Air Force One in Manhattan – Carbon pollution winner? Update: How much did this cost?

The aircraft flying over the southern tip of Manhattan today seems to have caused quite a kerfuffle. Often referred to as Air Force One, either SAM28000 or SAM29000 – a specialized version of Boeing’s 747-200B – took three leisurely passes over the Statue of Liberty and New York City this morning.

sam28000-rushmoreSince the folks who live in the city were not told about the flyover photo op, many were quite concerned; some were freaking out. Looking up, the jet looks like any other big flying object that can cause serious problems. Of course, (most) everyone in government knew about the fly-over, but they were asked not to tell any of the commoners.

It did not help matters that the VC-25A (Boeing 747 in Air Force lingo) was being closely followed by a fighter aircraft.

No, this is not Obama’s fault, just a really stupid move by some mid-level manager somewhere.

So, how many carbon offsets would be required to compensate the earth for all of this pollution?

Exit question: If Congress gets to scream at auto executives for taking private jets to Washington D.C., who should they scream at for this?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn0tMMYEkQU

Update (Jim): Other than being extraordinarily revealing about how this new administration has forgotten 9-11 and everything it means, Gretta Van Susteren tonight asks the relevant question for an economics person like me. Stephen Moore’s answer is priceless though. True … but priceless.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaiYtGGMcR0

Idiots … it’s not just that Obama’s people have forgotten 9-11 … it’s that New Yorkers haven’t.

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Steve McGough

Steve's a part-time conservative blogger. Steve grew up in Connecticut and has lived in Washington, D.C. and the Bahamas. He resides in Connecticut, where he’s comfortable six months of the year.

15 Comments

  1. Bill on April 27, 2009 at 2:18 pm

    Do you suppose that on some level New Yorkers actually still remember 9/11/2001 despite all efforts to erase that event from our collective memory?



  2. Jeff S on April 28, 2009 at 1:15 am

    I t appears to me that our "green" president seems to be leaving a huge carbon footprint.  Constantly flying across the country for who knows what, does he actually use the oval office, and now using the Air Force One backup plane for a photo op fly over in NYC!!  Not to mention that other little thing that happened a few years ago!!! Oh, that's right … we have reverted back to a Sept. 10 mindset.



  3. Erik Blazynski on April 28, 2009 at 1:26 am

    This is unbelievable. These people are just terrible, there is not even a slight chance that they thought that they could do this without scaring the crap out of everyone. This is not a photo opp.  Are they trying to tell us that the fighter jet was taking the pictures? From behind? Where were the pics taken from and where are the pics?

    They must have been sitting in the cockpit laughing their asses off. "Hey let's do another pass, ha ha ha ha."   Complete idiots.



  4. gillie28 on April 28, 2009 at 1:45 am

    That was stunningly insensitive, at best.  At worst, fill in own pet conspiracy theory!!!



  5. Dimsdale on April 28, 2009 at 1:57 am

    This is one thing they can't blame on Bush!  How is Emmanuel going to turn this crisis to his advantage?

    And the most ironic part of all: due to the kerfluffle, they won't even be able to use the pictures.

    Is it possible that the naivete of Obama's staff might actually make him look experienced?



  6. PatRiot on April 28, 2009 at 12:18 pm

    And what pray tell was REALLY going on while we were distracted by this sideshow?



  7. Anne-EH on April 28, 2009 at 12:22 pm

    A reminder of the GROSS INCOMPETENCE we have all been dealing with during the past 100 days of the PBO White House.



  8. Wyndeward on April 29, 2009 at 1:32 am

    The thing is is that the *KNEW* it would cause panic.

    "Federal officials knew that sending two fighter jets and Air Force One to buzz ground zero and Lady Liberty might set off nightmarish fears of a 9/11 replay, but they still ordered the photo-op kept secret from the public.

    In a memo obtained by CBS 2 HD the Federal Aviation Administration's James Johnston said the agency was aware of "the possibility of public concern regarding DOD (Department of Defense) aircraft flying at low altitudes" in an around New York City. But they demanded total secrecy from the NYPD, the Secret Service, the FBI and even the mayor's office and threatened federal sanctions if the secret got out."

    http://wcbstv.com/topstories/air.force.one.2.9964



  9. Dimsdale on April 29, 2009 at 6:11 am

    This revelation by Steve puts the lie to Obama's not knowing and only one guy being responsible.   If one guy can arrange this without the knowledge of the president or his staff, then the administration is worse than out of control.



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