Air Force One Photo Opp Triggers Panic in Manhattan

ABC News Blogs ^ | April 27, 2009 | MARK CRUDELE, RICHARD ESPOSITO and LISA STARK

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

A photo shoot involving a 747 used as Air Force One and two fighter jets flying at low altitude led to hundreds of frightened calls from residents and workers in Lower Manhattan this morning, triggering memories of 9-11 as many evacuated their offices...

According to officials, the flight -- authorized by the FAA -- came in as low as 1000 feet to 150 feet above the city as it made a large circle over Manhattan, Staten Island, and New Jersey...

Other officials noted that they were led to believe the flight would be limited to the area near the Statue of Liberty, however the flight pattern was above a much larger portion of New York and at an extremely low altitude.

[gathersnomoss]

Was Dick Head on this plane? What a total moron! Oh, and all of you NY’ers who voted for Zero, REAL NICE! One day you just may get a clue.

[freema]

There is no clinical diagnosis.

[lilycicero]

I am glad I “refreshed” the thread...I too was thinking why couldn’t the jet be photoshopped w/the Statue of Liberty?

[Right Wing Assault]

This stunt must have generated one of the hughest mass adrenalin rushes ever.

[grobdriver]

came in as low as 1000 feet to 150 feet above the city

Guess you CAN violate the FARs if ATC "clears" you to... or the President.

[EggsAckley]

Looks to me like some kind of “psy-ops” stunt designed to keep us in terror. Whoever dreamed this up should be horsewhipped.

[NoKoolAidforMe]

The Port Authority knew nothing about this exercise. Nothing like creating panic and instilling fear into thousands of New Yorkers.

[novemberslady]

I’m saying they’re lying

[Paladin2]

Is the Ax behind this? 0be?

[happinesswithoutpeace]

/mark

[just me]

Just when you think they can’t....... they do......

[Rappini]

When I first glanced at that picture it looked like a Missile on it’s way up must be my cataracts.

[SJSAMPLE]

They could be, but this would be the kind of conspiracy that’s just too big to cover up.

That plane has to land somewhere, and when the TOTUS gets off, the jig is up.

[lainie]

(4) This is the same administration trying its best to force global warming/carbon footprint hysteria on us.

[denydenydeny]

Be quiet, you stupid peasants. Your betters will decide what’s good for you.

[B-Chan]

It’s frightening when looked at from the perspective of an office in Lewisville, Texas.

I was in NYC six weeks after 911 and I’ll never forget the smell. It was a combination of burnt wire insulation and rotten meat. I asked a resident what the smell was and he told me “Remember the World Trade Center? You’re breathing it.”

[tacticalogic]

So, what kind of PR propaganda was this for, and how much is it costing us?

[netmilsmom]

When I worked at BP America, our mailroom would test for bombs.
They did bomb tests where a package would be rigged to look like a bomb on X-Ray. The worker was supposed to spot it before it made it up on the floors.

One time a lady on the 39th (law) floor opened a box to find what looked like a bomb inside. EMS had to be called for her.

Now, how stupid was it to....

1. Not put a note in saying it was a test bomb
2. Not call to the recipient saying a test was being done.

This is the same thing.

[StAntKnee]

Keep track of the casualty count. Bound to be some heart fibs, broken ankles and diaper rash.

[smith288]

It’s frightening when looked at from the perspective of an office in Lewisville, Texas.

Dont get me wrong. I understand. I just will NEVER know how scary it was for a New Yorker to stand in a high rise and see that.