A Photo Op?

I know the big story is Swine flu, but if you were living in New York City tell me you would not be emotionally affected with an FAA antic on Monday.

An aircraft, a large 747, albeit escorted by a fighter jet, sauntered down the Hudson River over, or at least very near ground zero, flew near skyscraper height and nobody really knew it was going to happen.

The FAA called it a photo op. Good gracious, now we’ve got idiots working for the Federal Aviation Authority. Somebody there doesn’t have his or her tray table uptight and locked.

What is wrong with the FAA bureaucratic dunderheads? The mayor of New York didn’t know about it. The people in the standing towers of Wall Street and lower Manhattan were not warned that this was to happen. It is no wonder thousands rushed to the streets in panic with memories of September 11th swirling in their wake.

A photo op? A large jet flying low over lower New York City, what were they thinking?

I’m a pilot. I have flown that Hudson Corridor dozens of times on sight seeing and business flights. If I’m in an aircraft or in a building looking out the window and I see a 747 flying low and even with a fighter jet nearby, I’m thinking hijack and attack.

You know what it was? The Defense Department wanted to update their photos of the Presidents plane with National Monuments in the background; the Statue of Liberty in this case.

You know what the official email to the New York Police Department said? "Information in this document shall not be released to the public or the media."

Dumb, double dumb.

Somebody at the FAA and the Defense Department ought to get their butt kicked.