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Originally Posted by HummerJim
You really don't think that was a photo op do you? As an ex Air Force 104 pilot I can tell you you don't fly trail in formation for photo ops you fly extended wingtip/fingertip or echelon to avoid wintip vortices (remember the XB 70 Valkerie). You do fly trail when you are measuring ECM and collecting data as a chase plane. I think part of it was to see if the system could differentiate between a large commercial liner and a fighter. I still think it was some kind of defensive test of a system that was in place in NYC. As Curtis LeMay always said, any advanced warning of a defensive test makes the test totally useless.
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Jim, this is from the article.
President Obama has asked for an internal investigation of a photo-op featuring the presidential jet that sent thousands of New Yorkers running for their lives -- and sent officials in Washington, D.C., running for political cover.
The 747 plane, with an F-16 escort following close behind, circled the Statue of Liberty and the skyline near the World Trade Center site for about a half-hour. Offices were evacuated. Emergency call centers were inundated. Witnesses reported that the planes were flying dangerously low.
Only military personnel were aboard the 747, Gibbs said. The photo-op cost $328,835, which includes personnel, maintenance and fuel costs, according to the Air Force, which said the hours would have been flown regardless and the expenses accrued on a different mission.
But the site evoked memories of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and left White House Military Office Director Louis Caldera accepting responsibility and apologizing late Monday for permitting the exercise that infuriated New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who had not been alerted to the flyover.
Obama, who was meeting with FBI Director Robert Mueller and other senior officials at the FBI on Tuesday, called the photo-op "a mistake."
"It was something we found out about along with all of you. And it will not happen again," he said.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman agreed that the public should have been notified of the flyover.
"I think anytime in which you have something that is going to be highly visible and not completely obvious to the public at large, you need to make every attempt to make sure the general public is notified and the best way to do that generally is through you guys," he told reporters.
Whitman said he did not know why that wasn't done in this case.
They flew around for about half an hour. How much defensive stuff do flyboys need around New York Harbor? And why do it with the Presidential backup plane? Why not just call it a test? Why not use a regualar old Plane instead of Pimpin One?
Just because they're flying a certain formation at one point doesn't mean they didn't change at another point to take some snapshots. (i really don't care)
One more thing. You Cannot believe everything you read, but it was never officially called a test. Besides, they didn't check with Obama to make sure they had permission.
Good stuff about the formation though.