No air traffic at LAX this afternoon - Obama! | FerrariChat

No air traffic at LAX this afternoon - Obama!

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by m5guy, Feb 15, 2012.

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  1. m5guy

    m5guy Formula 3

    Aug 17, 2008
    1,627
    Ventura, CA.
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    Greg
    On my afternoon commute home today at 4:30pm (Los Angeles) I was surprised on how light the vehicle traffic was as I merged from the 105 West to the 405 North. Right around Howard Hughes Parkway I looked up and saw a very large helicopter passing over, and it was definitely Marine One. Then as I watched the helicopter head off towards West LA, I noticed there was absolutely zero approach traffic inbound to LAX or Santa Monica Airport. Truly a strange site.

    Later, as I crossed over into Ventura County passing Pt. Mugu, there was a single F18 taking off. He did a climbing 180 over the Pacific, then kept going up to at least 10-12,000 feet and disappeared towards Simi Valley. I rarely see fighters taking off from Mugu, so this had to be an escort or patrol for PONTUS.

    Very impressive to see how ATC totally clears a large patch of airspace for him.
     
  2. wingfeather

    wingfeather F1 Rookie

    Feb 1, 2007
    3,653
    rock bottom
    Glad to see my tax dollars at work.............
     
  3. darth550

    darth550 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    Jul 14, 2003
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    He's either here for Hollywood $$$$$$$$$ or couldn't handle being "stuck" in The White House for A WHOLE WEEK!!! :eek:
     
  4. Jedi

    Jedi Moderator
    Moderator Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Mar 18, 2008
    32,272
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    Dave
    Sorry... you missed a few :p
     
  5. Tcar

    Tcar F1 Rookie


    OK, I give... what does the 'N' stand for??????



    Clinton shut it down so he could get a haircut....
     
  6. toggie

    toggie F1 World Champ
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    Nov 30, 2003
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    I guess drug-running pilots don't check the NOTAMs for TFRs.
    (For the non-pilots on here, "NOTAM" = "Notice to Airmen" and "TFR" = "Temporary Flight Restriction".)

    F-16s intercept unauthorized small plane, later found to be carrying marijuana stash near Los Angeles.

    http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/02/16/norad-fighters-respond-to-unauthorized-aircraft-over-la/?test=latestnews

    Two F-16 fighters intercepted an aircraft Thursday after a flight restriction violation near Los Angeles, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, said in a statement.

    The privately owned Cessna airplane entered the same airspace as Marine One, the helicopter that was ferrying President Obama, around noon. A law enforcement official says police discovered about 40 pounds of marijuana inside after it landed at Long Beach Airport.

    The Secret Service says the president was never in any danger. There was no immediate word on arrests related to the drug discovery.

    The two fighters, under the direction of the bi-national American and Canadian command, quickly responded to the violation. After intercepting the aircraft, the NORAD fighters followed it until it landed, and it was met by local law enforcement without incident.

    NORAD works closely with homeland defense, security and law enforcement to prevent air attacks on North America by responding to unauthorized air activity.

    In safeguarding the sovereign air space of the U.S. and Canada, the command may monitor, shadow, divert from flight path, direct to land and/or destroy potential threats, the statement said.
    .
     
  7. m5guy

    m5guy Formula 3

    Aug 17, 2008
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    Greg
    Nothing racial, for sure! Just a typo on my part that could not be corrected before my post was locked out.
     
  8. m5guy

    m5guy Formula 3

    Aug 17, 2008
    1,627
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    Greg

    Ron, thanks for posting! I thought it was an F18 I saw leaving Pt Mugu, but clearly it was an F16 if the newswire got their fighter planes correct.
     
  9. Tcar

    Tcar F1 Rookie

    Easy mistake... Two F16s have the same number of engines and tails as an F18.... ha.
     
  10. Juan-Manuel Fantango

    Juan-Manuel Fantango F1 World Champ
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    Jan 18, 2004
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    Turd...that's all. He needs a haircut.
     
  11. dmaxx3500

    dmaxx3500 Formula 3

    Jul 19, 2008
    1,027
    o'hare in chicago goes silent when ''o'' comes in too
     
  12. 2000YELLOW360

    2000YELLOW360 F1 World Champ

    Jun 5, 2001
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    Art
    They put a temporary flight restriction in effect for the President. Procedure the same since 9/11. Usually only no fly for less than an hour, but restriction on having an active flight plan etc. for a longer time period.

    No big deal.

    Art
     
  13. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
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    Nov 29, 2003
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    No different than any other president.
     
  14. Tcar

    Tcar F1 Rookie

    Yep... necessary for security...
     
  15. amenasce

    amenasce Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Cant he land at a military base?
     
  16. 2000YELLOW360

    2000YELLOW360 F1 World Champ

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    In LA, like to suggest one that isn't a two hour drive? Closest military base would be March, which is east of Riverside, I think. To the south it would be Orange County. I don't know of any President that used military bases that were that far away from where they were headed.

    The reality is that it really doesn't affect the traffic all that much. None of those airports are running near capacity, and this isn't a big deal. They close the airspace for less than an hour, and restrict a circle around it of about 30 miles, where you can still fly, but you've got to let them know you are flying, use a flight plan, vfr or ifr, or use flight following. None of which is a major hassle.

    Art
     
  17. cheesey

    cheesey Formula 3

    Jun 23, 2011
    1,921
    another thing that is not seen... the cargo aircraft delivering the limos and / or the helicopters.

    the pres has more than a seat on a plane when he travels...

    for only a few mega million dollars each time the pres booggies about the country and the world... when they quote cost...they typically quote operating cost for AF-1 only, not all the other support vehicles and entourage ( in flight refueling ) that go on a trip.
     
  18. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Feb 27, 2004
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    Jim Pernikoff
    Here in Atlanta, he usually comes into Dobbins ARB rather than going into Hartsfield-Jackson. I guess disrupting the world's busiest commercial airport would be rather chaotic!
     
  19. 2000YELLOW360

    2000YELLOW360 F1 World Champ

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    It is outrageous, but we can blame Reagan for that. He bought this place, and it's back up. Apparently, the rebuild the plane yearly, not in accordance with the recommendation of Boeing. They also polish it every time it goes out, using highly rated enlisted types for the polishing rather than grunts.

    They spent over 100M a year on that plane. With the cold war over, I wonder about the need, and the cost.

    Art
     
  20. Tcar

    Tcar F1 Rookie

    #20 Tcar, Feb 22, 2012
    Last edited: Feb 22, 2012

    It's about security. Yes there are 2 of them, one is often used as a 'decoy'.

    It is the White House, the 'Bunker', if there's an attack. The country can be run from the plane.

    In a foreign country, the President lives on the plane. Sleeps there at night. More secure that way.

    They have to take his own vehicles, obviously, security. Even the Pope takes his own vehicle. :)

    The maintenance people on the plane MUST have a certain security clearance... not 'grunts'. (I want my President's plane to look good, it's not Air France.)

    The 'cold war' is over. OK, but Remember 9/11... do you think we're safe??? Think he's safe?

    There are new Air Force One aircraft every so often, it fact these two will be replaced soon... already been ordered. The old 707 that Regan used (Kennedy's plane) was not safe enough or big enough to serve as the White House.

    They are upgraded frequently with new countermeasures, security equipment, etc. constantly.

    There have been many presidential planes, B-24, C-54, Connie, 707 and these.

    They are NECESSARY, and are just an insignificant cost compared to the whole budget.

    My opinion.
     
  21. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    I'm pretty sure the US President is the only world leader who brings his own helicopter wherever he goes, and his own car for that matter (I don't think the pope brought his pope mobile when he went overseas, but I could be wrong).

    Putin, for example, doesn't do any of that.

    That said, I'm not complaining about the cost of AF1, and if I were to complain, who the President is at the moment really isn't relevant.
     
  22. silver1331

    silver1331 Formula Junior
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    Feb 9, 2009
    521
    He flew past my window (chicago) this morning in marine 1...along with 3-4 supporting assets, i think ch-46s?
     
  23. Tcar

    Tcar F1 Rookie

    #23 Tcar, Mar 16, 2012
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2012
    The Pope DOES take his overseas since the assasination attempt... brought it to the US, for instance. He has a couple; one where he stays seated, the other he can stand and wave.

    Putin? Don't know, (don't care) but he does have an armored limo that he goes everwhere in.
     
  24. It's Ross

    It's Ross Formula 3

    Jul 30, 2007
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    Not to mention F'ing up traffic on the Kennedy for all the stiffs trying to get to work and pay the bill for his never ending campaigning.
    Don't get me started
     
  25. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Jim Pernikoff
    Right now he's here in Hotlanta. AF1 is probably over at Dobbins as I write this.
     

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