Flight ban over downtown Chicago

AOPA online ^ | 10/31/01 | AOPA / FAA

[NY.SS-Bar9]

Flight ban over downtown Chicago
Meigs Field remains open

10/31/01 9:09:36 AM ET — The FAA has issued a notam banning VFR flight over downtown Chicago. The small temporary flight restriction (TFR) area extends from the surface to 3,000 feet and includes the Sears Tower. "This TFR is not a significant inconvenience to VFR operations," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "Meigs Field remains open, as does the important VFR fly-way along the Lake Michigan shoreline. We can all understand the desire to protect the Sears Tower, the nation's tallest building."

---

[NY.SS-Bar9]

FYI

[oc-flyfish]

Interesting. Did they give any reasons why there were imposing the ban?

[hsszionist]

The FAA also announced that private aircraft are not allowed to fly within 10 miles of any nuclear powerplant. This effectively shutsdown well over 400 airports, mostly in smaller urban areas. Chicago, others feel your pain.

[Fulbright]

Good luck protecting anything with Meigs and the VFR flyway over Lake Michigan still open.

[xm177e2]

"the desire to protect the Sears Tower, the nation's tallest building"

[bootless]

...the nation's tallest building.

sigh.

[xm177e2]

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: "I would give the greatest sunset in the world for one sight of New York's skyline. Particularly when one can't see the details. Just the shapes. The shapes and the thought that made them. The sky over New York and the will of man made visible. What other religion do we need? And then people tell me about pilgrimages to some dank pesthole in a jungle where they go to do homage to a crumbling temple, a leering stone monster with a pot belly, created by some leprous savage. Is it beauty and genius that they want to see? Do they seek a sense of the sublime? Let them come to New York, stand on the shore of the Hudson, look and kneel. When I see the city from my window - no, I don't feel how small I am - but I feel that if a war came to threaten this, I would like to throw myself into space, over the city, and protect these buildings with my body." - Ayn Rand, "The Fountainhead."

[Mr_Magoo]

Did they give any reasons why there were imposing the ban?

Because King Richie II, the Mayor, is crying about the private airplanes over the city. He wants them ALL banned. Anywhere over the city.

This is the same jerk that had the Air National Guard and AF Reserves removed from O'Hare IAP.

[tigerlady]

In my very biased opinion, this is a half-measure of security. I'm all for protecting the Sears Tower, the largest building in Chicago and the US. That is absolutely necessary. However, we live in the John Hancock Building, the tallest residential building (over 100 stories), which is located one block from Lake Michigan. I don't understand why they are allowing flights over Lake Michigan. We, as residents. are under very tight security within the building and all around the building outside on the street level. However, they seem to have forgotten about a flight ban for us. A little scary!

[tigerlady]

In my very biased opinion, this is a half-measure of security. I'm all for protecting the Sears Tower, the largest building in Chicago and the US. That is absolutely necessary. However, we live in the John Hancock Building, the tallest residential building (over 100 stories), which is located one block from Lake Michigan. I don't understand why they are allowing flights over Lake Michigan. We, as residents. are under very tight security within the building and all around the building outside on the street level. However, they seem to have forgotten about a flight ban for us. A little scary!

[ravinson]

Meigs Field remains open...

That's a dicey place to land even when you don't have to worry about encroaching on airspace protected by fighter jets.

[psycho-sis]

I don't have an article to post here. Only a piece of news from the neighbourhood. Two weeks ago 2 Arab looking men were sighted scouting out the locks in Sault Ste. Marie Canada. After first checking with the FBI the local police detained them, questioned them and then released them. Then afterwards the US authorities contacted the local Canadian police to have them keep the men detained. The two were already long gone. Blowing up the locks on Lake Michigan could screw up the entire Great Lakes system.

[skip2myloo]

Golly, I can see it now. Group of terrorists penetrates airport security at O'Hare, hi-jacks a heavy jet full of fuel bound for SFO, kills flight stewards, breaks down cockpit door, seizes control of the plane and heads for the Sears Tower.

Once ATC informs them of the NOTAM announcing the TFR, they say "Gee, it would be a violation of the Federal Aviation Regualtions to penetrate that airspace -- guess we better call off our attack and head somewhere not under the umbrella of "protected" airspace."

My goodness, how stupid have we become?

Just like the aircraft that departed Dulles and slammed into the Pentagon -- a jet departing O'Hare will fly through the Sears Tower quicker than we can shoot it down.

Just to be safe, aside from abridging all our civil liberties, abrogating all our freedoms -- we better shut down all our transportation systems, and then like oestrich's, go stick our heads in the sand.

Nothing more than a bunch of knee-jerk, make-me-feel-good crap.

Remember the cliche, locks only keep out honest people.

[hawkeyeBetsy]

"...the nation's tallest building."

sigh.

That fact was not changed by the events of Sept. 11. The Sears Tower has always been the nation's tallest building.

[Jay W]

Anti-aircraft surface-to-air missiles should be installed on all tall buildings.

[readyourhistory]

The ban is in case that does happen and radio contact to the pilot is lost they can shoot it down without too much haggling. Time is critical when you have dirt monkeys behind the lines.

[Anamensis]

Rand would be sick at heart these days, seeing the violence wrought by Islam, hearing the collectivist apologists, seeing the leporous savages gloating on the air every night. It's a kindness she isn't here to see it.

[codeword]

"Look and kneel..."

---Ayn Rand

Is this what she said to Nathaniel Branden?