4U&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WbDXgVXHp4U&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object>

A jumbo jet being chased by a F-16 fighter jets buzzed Lower Manhattan this morning, panicking New Yorkers, many of whom were forced to evacuate their office buildings.

It was not a terrorist attack, however, but a photo opportunity for Air Force One, sources told the Post.

President Obama was in Washington at the time, but the low-flying 747 circling the Statue of Liberty was one of the planes used as Air Force One, sources said.

The NYPD and the city were notified of the planned flight, but did not share that information with Mayor Bloomberg and other New Yorkers, many of whom said they were terrified.

Hours after the incident, a furious Bloomberg called the photo-op "insensitive."

"First thing is I'm annoyed - furious is a better word - that I wasn't told," he said. "Why the Defense Department wanted to do a photo op right around the site of the World Trade Center catastrophe defies imagination. Poor judgment would be a nice ways to phrase."

Bloomberg said federal officials notified the NYPD and another city official, whom he declined to identify, of the flight plan.

"Had I known about it I would have called them right away and asked them not to," he said. "The good news is it was nothing more than an ill considered, badly conceived, insensitive photo op - with the taxpayers' money."

Dominick Caglioti, who works at the Mercantile Exchange, thought the worst as he saw the jets hurtle toward his window just after 10:30 a.m. After learning it was all a photo op, he was furious.

"It's so stupid because they tell you about every fire drill, but they didn't tell us about this," he said.

The planes flew over the Verrazano Bridge, buzzed the left ear Lady Liberty and then continued up the Hudson past Jersey City and then circling back toward Staten Island, federal sources told the Post.

Thousands flooded the streets downtown as buildings called evacuations.

"There is situation outside. We don't have any further information," went one announcement at the Embassy Suites downtown.

After hearing it was all planned, many of those in the streets complained New Yorkers should have been warned.

"You don't do this to people down here after all we have been to," said Jillian Pizzarello, who also works at the Mercantile Exchange.

According to the Department of Defense, that Presidential Airlift Group began its aerial photography mission at Andrews Airforce Base.

"This mission, involving the VC-25 and an F-16, was conducted in conjunction with normally scheduled continuation training for assigned aircrew members," officials said.

:elvis:

LoungeMachine

04-27-2009, 05:28 PM

Very stupid thing to do without announcing it well in advance, to everyone

:gulp:

But a one-news-cycle event.

FORD

04-27-2009, 05:30 PM

The real story here is how quickly they could get F16's in the air to intercept the plane.

Guess that works when you don't have Darth Cheney ordering them to stand down and let an attack proceed.......

And yeah, beyond that, it was a fairly dumb idea, but I doubt the President had anything do with it. But by the time Hannity and Billo the Clown get done with it, they'll have him flying the plane himself.

LoungeMachine

04-27-2009, 05:33 PM

I dont think they "scrambled" the F-16.

I think it was part of the whole "plan"

If you could call it a plan.....

:gulp:

ELVIS

04-27-2009, 05:42 PM

Jeez FORD...:duh:

Kristy

04-27-2009, 05:53 PM

Well the story is from the New York Post so I suspect a little bias spin on the fear overtones but still, what a imperious stunt to pull just for a photo op - especially to repeatedly circle landmarks of New York City with a 747 of all places.

I don't ask much of Obama or whine about him like so many do these days but what I do ask of the dude is to quit with all of this rock star mentality camera-whoring bullshit and just be the god damn president of the United States.

thome

04-27-2009, 06:01 PM

More than likely it was a military testing real time confrontation targeting and defence recognition test for air force one .

They probably have installed some new detection equipment on the plane.

That bastard is armed to the teeth an looks like a transformer when fully actuated.

Photo ops are done in photoshop these days.

But, I know you all already knew that.

I am sure the masses of people will start talking about the wasting of taxpayer money for photo ops....and see nothing else.

perhaps blame the BCE in someway...?

Nickdfresh

04-27-2009, 07:06 PM

At the risk of sounding like an Obama shill, wasn't it more the Defense Dept. that is at fault for this?

Seshmeister

04-27-2009, 07:47 PM

Wow New Yorkers have been completely owned by 9-11 if they are still shitting themselves over something like this.

Land of the brave my ass...

lesfunk

04-27-2009, 09:45 PM

New Yorkers are pussies. Just look at the Yankees

lesfunk

04-27-2009, 09:46 PM

I don't ask much of Obama or whine about him like so many do these days but what I do ask of the dude is to quit with all of this rock star mentality camera-whoring bullshit and just be the god damn president of the United States.

ditto

FORD

04-27-2009, 10:01 PM

Even Keith Olbermann is pissed off.......

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Diamondjimi

04-27-2009, 10:17 PM

Christ ,does he need a battleship to putt around the local water fountain? Sheesh, why not just secretly load him and his fuckin camera in a Channel 7 new chopper and fly him around for 15 minutes. Nobody would know ,no panic for the people of NY...

Dr. Love

04-27-2009, 10:27 PM

But by the time Hannity and Billo the Clown get done with it, they'll have him flying the plane himself.

Olbermann? Is that you?

ELVIS

04-27-2009, 10:38 PM

Even Keith Olbermann is pissed off.......

Yeah right...

Next we'll hear how Obama is pissed off and blames this entire event on someone else...

:elvis:

FORD

04-27-2009, 10:45 PM

Obama had nothing to do with this. He was busy all day in meetings regarding the impending piggie flu crisis.

Gee..... a President that addresses a crisis BEFORE it gets bad. Just think what your home town would look like today if Chimpy had done that in 2005.

chefcraig

04-27-2009, 10:52 PM

New Yorkers are pussies. Just look at the Yankees

I disagree. I believe New Yorkers are cool people that invite a degree of respect when you consider things. It's merely the members of their sports teams that lack grit, and therefore...pretty much suck.

sadaist

04-27-2009, 11:27 PM

Wow New Yorkers have been completely owned by 9-11 if they are still shitting themselves over something like this.

Land of the brave my ass...

You fucking piece of shit cocksucker, the whole country was owned by this, especially New Yorkers. When a family member heads off to work to pay for his mortgage & kids daycare and ends up jumping from 100 stories up to avoid burning alive, it kinda leaves a lasting impact on you.

Go fuck yourself.

Dr. Love

04-27-2009, 11:43 PM

Oh calm down sadaist, it's not like a bunch of guys strapped with dynamite went into a subway for a photo op! That would be totally different!

And all those londoners wouldn't freak out at all!

Seshmeister

04-28-2009, 12:11 AM

You fucking piece of shit cocksucker, the whole country was owned by this, especially New Yorkers. When a family member heads off to work to pay for his mortgage & kids daycare and ends up jumping from 100 stories up to avoid burning alive, it kinda leaves a lasting impact on you.

Go fuck yourself.

:D

I'm sure it was just the media talking but if people really are 'terrified' by a plane with an escort flying over they really need to get a grip of themselves.

lesfunk

04-28-2009, 12:12 AM

That stunt is reminiscent of Bush landing on the Aircraft carrier . Both propganda except this one came off embarrassingly inappropriate . Bush's actually came off well... for one news cycle anyway.

Seshmeister

04-28-2009, 12:18 AM

Oh calm down sadaist, it's not like a bunch of guys strapped with dynamite went into a subway for a photo op! That would be totally different!

And all those londoners wouldn't freak out at all!

Londoners were back on the subway the day after that bombing.

I flew into the States within a few weeks of 9-11.

It's funny how some people who talk big about fighting terrorism actually mean they want to send bombers to attack someone else when the real way to fight terrorism is not to be terrified by it.

lesfunk

04-28-2009, 12:23 AM

Sesh, those people in N.Y. weren't terrified by "terrorists", they were terrified by our own President.
Sounds like the BCE!!!

Seshmeister

04-28-2009, 12:47 AM

I do agree since Obama wasn't on the plane then people should have been told it was just a stunt.

Just another government fuck up. It's funny to think of all these super complex bullshit conspiracies the Alex Jones people come up with when in reality big government can't even organize a fucking photo shoot never mind planting millions of tons of TNT in buildings, coordinating multiple hijacks etc etc etc. :)

chefcraig

04-28-2009, 01:37 AM

Londoners were back on the subway the day after that bombing.

I flew into the States within a few weeks of 9-11.

It's funny how some people who talk big about fighting terrorism actually mean they want to send bombers to attack someone else when the real way to fight terrorism is not to be terrified by it.

Ya know Sesh, you and me do not know each other at at all. I'm glad you had the strength or duty to hop on an airplane in the aftermath of September 11th, and conduct your business. Yet I'll ask you a favor: Shut your arrogant fucking mouth with regard to suffering and perseverance, as it reflects upon my family. Apparently, you did not lose a loved one or close relative in the attack. My family did.

It's really nifty to type out words on a keyboard and make brave proclamations regarding other people's dignity. It is another to mourn the death of a person that is a part of one's family. Hey, we all suffer in our own way. New Yorkers were not the only people affected by this instance, yet you can be assured all folks here in the U.S while in a shocked stupor, went back to work the next day. Acknowledging terrorists and wishing to flatten them in retribution is pretty much a normal reaction, particularly to those of us that have felt a particular loss.

And this applies no matter how high-minded you might feel while sitting safely at your computer.

GAR

04-28-2009, 02:44 AM

Even Keith Olbermann is pissed off...

When are YOU going to be pissed off and disenamoured of Obama you Koolaid Drinker?

a) Fed interest rate reaches 5% (Nov 09)
b) Fed interest rate reaches 10% (Apr 10)
c) Fed starts issuing IOU's (Jan 11)
d) Government bankrupt, fires all workers who don't print money (Mar '11)
e) Government IOU's stop buying paper to print money on because inflation raises the cost of a ream of 8x11 paper $75,000 USD and a bottle of injet ink more than that (July 11)

or..

d) America repents of Change Nobody's Got, easily sweeps a new era of Republican seats in the Senate and Oval Office in a 9:1 rout.. to begin the Damage Control Era lasting 25 years or more..

GAR

04-28-2009, 02:50 AM

Next we'll hear how Obama is pissed off and blames this entire event on someone else...

At least he waited after a good 100 days in office before he started building up B-reel video stock and starts campaigning for the office of Presidency in the next election.

What does he care that in doing so, he freaked out half a NYC?

"I won." He's an egomaniac. He doesn't give a fuck about anybody but the win.. lie with false promises of Change that Didnt' Happen - cheat, with the help of millions of fake votes with the help of ACORN and the DNC - and stealing, in the form of taking a couple hundred million from foreign nationals on his visit to Syria right before he started his run for office.

lie
cheat
steal

FUCK Obama. Pure half-white trash!

FORD

04-28-2009, 03:44 AM

Go crawl back up Jizzy's ass you dickhole.

GAR

04-28-2009, 03:48 AM

Racist!

Seshmeister

04-28-2009, 05:21 AM

hideyoursheep

04-28-2009, 05:53 AM

Wow New Yorkers have been completely owned by 9-11 if they are still shitting themselves over something like this.

Land of the brave my ass...

Londoners were back on the subway the day after that bombing.

I flew into the States within a few weeks of 9-11.

It's funny how some people who talk big about fighting terrorism actually mean they want to send bombers to attack someone else when the real way to fight terrorism is not to be terrified by it.

No, you island hillbilly, he read it just fine.

What is this "Londoners were back on the subway" shit? Correct me if I'm wrong, (and I'm not) people were back in the towers the day after the 93 bombing...on 9/11, people wer heading back IN to help whomever they could, and would more than likely been back to work the next day, IF there were towers left to go into.

That shitty hooch you call scotch must be taking it's toll.

ELVIS

04-28-2009, 06:40 AM

It's hard to find pics of this...

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2009-04/46537505.jpg

:elvis:

kwame k

04-28-2009, 07:26 AM

Pure half-white trash!
Coming from A Pure-White Trash Guy.

Seshmeister

04-28-2009, 07:43 AM

That shitty hooch you call scotch must be taking it's toll.

I'm not the one running terrified into the street every time a plane flies over. :)

Apologies to anyone upset by my posts, I see GAR has thanked me which is never a good sign.

I don't know how much the media have blown this up but all I'm saying is that if after 7 years people are still as jumpy as that then it's a damn shame. I wonder how the people of Bagdhad will be in a few years...

The thing I don't understand about this story is why in these days of Photoshop it's still necessary for the plane to be flown over landmarks for real. It looks like a grey cloudy day which means they would have to alter the pic anyway.

Blaze

04-28-2009, 08:40 AM

I'm not the one running terrified into the street every time a plane flies over. :)

Apologies to anyone upset by my posts, I see GAR has thanked me which is never a good sign.

I don't know how much the media have blown this up but all I'm saying is that if after 7 years people are still as jumpy as that then it's a damn shame. I wonder how the people of Bagdhad will be in a few years...

The thing I don't understand about this story is why in these days of Photoshop it's still necessary for the plane to be flown over landmarks for real. It looks like a grey cloudy day which means they would have to alter the pic anyway.

It was unnerving to watch the video of the "photo op", but you are right Sesh.
Who was the hillbilly that could not break protocol and disclose where Air Force one would be at a given point in time. There had to be more than one hillbilly stumbling around like the 3 stooges on this one.
How could you not know to break protocol on unusual activity like this?

ELVIS

04-28-2009, 09:23 AM

I don't know how much the media have blown this up but all I'm saying is that if after 7 years people are still as jumpy as that then it's a damn shame.

They, or rather, we're not...but I can't speak for people who work or live near Ground Zero. Personally, I think I would be a little cought off guard, to say the least, to see a low flying jumbo jet if I lived or worked in NYC...

But it seems there has been much less trust in official government reports, and an increase in Government Prior Knowledge (http://www.indexoftheweb.com/911.htm) since 9/11...

:elvis:

Dr. Love

04-28-2009, 10:31 AM

Guitar Shark

04-28-2009, 11:53 AM

Ya know Sesh, you and me do not know each other at at all. I'm glad you had the strength or duty to hop on an airplane in the aftermath of September 11th, and conduct your business. Yet I'll ask you a favor: Shut your arrogant fucking mouth with regard to suffering and perseverance, as it reflects upon my family. Apparently, you did not lose a loved one or close relative in the attack. My family did.

It's really nifty to type out words on a keyboard and make brave proclamations regarding other people's dignity. It is another to mourn the death of a person that is a part of one's family. Hey, we all suffer in our own way. New Yorkers were not the only people affected by this instance, yet you can be assured all folks here in the U.S while in a shocked stupor, went back to work the next day. Acknowledging terrorists and wishing to flatten them in retribution is pretty much a normal reaction, particularly to those of us that have felt a particular loss.

And this applies no matter how high-minded you might feel while sitting safely at your computer.

Just remember that Sesh is drunk about 95% of the time when he posts... this knowledge acts as an anti-inflammatory of sorts... ;)

Nitro Express

04-28-2009, 11:55 AM

I would love to give Gar and Ford some weapons. Pop open a beer, pop some popcorn and enjoy the show.

Nitro Express

04-28-2009, 12:00 PM

The real winners are the big bankers. All the bailout money has gone overseas and the American tax payer gets the bill. After these guys use Obama's popularity to grab all they can they will throw Barrack under the bus when they are done with him.

Nitro Express

04-28-2009, 12:05 PM

Barrack can sell sacrifice (getting screwed) better than Bush could. He's about selling the scam of breaking up publicaly traded corporations, breaking unions, forcing deals to benefit his rich friends, and consolidating power. In short, this half black man is issuing in slavery. We will scratch and sacrifice for the banking elite who will get the mass majority of the booty while they protect themselves with private mercinaries and live behind walls. Can you say fuedalism?

Nitro Express

04-28-2009, 12:07 PM

I always wondered if New York City had anti-aircraft guns and surface to air missles. Good thing they don't. They would have opened fire and sent that big, blue, silver, and white plane down in flames.

ZahZoo

04-28-2009, 12:09 PM

At the risk of sounding like an Obama shill, wasn't it more the Defense Dept. that is at fault for this?

Poor choice for deflection... who's the Commander in Chief?

Stupid thing all around... given the amount of archival footage available this whole thing could have been CGI'ed at a cost of operating Air-Force One and it's escort fighter for 30 minutes.

Whoever approved this bullshit owes the American taxpayers a good chunk of money. I want my money back...

Guitar Shark

04-28-2009, 12:11 PM

Whoever approved this bullshit owes the American taxpayers a good chunk of money. I want my money back...

Get in line buddy... I'm still waiting for my money back for the Iraq War...

Nickdfresh

04-28-2009, 12:29 PM

Nickdfresh

04-28-2009, 12:34 PM

Poor choice for deflection... who's the Commander in Chief?

Stupid thing all around... given the amount of archival footage available this whole thing could have been CGI'ed at a cost of operating Air-Force One and it's escort fighter for 30 minutes.

Whoever approved this bullshit owes the American taxpayers a good chunk of money. I want my money back...

I'm deflecting anything. He wasn't on the plane nor directly involved...

And these photo-ops are fairly common. Though not usually over populated areas. It was his Presidential ofc. on military that coordinated it, or failed to coordinate it. But I'm much less disturbed by this than say the Air Force accidentally shipping nuclear weapons to foreign countries...

And CGI blows dead donkeys...

binnie

04-28-2009, 12:34 PM

Wow New Yorkers have been completely owned by 9-11 if they are still shitting themselves over something like this.

Land of the brave my ass...

Coming to all good book stores soon:

'How To Make Friends & Influence People' by Dr. Sesh Meister.

Nickdfresh

04-28-2009, 12:37 PM

Nitro Express

04-28-2009, 01:08 PM

Poor choice for deflection... who's the Commander in Chief?

Stupid thing all around... given the amount of archival footage available this whole thing could have been CGI'ed at a cost of operating Air-Force One and it's escort fighter for 30 minutes.

Whoever approved this bullshit owes the American taxpayers a good chunk of money. I want my money back...

I was working as a police officer when daddy Bush came to Boise, Idaho. The old Air Force One came in along with two huge military transport planes containing the presidential vehicles and helecopter. It had to cost a fortune just so daddy Bush could go and raise some money at a fundraising dinner for tap his foot Senator Larry Craig.

Now they fly both 747's together one being a decoy. I don't think we want to know what it costs to move these stuffed suits around.

GAR

04-28-2009, 01:11 PM

Chefcraigs' had fewer moments of being mentally imbalanced than Obama - it comes out this morning that the White House informed the NYC mayor not to inform the public of the flyover.

I think Lesfunk is the BCE. How would he know this was all a BCE maneuver if he wasn't with the BCE?

Nitro Express

04-28-2009, 01:11 PM

Why? There was an F-16 tailing it?

Yeah I know. But certain people didn't get the fact that the F-16 was FLYING WITH the plane and not persuing it. You are using logic here. Logic is the first thing you throw out when you are dealing with people.

GAR

04-28-2009, 01:16 PM

Whoever approved this bullshit owes the American taxpayers a good chunk of money. I want my money back...

Vote independant, regardless of ANY advertisements that come up during an election year.

Vote for: the pot party, the Sierra Club party, anything on the ballot besides the Dems and Repubs who do this to us year after year, after year.

We need to fire them all!

GAR

04-28-2009, 01:37 PM

Kristy

04-28-2009, 01:54 PM

Poor choice for deflection... who's the Commander in Chief?

Whoever approved this bullshit owes the American taxpayers a good chunk of money. I want my money back...

Yeah, good luck.

FORD

04-28-2009, 02:09 PM

Vote independant, regardless of

...regardless of whether you can spell independent or not?

Seshmeister

04-28-2009, 02:59 PM

Coming to all good book stores soon:

'How To Make Friends & Influence People' by Dr. Sesh Meister.

Sometimes you need to shake things up around here... :)

Seshmeister

04-28-2009, 03:02 PM

Unless they're Irish terrorists. Then you can round them up and throw them into H-blocks and torture them - or just collude with "loyalist death squads" to kill off annoying people like Catholic civil rights lawyers in Northern Ireland...or jail innocent people in the UK basically because they're Irish and young men in the hysteria following bombings...

All stuff done by a government I hated more than FORD hates the BCE.

Fortunately we don't have the death penalty or it could have been worse...

Nickdfresh

04-28-2009, 03:39 PM

Yeah I know. But certain people didn't get the fact that the F-16 was FLYING WITH the plane and not persuing it. You are using logic here. Logic is the first thing you throw out when you are dealing with people.

Well, I would at least hope that the people with the Stingers would at least have enough of a clue. An F-16 that close would have the killed a 747 long before it got in it the pilot had really wanted too...

LoungeMachine

04-28-2009, 06:04 PM

And CGI blows dead donkeys...

Typo here.

Nick meant GAR

:gulp:

FORD

04-28-2009, 06:17 PM

Typo here.

Nick meant GAR

:gulp:

No, GAR blows "dead" Jizzy.

WACF

04-28-2009, 06:40 PM

No, GAR blows "dead" Jizzy.

Hmmm...perhaps Jizzy died blowing the donkey....

FORD

04-28-2009, 06:41 PM

:lmao:

scamper

04-28-2009, 07:07 PM

I'm not the one running terrified into the street every time a plane flies over. :)

No you're the one running terrified everytime al gore cries wolf

Douglas T.

04-28-2009, 07:51 PM

It's hard to find pics of this...

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2009-04/46537505.jpg

:elvis:

I wonder when we'll see the photos from this act of dumbass! The F-16 was probably taking the pictures. It looked like the F-16 was always on the outside using the landmarks as a backdrop. Enlarge the final released pictures and see everyone standing in the streets in terror!

Full Bug

04-28-2009, 10:08 PM

'Furious' Obama orders review of NY plane flyover

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A "furious" President Obama has ordered a review of the decision to fly a Boeing 747 frighteningly close to the lower Manhattan skyline, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday.
A New York police official says the department had been alerted about Monday's flight.

Witnesses reported seeing a plane circle over the Upper New York Bay near the Statue of Liberty.

The review will focus on "why that decision was made and to ensure that it never happens again," Gibbs said. Jim Messina, a deputy chief of staff, will lead the effort.

On Tuesday, Obama told reporters, "It was a mistake. It was something we found out about along with all of you. And it will not happen again."

Officials said that when Obama first found out about the incident, he was "furious."

The incident has led to a large amount of criticism from New Yorkers and politicians.

After a YouTube video showed panicked New Yorkers scrambling as the plane flew frighteningly close to the lower Manhattan skyline, a former Homeland Security adviser questioned whether the man who approved the flyby should remain in his White House office.

Fran Townsend, who advised President George W. Bush for more than three years, called the move "crass insensitivity" in the wake of 9/11.

"I'd call this felony stupidity. This is probably not the right job for Mr. Caldera to be in if he didn't understand the likely reaction of New Yorkers, of the mayor," Townsend said Tuesday on CNN's "American Morning."

Louis Caldera, director of the White House Military Office, quickly apologized for Monday's incident after the planes prompted workers and residents to evacuate buildings in New York and New Jersey. Video Watch Townsend slam Caldera »

"Last week, I approved a mission over New York. I take responsibility for that decision," Caldera said. "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."

The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft, which functions as Air Force One when the president is aboard, was taking part in a classified, government-sanctioned photo shoot.

On Tuesday Sen. John McCain wrote a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates saying he was "profoundly disturbed" by the flyover "against the backdrop of September 11."

"The supposed mission represents a fundamentally unsound exercise in military judgment and may have constituted an inappropriate use of Department of Defense resources," McCain, a ranking member of the Senate's Armed Services Committee, wrote in the letter.

He requested an investigation into the cost of the flyover.

Air Force officials estimate that the mission and the photo shoot for the 747 and an accompanying F-16 fighter jet cost $328,835. But they said "the hours would have been flown regardless, and the expenses would have been accrued on a different mission."

An Air Force source told CNN on Tuesday that the White House Military Office planned a photo shoot over various Washington monuments next week, but the shoot has now been canceled.

An angry Mayor Michael Bloomberg said it "defies the imagination" that an agency would schedule the photo shoot so near the site of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, said the FAA's decision to not announce the flyby "borders on being either cruel or very, very stupid."

Witnesses reported seeing the plane circle over the Upper New York Bay near the Statue of Liberty before flying up the Hudson River. Video Watch the plane fly over Manhattan »

The YouTube video shows dozens of people standing in a parking lot, watching the plane approach. As it nears, they begin to run. Someone unleashes an expletive. "Run, run!" says one person. "Oh my God," cries another.

A 911 call released by the Hudson County Sheriff's Department in New Jersey shows the panic caused by the plane.

"There's a plane falling, there is a big aircraft falling like 9/11," a man says to the operator. "Everybody is running and people are crying and panicking."

Two officials said the White House Military Office was trying to update its file photos of Air Force One.

Bloomberg said he was perturbed. Video Watch the White House apologize »

"I'm annoyed -- furious is a better word -- that I wasn't told," he said, calling the FAA's decision to withhold details about the flight "ridiculous" and "poor judgment."

"Why the Defense Department wanted to do a photo op right around the site of the World Trade Center defies the imagination," he said. "Had we known, I would have asked them not to."

Linda Garcia-Rose, a social worker who counsels post-traumatic stress disorder patients in an office three blocks from where the World Trade Center stood, called the flight an "absolute travesty." Video Watch the White House respond to questions about the scare »

"There was no warning. It looked like the plane was about to come into us," she said. "I'm a therapist, and I actually had a panic attack."

Garcia-Rose, who works with nearly two dozen patients ages 15 to 47, said she was inundated with phone calls from patients.

"They're traumatized. They're asking 'How could this happen?' They're nervous. Their anxiety levels are high," she said. iReport.com: Tell us what you think

Garcia-Rose said she is considering filing a class-action suit against the government for sanctioning the plane's unannounced flight.

"I believe the government has done something really wrong," she said.
advertisement

Capt. Anna Carpenter of Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland said local law enforcement agencies and the FAA had been given notice of the exercise.

New York Police Deputy Commissioner Paul J. Browne said the department had been alerted about the flight "with directives to local authorities not to disclose information about it."

Dr. Love

04-28-2009, 11:02 PM

I wonder what people were supposed to think when they saw a commercial airliner flying with an f-16 in pursuit.

"Oh, it's nothing, let's carry on as though nothing is wrong."

lesfunk

04-28-2009, 11:08 PM

People get the leaders they deserve.... Sure, Obama's gonna save us...If we don't die of fright first!

ELVIS

04-28-2009, 11:30 PM

AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

try again E.
:elvis:

ELVIS

04-28-2009, 11:52 PM

Oh my, that's a bit large...

Can one of you Mods resize that a bit ??

:D

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/04/27/nyregion/hudson-480.jpg

:elvis:

ELVIS

04-28-2009, 11:55 PM

Now here's a cool flyover shot!

http://www.defenselink.mil/transformation/images/photos/2006-08/Hi-Res/060810-F-6701P-003.jpg

:elvis:

ELVIS

04-28-2009, 11:56 PM

Man, these pics are not huge like this when I post them, but check out the resolution in that last shot!

:elvis:

ELVIS

04-29-2009, 12:16 AM

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/04/28/nyregion/28plane.600.jpg

:elvis:

ELVIS

05-01-2009, 04:23 AM

This would shake me up a bit if I were in New York...

<object width="660" height="405"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BMoy8JprKI0&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BMoy8JprKI0&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="660" height="405"></embed></object>

:elvis:

ELVIS

05-01-2009, 04:34 AM

Check out these people...

<object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9OB5J74tV9s&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9OB5J74tV9s&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object>

:elvis:

hideyoursheep

05-01-2009, 04:48 AM

Big Train

05-01-2009, 11:09 AM

Here is what I don't get: This was a photo-op.

Which means it was going to be used in a treatment for promotional purposes. What was the angle? Remember when the bad guys flew giant planes over downtown Manhattan and crashed them? Well, we are here now in giant planes flying way to low, but we are here to protect you from them...

Even in stills, it makes NO sense. I really wonder, even if nobody panicked, what the eventual plan would have been for these shots. How can you think of any OTHER thing when you see those photos?

Dr. Love

05-01-2009, 12:27 PM

They wanted shots with the plane near the Statue of Liberty. I guess to get those pics you have to scare the shit out of a lot of people.

Seshmeister

05-01-2009, 12:34 PM

Even in stills, it makes NO sense. I really wonder, even if nobody panicked, what the eventual plan would have been for these shots. How can you think of any OTHER thing when you see those photos?

It's really quite simple.

A lot of the people that work for the government are pretty stupid or don't have a great deal of imagination.

Guitar Shark

05-01-2009, 12:38 PM

Jesus Christ

05-01-2009, 12:49 PM

Jesus...

Yes, Matthew.... did ye hath a question?

ELVIS

05-01-2009, 01:31 PM

Nice landing actually...

That's a popular spot to catch planes on camera...

I wonder if the pilot landed that low, on the very edge of the runway on purpose ??

:elvis:

Ally_Kat

05-01-2009, 11:28 PM

I wonder what people were supposed to think when they saw a commercial airliner flying with an f-16 in pursuit.

"Oh, it's nothing, let's carry on as though nothing is wrong."

We (New Yorkers) have been told that an F-16 following a plane in the restricted airspace of Lower Manhattan is a hijacking and that we are to evacuated immediately, which is what we did. The plane was not just flying overheard. It was flying in between buildings and barely clearing them. Didn't help that the jackass pilot flew straight towards this building and then did a hard left to avoid crashing into it.

http://imgsrv.1010wins.com/image/DbLiteGraphic/200904/4270934.jpg?1240868877

FORD

05-01-2009, 11:37 PM

Nice landing actually...

That's a popular spot to catch planes on camera...

I wonder if the pilot landed that low, on the very edge of the runway on purpose ??

:elvis:

Actually, I've read the explanation for this elsewhere, and a lot of planes come in low on that runway, because it's apparently shorter than most other runways on non-island airports, so they try to touch down as close to the very beginning as they can, for the longest (and presumably safest )braking distance.

ELVIS

05-02-2009, 12:09 AM

Either way, if a tall truck was there, the wheels might have hit it...

FORD

05-02-2009, 12:18 AM

Either way, if a tall truck was there, the wheels might have hit it...

True.... but it's kind of hard to not see and hear a fucking jumbo jet coming right at you, so the truck would probably stop, as the car did. And if not, the truck driver probably deserves the Darwin Award he would no doubt be nominated for upon his instant death.

Anyway, I'm not sure whose bright idea it was to put a road in between the beach and the end of the runway, but it appears to be for beach access, and probably doesn't get a lot of trucks on it.

What they really need (assuming it's NOT there and I just missed it) is a traffic light under control of the airport's control tower that turns red when the planes are coming in. I doubt very many people would run that red light!

hideyoursheep

05-02-2009, 03:18 AM

I was going for the people's reaction towards the low landing, as opposed to a Jumbo doing hard and low banks over NYC. Much different when you are aware of what's going on. I doubt the average joe is well versed in aircraft ID-being able to identify an F-18 from a MIG or a private jet for that matter. The so-called photo-op was a bonehead move.

ZahZoo

05-02-2009, 10:52 AM

Nice landing actually...

That's a popular spot to catch planes on camera...

I wonder if the pilot landed that low, on the very edge of the runway on purpose ??

:elvis:

Actually majority of the landing sequence is all automated... especially on a 747. Flight control will set the altitude and flight direction. that's programmed in by the pilot or 1st officer. Then the plane keys on ground transponders and onboard computers guide it in.

Most landings in a jet that size are 90% computer and 10% pilot unless you've got nasty weather or rough conditions.