AF1 buzzing Manhattan, causing scare

[DaveSims]

All I can say is, "What were they thinking?"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30435336

[C]

Probably could've done with being better publicised, and people should maybe consider that if it was hostile and had a fighter in tow, why it hadn't been shot down - which in view of history, I suspect it would be.

[DaveSims]

It says in the  stories that local authorities had been notified, but were advised not to inform the public?   :-?  If it had been publicized, people wouldn't have panicked, but in a city that went through 9/11, the sight of a jumbo flying low with fighters in pursuit would cause alarm.

[OVERLORD_CHRIS]

I can see how this can be an Issue, but it was VC-25 after all, they are not normally going to say what it is doing in advance.

[beaky]

Wow. I was just down by the river in JC, probably about an hour after it happened. I understand why they would not make a public announcement (fighters and possibly even the onboard countermeasures won't protect it from a ground-launched weapon... or small-arms fire), but yes- WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?!

[an-225]

I concur with Charlie. It could have been better publicised, but as Overlord said, it was a VC-25, they would not announce its flight plan.

At APEC 2007, we all thought that the VC-25 would fly the approach to YSSY from out over the water. It flew the approach low over suburban Sydney instead, where there were multiple ways to attack with a MANPAD, and multiple ways to escape.

It seemed quite easy to see that it was Air Force One, although the public may not have realised that.

All I can say is, if the file photo of Air Force One is the photo where it is flying over Mount Rushmore, they shouldn't replace it.

[tcco94]

When I saw the picture on yahoo it scared me from old memories.

I would be one of those people who were out of my office on the floor.

and i'd most likely be running for my life!  ;D