Fears rise as planes fly low over Loop

Chicago Tribune ^ | November 7, 2010 | Jon Hilkevitch

[ConservativeStatement]

A large commercial airplane flies low and slow over Willis Tower, causing curiosity and sudden fear among the crowd of people walking on downtown streets.

Did the pilot veer off course? Or was the flight path intentional?

With the public's nerves frayed over homeland security concerns, the sight of the plane would surely bring to mind the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, as well as recent attempts by terrorists to place explosives aboard passenger and cargo planes.

"It was flying so low that everyone on the street stopped to stare," one observer e-mailed the Tribune after the incident one morning last month. "I was walking down Jackson Boulevard at the Chicago River when I saw the plane flying directly east, right past Willis Tower. It was way too close for comfort."

[ConservativeStatement]

The only thing we have to fear is...Obama himself.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Hint — see third word in excerpt.

[ConservativeStatement]

The article mentions different Boeings including a 747 cargo.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Photo (November 4, 2010)

The FAA said the first plane that passed over Willis Tower recently, stirring the crowd below and leading a reader to e-mail the Tribune about it, was a Boeing 747-400 cargo plane, the largest plane that operates in the Chicago area. It crossed over the top of the Willis (formerly called Sears Tower) at 4,000 feet, said FAA spokesman Tony Molinaro.

"At this height the plane was about 2,300 feet above the top of the building, or more than double the needed distance," Molinaro said. Willis Tower is 1,730 feet tall.

[jerseyrocks]

People can say all they want about President Bush the terrorists feared him and that is why we had no further attacks on our soil. They only understand a tough hand. Unfortunately, Obama appears weak.

[UCANSEE2]

Don’t worry. The mayor is just having drugs flown in below the radar.

Due to difficulties at the southern borders of the U.S., drug traffic by truck is getting more and more difficult. Those new SIDE SCANNING portable x-ray machines are making it almost impossible to get through.

[Uncle Miltie]

That’s not a 747. That one has two engines near the tail. The 747 has four engines under the wings.

[ConservativeStatement]

That looks like an MD-90.

[Rappini]

Looks like a DC-9.

[parthian shot]

Not to worry...just Rahm entertaining his guest.

[Uncle Miltie]

MD-90:

[ridesthemiles]

Since when did 747 engines get moved to the back & off the wings?

[dusttoyou]

Is the plane in your photo claimed to be a 747? Looks more like a Canada RegionalJet.

[ridesthemiles]

Gee- I am just a girl & not a plane fanatic. Thanks for verifying me.